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
Then he sobbed a great sob and fell down a-swoon. The porter sighed,
and when he came to himself, he said to him, "O my lord, what is it
gars thee weep and who is she to whom thou alludest in these verses?
Indeed, she cannot be but as dust to thy feet." But Ibrahim arose and
for all reply brought out a parcel of the richest raiment that women
wear and said to him, "Take this to thy Harim." So he carried it to his
wife and she returned with him to the young man's lodging and behold,
she found him weeping, quoth the doorkeeper to him, "Verily, thou
breakest our hearts! Tell us what fair one thou desirest, and she shall
be naught save thy handmaid." Quoth he, "O uncle, know that I am the
son of al-Kasib, Wazir of Egypt, and I am enamoured of Jamilah,
daughter of Abu al-Lays the Governor." Exclaimed the porter's wife,
"Allah! Allah! O my brother, leave this talk, lest any hear of us and
we perish. Verily there is not on earth's face a more masterful than
she, nor may any name to her the word 'man', for she is averse from
men. Wherefore, O my son, turn from her to other than her." Now when
Ibrahim heard this, he wept with sore weeping and the doorkeeper said
to him, "I have nothing save my life; but that I will risk for thy love
and find thee a means of winning thy will." Then the twain went out
from him, and on the morrow he betook himself to the Hammam and donned
a suit of royal raiment, after which he returned to his lodging, when
behold, the porter and his wife came in to him and said, "Know, O my
lord, that there is a humpbacked tailor here who seweth for the lady
Jamilah. Go thou to him and acquaint him with thy case; haply he will
show thee the way of attaining thine aim." So the youth Ibrahim arose
and betaking himself to the shop of the humpbacked tailor, went in to
him and found with him ten Mamelukes as they were moons. He saluted
them with the salam, and they returned his greeting and bade him
welcome and made him sit down; and indeed they rejoiced in him and were
amazed at his charms and loveliness, especially the hunchback who was
confounded at his beauty of form and favour. Presently he said to the
Gobbo, "I desire that thou sew me up my pocket;" and the tailor took a
needleful of silk and sewed up his pocket which he had torn purposely;
whereupon Ibrahim gave him five dinars and returned to his lodging.
Quoth the tailor, "What thing have I done for this youth, that he
should give me five gold pieces?" And he passed the night, pondering
his beauty and generosity. And when morning morrowed Ibrahim repaired
to the shop and saluted the tailor, who returned his salam and welcomed
him and made much of him. Then he sat down and said to the hunchback,
"O uncle, sew up my pocket, for I have rent it again." Replied the
tailor, "On my head and eyes, O my son," and sewed it up; whereupon
Ibrahim gave him ten ducats and he took them, amazed at his beauty and
generosity. Then said he, "By Allah, O youth, for this conduct of thine
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