Tales from the Arabic — Volume 02 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 270 pages of information about Tales from the Arabic — Volume 02.

Tales from the Arabic — Volume 02 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 270 pages of information about Tales from the Arabic — Volume 02.

When they had made an end of pious wishes and congratulations, they besought the king to hasten the punishment of the Magian and heal their hearts of him with torment and humiliation.  So he appointed them for a day on which they should assemble to witness his punishment and that which should betide him of torment, and shut himself up with his wife and sons and abode thus private with them three days, during which time they were sequestered from the folk.  On the fourth day the king entered the bath, and coming forth, sat down on the throne of his kingship, with the crown on his head, whereupon the folk came in to him, according to their wont and after the measure of their several ranks and degrees, and the amirs and viziers entered, ay, and the chamberlains and deputies and captains and men of war and the falconers and armbearers.  Then he seated his two sons, one on his right and the other on his left hand, whilst all the folk stood before him and lifted up their voices in thanksgiving to God the Most High and glorification of Him and were strenuous in prayer for the king and in setting forth his virtues and excellences.

He returned them the most gracious of answers and bade carry the Magian forth of the town and set him on a high scaffold that had been builded for him there; and he said to the folk, ’Behold, I will torture him with all kinds of fashions of torment.’  Then he fell to telling them that which he had wrought of knavery with the daughter of his father’s brother and what he had caused betide her of severance between her and her husband and how he had required her of herself, but she had sought refuge against him with God (to whom belong might and majesty) and chose rather humiliation than yield to his wishes, notwithstanding stress of torment; neither recked she aught of that which he lavished to her of wealth and raiment and jewels.

When the king had made an end of his story, he bade the bystanders spit in the Magian’s face and curse him; and they did this.  Then he bade cut out his tongue and on the morrow he bade cut off his ears and nose and pluck out his eyes.  On the third day he bade cut off his hands and on the fourth his feet; and they ceased not to lop him limb from limb, and each member they cast into the fire, after its cutting-off, before his face, till his soul departed, after he had endured torments of all kinds and fashions.  The king bade crucify his trunk on the city-wall three days’ space; after which he let burn it and reduce its ashes to powder and scatter them abroad in the air.

Then the king summoned the cadi and the witnesses and bade them many the old king’s daughter and sister to his own sons; so they married them, after the king had made a bride-feast three days and displayed their brides to them from eventide to peep of day.  Then the two princes went in to their brides and did away their maidenhead and loved them and were vouchsafed children by them.

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Tales from the Arabic — Volume 02 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.