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 said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the old woman
said to the Princess Manar al-Sana, "What words be these, O my lady?
Dost thou fear for them from thy sister? Allah safeguard thy reason!
Thou mayst not cross the Queen's majesty in this matter, for she would
be wroth with thee. However, O my lady, the children are young, and
thou art excusable in fearing for them, for those that love well are
wont to deem ill: but, O my daughter, thou knowest my tenderness and
mine affection for thee and thy children, for indeed I reared thee
before them. I will take them in my charge and make my cheek their
pillow and open my heart and set them within, nor is it needful to
charge me with care of them in the like of this case; so be of cheerful
heart and tearless eye and send them to her, for, at the most, I shall
but precede thee with them a day or at most two days." And she ceased
not to urge her, till she gave way, fearing her sister's fury and
unknowing what lurked for her in the dark future, and consented to send
them with the old woman. So she called them and bathed them and
equipped them and changed their apparel. Then she clad them in the two
little coats of mail and delivered them to Shawahi, who took them and
sped on with them like a bird, by another road than that by which their
mother should travel, even as the Queen had charged her; nor did she
cease to fare on with all diligence, being fearful for them, till she
came in sight of Nur al-Huda's city, when she crossed the river and
entering the town, carried them in to their aunt. The Queen rejoiced
at their sight and embraced them, and pressed them to her breast; after
which she seated them, one upon the right thigh and the other upon the
left; and turning round said to the old woman, "Fetch me Hasan
forthright, for I have granted him my safeguard and have spared him
from my sabre and he hath sought asylum in my house and taken up his
abode in my courts, after having endured hardships and horrors and
passed through all manner mortal risks, each terribler than other; yet
hitherto is he not safe from drinking the cup of death and from cutting
off his breath." —And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to
say her permitted say.
When it was the Eight Hundred and Fourteenth Night,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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