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
Then he returned to his lodging and sat there weeping, till sleep
overcame him, when he saw in a dream as if Zayn al-Mawasif were come to
the house, and awoke in tears. So he set off to go thither, improvising
these couplets,
"Shall I be consoled when Love hath mastered the secret of me *
And my heart is aglow with more than the charcoal's ardency?
I love her whose absence I plain before Allah for parting-stower
* And the shifts of the days and doom which allotted me
Destiny:
When shall our meeting be, O wish O' my heart and will? * O
favour of fullest Moon, when shall we Re-union see?"
As he made an end of his recitation, he found himself walking adown in
Zayn al-Mawasif's street and smelt the sweet savour of the pastiles
wherewithal she had incensed the house; wherefore his vitals fluttered
and his heart was like to leave his breast and desire flamed up in him
and distraction redoubled upon him; when lo, and behold! Hubub, on her
way to do her lady's errand suddenly appeared at the head of the street
and he rejoiced with joy exceeding. When she saw him, she went up to
him and saluting him, gave him the glad news of her mistress's return,
saying, "She hath sent me to bid thee to her." Whereat he was glad
indeed, with gladness naught could exceed; and she took him and
returned with him to the house. When Zayn al-Mawasif saw him, she came
down to him from the couch and kissed him and he kissed her and she
embraced him and he embraced her; nor did they leave kissing and
embracing till both swooned away for stress of affection and
separation. They lay a long while senseless, and when they revived,
Zayn al-Mawasif bade Hubub fetch her a gugglet of sherbet of sugar and
another of sherbet of lemons. So she brought what she desired and they
sat eating and drinking nor ceased before nightfall, when they fell to
recalling all that had befallen them from commencement to conclusion.
Then she acquainted him with her return to Al-Islam, whereat he
rejoiced and he also became a Moslem. On like wise did her women, and
they all repented to Allah Almighty of their infidelity. On the morrow
she made send for the Kazi and the witnesses and told them that she was
a widow and had completed the purification-period and was minded to
marry Masrur. So they drew up the wedding-contract between them and
they abode in all delight of life. Meanwhile, the Jew, when the people
of Adan released him from prison, set out homewards and fared on nor
ceased faring till he came within three days' journey of the city. Now
as soon as Zayn al-Mawasif heard of his coming she called for her
handmaid Hubub and said to her, "Go to the Jews' burial-place and there
dig a grave and plant on it sweet basil and jessamine and sprinkle
water thereabout. If the Jew come and ask thee of me, answer, 'My
mistress died twenty days ago of chagrin on thine account.' If he say,
show me her tomb, take him to the grave and after weeping over it and
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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