The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 07 (of 10)
General
The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 07 (of 10)
Fairy tales; Tales -- Arab countries
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when King Gharib
ended the battle and the two hosts drew apart and each had returned to
his own tents, he sat down on the throne of his realm and the place of
his reign, whilst his chief officers ranged themselves about him, and
he said, “I am sore concerned for the flight of the cur Ajib and I know
not whither he has gone. Except I overtake him and take my wreak of
him, I shall die of despite.” Whereupon Sahim came forward and kissing
the earth before him, said, “O King, I will go to the army of the
Kafirs and find out what is come of the perfidious dog Ajib.” Quoth
Gharib, “Go, and learn the truth anent the hog.” So Sahim disguised
himself in the habit of the Infidels and became as he were of them;
then, making for the enemy’s camp, he found them all asleep, drunken
with war and battle, and none were on wake save only the guards. He
passed on and presently came to the King’s pavilion where he found King
Jaland asleep unattended; so he crept up and made him smell and sniff
up levigated Bhang and he became as one dead. Then Sahim went out and
took a male mule, and wrapping the King in the coverlet of his bed,
laid him on its back; after which he threw a mat over him and led the
beast to the Moslem camp. Now when he came to Gharib’s pavilion and
would have entered, the guards knew him not and prevented him, saying,
“Who art thou?” He laughed and uncovered his face, and they knew him
and admitted him. When Gharib saw him he said, “What bearest thou
there, O Sahim?”; and he replied, “O King, this is Jaland bin Karkar.”
Then he uncovered him, and Gharib knew him and said, “Arouse him, O
Sahim.” So he made him smell vinegar[FN#22] and frankincense; and he
cast the Bhang from his nostrils and, opening his eyes, found himself
among the Moslems; whereupon quoth he, “What is this foul dream?” and
closing his eyelids again, would have slept; but Sahim dealt him a
kick, saying, “Open thine eyes, O accursed!” So he opened them and
asked, “Where am I?”; and Sahim answered, “Thou art in the presence of
King Gharib bin Kundamir, King of Irak.” When Jaland heard this, he
said, “O King, I am under thy protection! Know that I am not at fault,
but that who led us forth to fight thee was thy brother, and the same
cast enmity between us and then fled.” Quoth Gharib, “Knowest thou
whither he is gone?”; and quoth Jaland, “No, by the light-giving sun, I
know not whither.” Then Gharib bade lay him in bonds and set guards
over him, whilst each captain returned to his own tent, and Jamrkan
while wending said to his men, “O sons of my uncle, I purpose this
night to do a deed wherewith I may whiten my face with King Gharib.”
Quoth they, “Do as thou wilt, we hearken to thy commandment and obey
it.” Quoth he, “Arm yourselves and, muffling your steps while I go with
you, let us fare softly and disperse about the Infidels’ camp, so that
the very ants shall not be ware of you; and, when you hear me cry
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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