The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 15 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 499 pages of information about The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 15.

The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 15 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 499 pages of information about The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 15.
of wayfare.  So they equipped themselves and set forth, taking with them the maiden together with five white slave-girls and ten negresses and as many sturdy black chattels who loaded the packs upon the mules’ and the camels’ backs.  Then they fell to cutting across the wilds and , each and everyone intent upon ministering to the maiden, and they ceased not faring until they drew near the mountain, and they took station by the cavern-door.  Here they unloaded the bales and burthens and transported them to the pavilion within the cave, after which the Merchant’s daughter went in and as she walked forwards fell to gazing, rightwards and leftwards, until such time as she had reached the pavilion.  Presently she found it poikilate of corners and columns, and she was assured that the distance of that mountain from her father’s town measured the march of a full-told month.  And whenas she had taken seat and had settled in that pavilion, her father considered the unapproachable nature of the place and waxed contented of heart and his mind became right of rede, because he was certified of his daughter that she was safe from the tricks of Time and every trickster.[FN#505] So he tarried beside her for a decade of days, after which he farewelled her and wended him home, leaving the damsel in the mountain-cave.  Thus fared it with these; but as regards the case of the Prince of Al-Irak, his father who owned no issue, or man-child or girl-child, lay sleeping one night of the nights when, lo and behold! he heard the words, “All things befal by Fate and Fortune.”  Hereat he arose from slumber being sore startled and cried, “Laud to the Lord whom I have heard say[FN#506] that all things depend upon Doom and Destiny.”  On the next night he slept with his spouse who by leave of Almighty Allah forthright conceived.  When her pregnancy became manifest the Sovran rejoiced and he scattered and largessed and doled alms-deeds to the widows and paupers and the mean and miserable; and he sued the Creator on high saying, “O Lord vouchsafe to me a man-boy which may succeed me in the reign, and deign Thou make him a child of life."[FN#507] But when the Queen’s time had sped she was seized by labour-pangs and delivery-pains, after which she bare a babe—­Glory be to God who created him and confirmed what He had wrought in the creation of that child who was like unto a slice of the moon!  They committed him to the wet-nurses who fell to suckling him and tending him and fondling him till the milk-term was completed, and when his age had reached the sixth year, his father brought for him a Divine perfect in knowledge of all the sciences, spiritual and temporal, and the craft of penmanship and what not.  Accordingly, the boy began to read and study under his learner until he had excelled him in every line of lore, and he became a writer deft, doughty in all the arts and sciences:  withal his sire knew not that was doomed to him of dule and dolours.—­And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say.  Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, “How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!” Quoth she “And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the King suffer me to survive?” Now when it was the next night and that was

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The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 15 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.