The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 08 (of 10)
General
The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 08 (of 10)
Fairy tales; Tales -- Arab countries
She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the
blacksmith told Zayn al-Mawasif what the Kazi had said, and how he
summoned them that he might apply the Lex Talionis to their adversary,
she rejoined, "How can we go to him, seeing the door is locked on us
and our feet shackled and the Jew hath the keys?" The smith replied, "I
will make the keys for the padlocks and therewith open door and
shackles." Asked she, "But who will show us the Kazi's house?"; and he
answered, "I will describe it to you." She enquired, "But how can we
appear before him, clad as we are in haircloth reeking with sulphur?"
And the smith rejoined, "The Kazi will not reproach this to you,
considering your case." So saying, he went forthright and made keys for
the padlocks, wherewith he opened the door and the shackles, and
loosing the irons from their legs, carried them forth and guided them
to the Kazi's mansion. Then Hubub did off the hair-cloth garments from
her lady's body and carried her to the Hammam, where she bathed her and
attired her in silken raiment, and her colour returned to her. Now it
happened, by exceeding good fortune, that her husband was abroad at a
bride-feast in the house of one of the merchants; so Zayn al-Mawasif,
the Adornment of Qualities, adorned herself with the fairest ornaments
and repaired to the Kazi, who at once on espying her rose to receive
her. She saluted him with softest speech and winsomest words, shooting
him through the vitals the while with the shafts of her glances, and
said, "May Allah prolong the life of our lord the Kazi and strengthen
him to judge between man and man!" Then she acquainted him with the
affair of the blacksmith and how he had done nobly by them, whenas the
Jew had inflicted on her and her women heart-confounding torments; and
how his victims deathwards he drave, nor was there any found to save.
"O damsel," quoth the Kazi, "what is thy name?" "My name is Zayn al
Mawasif,—Adomment of Qualities—and this my handmaid's name is Hubub."
"Thy name accordeth with the named and its sound conformeth with its
sense." Whereupon she smiled and veiled her face, and he said to her,
"O Zayn al-Mawasif, hast thou a husband or not?" "I have no husband";
"And what is thy Faith?" "That of Al-Islam, and the religion of the
Best of Men." "Swear to me by Holy Law replete with signs and instances
that thou ownest the creed of the Best of Mankind." So she swore to him
and pronounced the profession of the Faith. Then asked the Kazi, "How
cometh it that thou wastest thy youth with this Jew?" And she answered,
"Know, O Kazi (may Allah prolong thy days in contentment and bring thee
to thy will and thine acts with benefits seal!), that my father left
me, after his death, fifteen thousand dinars, which he placed in the
hands of this Jew, that he might trade therewith and share his gains
with me, the head of the property[FN#360] being secured by legal
acknowledgment. When my father died, the Jew coveted me and sought me
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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