The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 12 [Supplement] eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 236 pages of information about The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 12 [Supplement].

The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 12 [Supplement] eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 236 pages of information about The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 12 [Supplement].

         Thefuller, his wife and the trooper, p. 236.

The trick played on the silly fuller of dressing him up as a Turkish soldier resembles that of the Three Deceitful Women who found a gold ring in the public bath, as related in the Persian story-book, “Shamsa u Kuhkuha:” 

When the wife of the superintendent of police was apprised that her turn had come, she revolved and meditated for some time what trick she was to play off on her lord, and after having come to a conclusion she said one evening to him, “To-morrow I wish that we should both enjoy ourselves at home without interruptions, and I mean to prepare some cakes.”  He replied, “Very well, my dear; I have also longed for such an occasion.”  The lady had a servant who was very obedient and always covered with the mantle of attachment to her.  The next morning she called this youth and said to him, “I have long contemplated the hyacinth grove of thy symmetrical stature; and I know that thou travellest constancy and faithfully on the road of compliance with all my wishes, and that thou seekest to serve me.  I have a little business which I wish thee to do for me.”  The servant answered, “I shall be happy to comply.  Then the lady gave him a thousand diners and said, “Go to the convent which is in our vicinity; give this money to one of the kalandars there and say to him, ’A prisoner whom the Amir had surrendered to the police has escaped last night.  He closely resembles thee, and as the superintendent of the police is unable to account to the Amir, he has sent a man to take thee instead of the escaped criminal.  I have compassion for thee and mean to rescue thee.  Take this sum of money; give me thy dress; and flee from the town; for if thou remainest in it till the morning thou wilt be subjected to torture and wilt lose thy life.’” The servant acted as he was bid, and brought the garments to his mistress.  When it was morning she said to her husband, “I know you have long wished to eat sweetmeats, and I shall make some to-day.”  He answered, “Very well.”  His wife made all her preparations and commenced to bake the sweetmeats.  He said to her, “Last night a theft was committed in a certain place, and I sat up late to extort confessions; and as I have spent a sleepless night, I feel tired and wish to repose a little.”  The lady replied, “Very well.”

Accordingly the superintendent of the police reclined on the pillow of rest; and when the sweetmeat was ready his wife took a little and putting an opiate into it she handed it to him, saying, “How long will you sleep?  To-day is a day of feasting and pleasure, not of sleep and laziness.  Lift up your head and see whether I have made the sweets according to your taste.”  He raised his head, swallowed a piece of the hot cake and lay down again.  The morsel was still in his throat when consciousness left and a deep sleep overwhelmed him.  His wife immediately undressed him and put on him the garments of the kalandar. 

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The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 12 [Supplement] from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.