The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 06 (of 10)
General
The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 06 (of 10)
Fairy tales; Tales -- Arab countries
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Judar, as he was
making the circuits, suddenly saw his friend Abd al-Samad also
circumambulating; and when the Maghribi caught sight of him, he saluted
him and asked him of his state; whereupon Judar wept and told him all
that had befallen him. So the Moor carried him to his lodging and
entreated him with honour, clothing him in a dress of which the like
was not, and saying to him, “Thou hast seen the end of thine ills, O
Judar.” Then he drew out for him a geomantic figure, which showed what
had befallen Sálim and Salím and said to Judar, “Such and such things
have befallen thy brothers and they are now in the King of Egypt’s
prison; but thou art right welcome to abide with me and accomplish
thine ordinances of pilgrimage and all shall be well.” Replied Judar,
“O my lord, let me go and take leave of the merchant with whom I am and
after I will come back to thee.” “Dost thou owe money?” asked the Moor,
and he answered, “No.” Said Abd al-Samad, “Go thou and take leave of
him and come back forth right, for bread hath claims of its own from
the ingenuous.” So Judar returned to the merchant and farewelled him,
saying, “I have fallen in with my brother.”[FN#295] “Go bring him
here,” said the merchant, “and we will make him an entertainment.” But
Judar answered, saying, “He hath no need of that; for he is a man of
wealth and hath many servants.” Then the merchant gave Judar twenty
dinars, saying, “Acquit me of responsibility”;[FN#296] and he bade him
adieu and went forth from him. Presently, he saw a poor man, so he gave
him the twenty ducats and returned to the Moor, with whom he abode till
they had accomplished the pilgrimage rites when Abd al-Samad gave him
the seal ring, that he had taken from the treasure of Al-Shamardal,
saying, “This ring will win thee thy wish, for it enchanteth and hath a
servant, by name Al-Ra’ad al-Kásif; so whatever thou hast a mind to of
the wants of this world, rub this ring and its servant will appear and
do all thou biddest him.” Then he rubbed the ring before him, whereupon
the Jinni appeared, saying, “Adsum, O my lord! Ask what thou wilt and
it shall be given thee. Hast thou a mind to people a ruined city or
ruin a populous one? to slay a king or to rout a host?” “O Ra’ad,” said
Abd al-Samad, “this is become thy lord; do thou serve him faithfully.”
Then he dismissed him and said to Judar, “Rub the ring and the servant
will appear and do thou command him to do whatever thou desirest, for
he will not gainsay thee. Now go to thine own country and take care of
the ring, for by means of it thou wilt baffle thine enemies; and be not
ignorant of its puissance.” “O my lord,” quoth Judar, “with thy leave,
I will set out homewards.” Quoth the Maghribi, “Summon the Jinni and
mount upon his back; and if thou say to him, ‘Bring me to my native
city this very day,’ he will not disobey thy commandment.” So he took
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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