The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Volume II
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The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Volume II
Fairy tales; Tales -- Arab countries
'that she hath under her palace windows a pleasure-garden, to
which she resorts once in every month by the private door. In ten
days, the time of her thus going forth will arrive; so when she
is about to visit the garden, I will come and tell thee, that
thou mayst go thither and meet her. And look thou quit not the
garden, for haply, if she sees thy beauty and grace, her heart
will be taken with love of thee, and love is the most potent
means of union.' 'I hear and obey,' replied Taj el Mulouk. Then
he and Aziz left the shop, and taking the old woman with them,
showed her where they lodged. Then said the prince to Aziz, 'I
have no further need of the shop, having fulfilled my purpose of
it; so I give it to thee with all that is in it; for that thou
hast come abroad with me and hast left thy country for my sake.'
Aziz accepted his gift and they sat conversing awhile, the prince
questioning the young merchant of the strange passages of his
life and the latter acquainting him with the particulars thereof.
Presently, they went to the Vizier and acquainting him with Taj
el Mulouk's purpose, asked him what they should do. 'Let us go to
the garden,' answered he. So they donned their richest clothes
and went forth, followed by three white slaves, to the garden,
which they found thick with trees and abounding in rills. At the
gate, they saw the keeper sitting; so they saluted him and he
returned their salute. Then the Vizier gave him a hundred dinars,
saying, 'Prithee, take this spending-money and fetch us something
to eat; for we are strangers and I have with me these two lads,
whom I wish to divert.' The gardener took the money and said to
them, 'Enter and take your pleasure in the garden, for it is all
yours; and sit down till I bring you what you require.' So he
went to the market, and the Vizier and his companions entered the
garden. In a little while, the gardener returned with a roasted
lamb and bread as white as cotton, which he placed before them,
and they ate and drank; after which he set on sweetmeats, and
they ate of them, then washed their hands and sat talking.
Presently the Vizier said to the gardener, 'Tell me about this
garden: is it thine or dost thou rent it?' 'It does not belong to
me,' replied he, 'but to the Princess Dunya, the King's
daughter.' 'What is thy wage?' asked the Vizier, and the gardener
answered, 'One dinar every month and no more.' Then the Vizier
looked round about the garden and seeing in its midst a pavilion,
lofty but old and dilapidated, said to the keeper, 'O elder, I am
minded to do here a good work, by which thou shalt remember me.'
'O my lord,' rejoined the other, 'what is that?' 'Take these
three hundred dinars,' answered the Vizier. When the keeper heard
speak of the dinars, he said, 'O my lord, do what thou wilt.' So
the Vizier gave him the money, saying, 'God willing, we will work
a good work in this place.' Then they left the garden and
returned to their lodging, where they passed the night. Next day,
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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