The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Volume I
General
The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Volume I
Fairy tales; Tales -- Arab countries
Then she wept and related to him what had befallen her since his
departure, and he told her what he had suffered and they thanked
God the Most High for their reunion with one another. Two days
after his arrival, the Vizier went in to the Sultan and kissing
the earth before him, saluted him after the fashion of salutation
to kings. The Sultan rejoiced at his return and received him with
distinguished favour. Then he desired to hear what had befallen
him in his travels; so the Vizier told him all that had passed,
and the Sultan said, "Praised be God for that thou hast attained
thy desire and returned in safety to thy kinsfolk and family! I
must see thy brother's son, so do thou bring him to the Divan
tomorrow." Shemseddin replied, "God willing, thy slave shall be
present tomorrow." Then he saluted him and returning to his own
house, informed his nephew of the King's wish to see him, to
which Bedreddin replied, "The slave is obedient to his lord's
commands." So next day he accompanied his uncle to the Divan and
after saluting the Sultan in the most punctilious and elegant
manner, repeated the following verses:
All ranks and classes kiss the earth, in homage to thy state, For
lo I through thee their every wish is crowned with happy
fate.
For thou the fount of honour art for those that hope in thee, And
from thy hand the bounties flow that make there rich and
great.
The Sultan smiled and signed to him to sit down. So he sat down
beside the Vizier, and the King enquired his name. Quoth
Bedreddin, "The meanest of thy slaves is known as Bedreddin
Hassan of Bassora, who prays for thee day and night." The Sultan
was pleased at his words and being minded to try him and prove
his knowledge and good-breeding, said to him, "Dost thou remember
any verses in praise of a mole on the cheek?" "Yes," replied
Bedreddin, and repeated the following:
When I think of my loved one, the sighs from my breast Burst up
and the tears to my eyes quickly start.
She's a mole, that resembles, in beauty and hue, The black of the
eye and the core of the heart.
The Sultan liked these verses and said, "Let us have some more.
Heaven bless thy sire! May thy tongue never tire!" So he repeated
the following:
The mole's black spot upon her cheek they liken to a grain Of
musk; yet wonder not at that, for wonder were in vain.
But rather wonder at her face, wherein all beauty is: There is no
particle of grace that it doth not contain.
The Sultan shook with delight and said to him, "More! God bless
thy life!" So he repeated the following:
O thou, the moles upon whose cheek recall Globules of musk upon
cornelian strewed,
Grant me thy favours, be not hard of heart, O thou, my heart's
desire, my spirit's food!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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