The Arabian Nights Entertainments — Volume 02 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 283 pages of information about The Arabian Nights Entertainments — Volume 02.

The Arabian Nights Entertainments — Volume 02 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 283 pages of information about The Arabian Nights Entertainments — Volume 02.

It is easy to imagine that Kummir al Zummaun was exceedingly grieved at being forced to remain longer in a country where he neither had, nor wished to have, any acquaintance; to think that he must wait another year for the opportunity he had lost.  But the greatest affliction of all was, his having parted with the princess Badoura’s talisman, which he now considered lost.  The only course left him was to return to the garden from whence he had come, to rent it of the landlord and continue to cultivate it by himself, deploring his misery and misfortunes.  He hired a boy to assist him to do some part of the drudgery:  that he might not lose the other half of the treasure which came to him by the death of the gardener, who died without heirs, he put the gold-dust into fifty other jars, which he filled up with olives, to be ready against the ship’s return.

While the prince was beginning another year of labour, sorrow, and impatience, the ship having a fair wind, continued her voyage to the isle of Ebene, and happily arrived at the capital.

The palace being by the sea side, the new king, or rather the princess Badoura, espying the ship as she was entering into the port, with all her flags, asked what vessel it was:  she was answered, that it came annually from the city of the idolaters, and was generally richly laden.

The princess, who always had Kummir al Zummaun in her mind, imagined that the prince might be aboard; and resolved to visit the ship and meet him, without discovering herself; but to observe him, and take proper measures for their making themselves mutually known.  Under pretence of inquiring what merchandize was on board, and having the first sight of the goods, she commanded a horse to be brought, which she mounted, accompanied by several officers in waiting, and arrived at the port, just as the captain came ashore.  She ordered him to be brought before her, asked whence he had come, how long he had been on his voyage, and what good or bad fortune he had met with:  if he had no stranger of quality aboard, and particularly with what his ship was laden.

The captain gave a satisfactory answer to all her demands; and as to passengers, assured her there were none but merchants in his ship, who used to come every year, and bring rich stuffs from several parts of the world to trade with, the finest linens painted and plain, diamonds, musk, ambergris, camphire, civet, spices, drugs, olives, and many other articles.

The princess Badoura loved olives extremely when she heard the captain speak of them, “Land them,” said she, “I will take them off your hands; as to the other goods, tell the merchants to bring them to me, and let me see them before they dispose of, or shew them to any one.”

The captain taking her for the king of the isle of Ebene, replied, “Sire, there are fifty great jars of olives, but they belong to a merchant whom I was forced to leave behind.  I gave him notice myself that I stayed for him, and waited a long time, but he not coming, and the wind offering, I was afraid of losing the opportunity, and so set sail.”  The princess answered, “No matter, bring them ashore; we will nevertheless make a bargain for them.”

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The Arabian Nights Entertainments — Volume 02 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.