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
When the youngest Princess saw him thus distracted for love and
longing-for passion and the fever-heat of desire, she went in to her
sisterhood weeping-eyed and woeful-hearted, and shedding copious tears
threw herself upon them, kissed their feet and besought them to devise
some device for bringing Hasan to the Islands of Wak and effecting his
reunion with his wife and wees. She ceased not to conjure them to
further her brother in the accomplishment of his desire and to weep
before them, till she made them weep and they said to her, "Hearten thy
heart: we will do our best endeavour to bring about his reunion with
his family, Inshallah!" And he abode with them a whole year, during
which his eyes never could retain their tears. Now the sisterhood had
an uncle, brother-german to their sire and his name was Abd al-Kaddús,
or Slave of the Most Holy; and he loved the eldest with exceeding love
and was wont to visit her once a year and do all she desired. They had
told him of Hasan's adventure with the Magian and how he had been able
to slay him; whereat he rejoiced and gave the eldest Princess a
pouch[FN#107] which contained certain perfumes, saying, "O daughter of
my brother, an thou be in concern for aught, or if aught irk thee, or
thou stand in any need, cast of these perfumes upon fire naming my name
and I will be with thee forthright and will do thy desire." This speech
was spoken on the first of Moharram[FN#108]; and the eldest Princess
said to one of the sisterhood, "Lo, the year is wholly past and my
uncle is not come. Rise, bring me the fire-sticks and the box of
perfumes." So the damsel arose rejoicing and, fetching what she sought,
laid it before her sister, who opened the box and taking thence a
little of the perfume, cast it into the fire, naming her unde's name;
nor was it burnt out ere appeared a dust-cloud at the farther end of
the Wady; and presently lifting, it discovered a Shaykh riding on an
elephant, which moved at a swift and easy pace, and trumpeted under the
rider. As soon as he came within sight of the Princesses, he began
making signs to them with his hands and feet; nor was it long ere he
reached the castle and, alighting from the elephant, came in to them,
whereupon they embraced him and kissed his hands and saluted him with
the salam. Then he sat down, whilst the girls talked with him and
questioned him of his absence. Quoth he, "I was sitting but now with my
wife, your aunt, when I smelt the perfumes and hastened to you on this
elephant. What wouldst thou, O daughter of my brother?" Quoth she, "O
uncle, indeed we longed for thee, as the year is past and 'tis not thy
wont to be absent from us more than a twelvemonth." Answered he, "I was
busy, but I purposed to come to you to-morrow." Wherefore they thanked
him and blessed him and sat talking with him.—And Shahrazad perceived
the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Eight Hundredth Night,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account