The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 03 (of 10)
General
The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 03 (of 10)
Fairy tales; Tales -- Arab countries
is not the son of Adam, this be a camel, and he seemeth to fleeing from
the son of Adam.' As I was thus conversing, O my sister, with the lion
whelp, the camel came up and saluted him; whereupon he returned the
greeting and said, 'What bringeth thee hither?' Replied he, 'I came
here fleeing from the son of Adam.' Quoth the whelp, 'And thou, with
thy huge frame and length and breadth, how cometh it that thou fearest
the son of Adam, seeing that with one kick of thy foot thou wouldst
kill him?' Quoth the camel, 'O son of the Sultan, know that the son of
Adam hath subtleties and wiles, which none can withstand nor can any
prevail against him, save only Death; for he putteth into my nostrils a
twine of goat's hair he calleth Nose- ring,[FN#139] and over my head a
thing he calleth Halter; then he delivereth me to the least of his
little children, and the youngling draweth me along by the nose ring,
my size and strength notwithstanding. Then they load me with the
heaviest of burdens and go long journeys with me and put me to hard
labour through the hours of the night and the day. When I grow old and
stricken in years and disabled from working, my master keepeth me not
with him, but selleth me to the knacker who cutteth my throat and
vendeth my hide to the tanners and my flesh to the cooks: so do not ask
the hardships I suffer from the son of Adam.' 'When didst thou leave
the son of Adam?' asked the young lion; and he answered, 'At sundown,
and I suppose that coming to my place after my departure and not
finding me there, he is now in search of me: wherefore let me go, O son
of the Sultan, that I may flee into the wolds and the wilds.' Said the
whelp, 'Wait awhile, O camel, till thou see how I will tear him, and
give thee to eat of his flesh, whilst I craunch his bones and drink his
blood.' Replied the camel, 'O King's son, I fear for thee from the
child of Adam, for he is wily and guilefull.' And he began repeating
these verses:—
'When the tyrant enters the lieges' land, *
Naught remains for the lieges but quick remove!'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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