Enter your search terms Submit search form

• Download pdf document

  (approx 313 pages)

• Download mobile pdf document

  (approx 1566 pages)

THE BOOK OF THE THOUSAND NIGHTS AND A NIGHT - VOLUME 8

RICHARD F. BURTON

Contents of the Eighth Volume

King Mohammed Bin Sabaik and the Merchant Hasan (continued)
a. Story of Prince Sayf Al-Muluk and the Princess Badi'a
Al-Jamal (continued)
155. Hassan of Bassorah
156. Khalifah The Fisherman Of Baghdad
The same from the Breslau Edition
157. Masrur and Zayn Al-Mawasif
158. Ali Nur Al-Din and Miriam the Girdle-Girl

The Book Of The
THOUSAND NIGHTS AND A NIGHT

When it was the Seven Hundred and Seventy-seventh Night

She resumed It hath reached me O auspicious King that when the
old Queen heard the handmaid's words she was wroth with sore
wrath because of her and cried "How shall there be accord
between man and Jinn?" But Safy al-Muluk replied "Indeed I will
conform to thy will and be thy page and die in thy love and will
keep with thee covenant and regard non but thee: so right soon
shalt thou see my truth and lack of falsehood and the excellence
of my manly dealing with thee Inshallah!" The old woman pondered
for a full hour with brow earthwards bent; after which she raised
her head and said to him "O thou beautiful youth wilt thou
indeed keep compact and covenant?" He replied "Yes by Him who
raised the heavens and dispread the earth upon the waters I will
indeed keep faith and troth!" Thereupon quoth she "I will win
for thee thy wish Inshallah! but for the present go thou into
the garden and take thy pleasure therein and eat of its fruits
that have neither like in the world nor equal whilst I send for
my son Shahyal and confabulate with him of the matter. Nothing
but good shall come of it so Allah please for he will not
gainsay me nor disobey my commandment and I will marry thee with
his daughter Badi'a al-Jamal. So be of good heart for she shall
assuredly be thy wife O Sayf al-Muluk." The Prince thanked her
for those words and kissing her hands and feet went forth from
her into the garden; whilst she turned to Marjanah and said to
her "Go seek my son Shahyal wherever he is and bring him to me."
So Maranah went out in quest of King Shahyal and found him and
set him before his mother. On such wise fared it with them; but
as regards Sayf al-Muluk whilst he walked in the garden lo and
behold! five Jinn of the people of the Blue King espied him and
said to one another "Whence cometh yonder wight and who brought
him hither? Haply 'tis he who slew the son and heir of our lord
and master the Blue King;" presently adding 'But we will go
about with him and question him and find out all from him." So
they walked gently and softly up to him as he sat in a corner of
the garden and sitting down by him said to him "O beauteous
youth thou didst right well in slaying the son of the Blue King
and delivering from him Daulat Khatun; for he was a treacherous
hound and had tricked her and had not Allah appointed thee to
her she had never won free; no never! But how diddest thou slay
him?" Sayf al-Muluk looked at them and deeming them of the
gardenfolk answered "I slew him by means of this ring which is
on my finger." Therewith they were assured that it was he who had
slain him; so they seized him two of them holding his hands
whilst other two held his feet and the fifth his mouth lest he
should cry out and King Shahyal's people should hear him and
rescue him from their hands. Then they lifted him up and flying
away with him ceased not their flight till they came to their
King and set him down before him saying "O King of the Age we
bring thee the murderer of thy son." "Where is he?" asked the
King and they answered "This is he." So the Blue King said to
Sayf al-Muluk "How slewest thou my son the core of my heart and
the light of my sight without aught of right for all he had
done thee no ill deed?" Quoth the Prince "Yea verily! I slew
him because of his violence and frowardness in that he used to
seize Kings' daughters and sever them from their families and
carry them to the Ruined Well and the High-builded Castle of
Japhet son of Noah and entreat them lewdly by debauching them. I
slew him by means of this ring on my finger and Allah hurried
his soul to the fire and the abiding-place dire." Therewithal the
King was assured that this was indeed he who slew his son; so
presently he called his Wazirs and said to them "This is the
murtherer of my son sans shadow of doubt: so how do you counsel
me to deal with him? Shall I slay him with the foulest slaughter
or torture him with the terriblest torments or how?" Quoth the
Chief Minister "Cut off his limbs one a day." Another "Beat
him with a grievous beating every day till he die." A third "Cut
him across the middle." A fourth "Chop off all his fingers and
burn him with fire." A fifth "Crucify him;" and so on each
...

• Download pdf document

  (approx 313 pages)

• Download mobile pdf document

  (approx 1566 pages)