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
become thy slaves; so command us what thou wilt, for we are to thee
audient and obedient and we will never depart from thee, since Allah
hath guided us into the right way at thy hands.” Replied he, “Allah
abundantly requite you! Return to your dwellings and march forth with
your good and your children and forego me to the Wady of Blossoms and
the castle of Sásá bin Shays,[FN#349] whilst I carry the Princess Fakhr
Taj, daughter of Sabur, King of the Persians, back to her father and
return to you.” “Hearkening and obedience,” said they and straightway
returned to their encampment, rejoicing in Al-Islam, and expounded the
True Faith to their wives and children, who became Believers. Then they
struck their tents and set forth, with their good and cattle, for the
Wady of Blossoms. When they came in sight of the castle of Shays,
Sa’adan and his sons sallied forth to them, but Gharib had charged
them, saying, “If the Ghul of the Mountain come out to you and offer to
attack you, do ye call upon the name of Allah the All-creator, and he
will leave his hostile intent and receive you hospitably.” So when he
would have fallen upon them they called aloud upon the name of Almighty
Allah and straightway he received them kindly and asked them of their
case. They told him all that had passed between Gharib and themselves,
whereupon he rejoiced in them and lodged them with him and loaded them
with favours. Such was their case; but as regards Gharib, he and his,
escorting the Princess fared on five days’ journey towards the City of
Isbanir, and on the sixth day they saw a dust-cloud. So Gharib sent one
of the Persians to learn the meaning of this and he went and returned,
swiftlier than bird in flight, saying, “O my lord, these be a thousand
horse of our comrades, whom the King hath sent in quest of his daughter
Fakhr Taj.” When Gharib heard this, he commanded his company to halt
and pitch the tents. So they halted and waited till the new comers
reached them, when they went to meet them and told Túmán, their
captain, that the Princess was with them; whereupon he went in to
Gharib and kissing the ground before him, enquired for her. Gharib sent
him to her pavilion, and he entered and kissed her hands and feet and
acquainted her with what had befallen her father and mother. She told
him in return all that had betided her and how Gharib had delivered her
from the Ghul of the Mountain,—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day
and ceased saying her permitted say,
When it was the Six Hundred and Thirty-third Night,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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