The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 09 (of 10)
General
The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 09 (of 10)
Fairy tales; Tales -- Arab countries
When they agreed to travel together Abu Kir said to Abu Sir, "O my
neighbour, we are become brethren and there is no difference between
us, so it behoveth us to recite the Fбtihah[FN#190] that he of us who
gets work shall of his gain feed him who is out of work, and whatever
is left, we will lay in a chest; and when we return to Alexandria, we
will divide it fairly and equally." "So be it," replied Abu Sir, and
they repeated the Opening Chapter of the Koran on this understanding.
Then Abu Sir locked up his shop and gave the key to its owner, whilst
Abu Kir left his door locked and sealed and let the key lie with the
Kazi's serjeant; after which they took their baggage and embarked on
the morrow in a galleon[FN#191] upon the salt sea. They set sail the
same day and fortune attended them, for, of Abu Sir's great good luck,
there was not a barber in the ship albeit it carried an hundred and
twenty men, besides captain and crew. So, when they loosed the sails,
the barber said to the dyer, "O my brother, this is the sea and we
shall need meat and drink; we have but little provaunt with us and
haply the voyage will be long upon us; wherefore methinks I will
shoulder my budget and pass among the passengers, and may be some one
will say to me, 'Come hither, O barber, and shave me,' and I will shave
him for a scone or a silver bit or a draught of water: so shall we
profit by this, I and thou too." "There's no harm in that," replied
the dyer and laid down his head and slept, whilst the barber took his
gear and water-tasse[FN#192] and throwing over his shoulder a rag, to
serve as napkin (because he was poor), passed among the passengers.
Quoth one of them, "Ho, master, come and shave me." So he shaved him,
and the man gave him a half-dirham;[FN#193] whereupon quoth Abu Sir, "O
my brother, I have no use for this bit; hadst thou given me a scone
'twere more blessed to me in this sea, for I have a shipmate and we are
short of provision." So he gave him a loaf and a slice of cheese and
filled him the tasse with sweet water. The barber carried all this to
Abu Kir and said, "Eat the bread and cheese and drink the water."
Accordingly he ate and drank, whilst Abu Sir again took up his shaving
gear and, tasse in hand and rag on shoulder, went round about the deck
among the passengers. One man he shaved for two scones and another for
a bittock of cheese, and he was in demand, because there was no other
barber on board. Also he bargained with every one who said to him,
"Ho, master, shave me!" for two loaves and a half dirham, and they gave
him whatever he sought, so that, by sundown, he had collected thirty
loaves and thirty silvers with store of cheese and olives and
botargoes.[FN#194] And besides these he got from the passengers
whatever he asked for and was soon in possession of things galore.
Amongst the rest he shaved the Captain,[FN#195] to whom he complained
of his lack of victual for the voyage, and the skipper said to him,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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