Types of Children's Literature: A Collection of the World's Best Literature for Children, For Use in Colleges, Normal Schools and Library Schools
General
Types of Children's Literature: A Collection of the World's Best Literature for Children, For Use in Colleges, Normal Schools and Library Schools
Children's literature
The pious Fatima opening her eyes, was much surprised to see a man with
a dagger at her breast ready to stab her, and who said to her, "If you
cry out, or make the least noise, I will kill you; but get up, and do
as I shall direct you."
Fatima, who had lain down in her habit, got up, trembling with fear.
"Do not be so much frightened," said the magician; "I only want your
habit, give it me and take mine." Accordingly Fatima and he changed
clothes. He then said to her, "Color my face, that I may be like you;"
but perceiving that the poor creature could not help trembling, to
encourage her he said, "I tell you again you need not fear anything: I
swear by the name of God I will not take away your life." Fatima
lighted her lamp, led him into the cell, and dipping a soft brush in a
certain liquor, rubbed it over his face, assured him the color would
not change, and that his face was of the same hue as her own: after
which, she put her own head-dress on his head, also a veil, with which
she showed him how to hide his face as he passed through the town.
After this, she put a long string of beads about his neck, which hung
down to the middle of his body, and giving him the stick she used to
walk with, in his hand, brought him a looking-glass, and bade him look
if he was not as like her as possible. The magician found himself
disguised as he wished to be; but he did not keep the oath he so
solemnly swore to the good Fatima; but instead of stabbing her, for
fear the blood might discover him, he strangled her; and when he found
she was dead, threw her body into a cistern just by the cell.
The magician, thus disguised like the holy woman Fatima, spent the
remainder of the night in the cell. The next morning, two hours after
sunrise, though it was not a day the holy woman used to go out on, he
crept out of the cell, being well persuaded that nobody would ask him
any questions; or, if they should, he had an answer ready for them. As
one of the first things he did after his arrival was to find out
Aladdin's palace, where he was to complete his designs, he went
directly thither.
As soon as the people saw the holy woman, as they imagined him to be,
they presently gathered about him in a great crowd. Some begged his
blessing, others kissed his hand, and others, more reserved, only the
hem of his garment; while others, whether their heads ached, or they
wished to be preserved against that disorder, stooped for him to lay
his hands upon them; which he did, muttering some words in form of
prayer; and, in short, counterfeited so well, that everybody took him
for the holy woman.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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