一千零一夜-天方夜谭-1001 Nights(英文版)-第56章

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ntured　himself　and　gripping　it　fast　with　both　hands；　let　his　body　float　with　the　current；　which　carried　him　on　till　it　cast　him　into　a　whirlpool　which　none　might　enter　and　be　saved　therefrom。　With　this　he　fell　to　crying　out　and　saying；　〃Save　a　drowning　man！〃　And　there　came　to　him　folk　of　the　keepers　of　the　river　and　said　to　him；　〃What　ailed　thee　to　cast　thyself　into　this　grievous　peril？'　Quoth　he；　〃It　was　I　myself　who　forsook　the　plain　way　wherein　was　salvation　and　gave　myself　over　to　coveting　and　perdition。〃　〃O　fellow；〃　said　they；　〃why　didst　thou　leave　the　way　of　safety　and　cast　thyself　into　this　destruction；　knowing　from　of　old　that　none　may　enter　herein　and　be　saved？　What　hindered　thee　from　throwing　away　what　was　in　thy　hand　and　saving　thyself？　So　hadst　thou　escaped　with　thy　life　and　not　fallen　into　this　perdition；　from　which　there　is　no　deliverance；　and　now　not　one　of　us　can　rescue　thee　from　this　strait。〃　So　the　man　gave　up　hope　of　life　and　lost　that　which　was　in　his　hand　and　for　which　his　soul　had　prompted　him　to　venture　himself　and　perish　miserably。　And　I　tell　thee　not　this　parable；　O　king；'　added　Shimas；　'but　that　thou　mayst　leave　this　contemptible　thing　that　diverteth　thee　from　thy　duties　and　look　to　that　which　is　mitted　to　thee　of　the　governance　of　thy　people　and　the　maintenance　of　the　order　of　thy　kingdom；　so　that　none　may　see　fault　in　thee。'

'What　wouldst　thou　have　me　do？'　asked　the　king；　and　Shimas　said；　'Tomorrow；　if　thou　be　in　good　health　and　case；　give　the　folk　leave　to　e　in　to　thee　and　look　into　their　affairs　and　excuse　thyself　to　them　and　promise　them　good　governance　and　prosperity。'　'O　Shimas；'　answered　the　king；　'thou　hast　spoken　advisedly；　and　tomorrow；　if　it　be　the　will　of　God　the　Most　High；　I　will　do　that　which　thou　counsellest　me。'　So　the　vizier　went　out　from　him　and　told　the　folk　what　he　had　said　to　him；　and　on　the　morrow　the　king　came　forth　of　his　seclusion　and　bade　admit　the　people；　to　whom　he　excused　himself；　promising　them　that　thenceforward　he　would　deal　with　them　as　they　wished；　wherewith　they　were　content　and　departed　each　to　his　dwelling。

Then　one　of　the　king's　women；　who　was　his　best　beloved　of　them　and　most　in　honour　with　him；　went　in　to　him　and　seeing　him　pale　and　thoughtful　over　his　affairs；　by　reason　of　that　which　he　had　heard　from　his　chief　vizier；　said　to　him；　'O　king；　how　es　it　that　I　see　thee　troubled　in　mind？　Doth　aught　ail　thee？'　'No；'　answered　he；　'but　my　pleasures　have　distracted　me　from　my　duties　and　I　know　not　what　hath　possessed　me　to　be　thus　negligent　of　my　affairs　and　those　of　my　subjects。　If　I　continue　on　this　wise；　ere　long　the　kingdom　will　pass　out　of　my　hand。'　'O　king；'　rejoined　she；　'I　see　that　thou　hast　been　duped　by　thy　viziers　and　ministers；　who　wish　but　to　torment　and　spite　thee；　so　thou　mayst　have　no　pleasure　of　this　thy　kingship　neither　enjoy　ease　nor　delight；　and　would　have　thee　consume　thy　life　in　warding　off　trouble　from　them；　till　thy　days　be　wasted　in　toll　and　weariness　and　thou　be　as　one　who　slayeth　himself　for　another's　benefit　or　like　the　boy　and　the　thieves。'　'How　was　that？'　asked　the　king；　and　she　answered；　'It　is　said　that

　The　Boy　and　the　Thieves。

Seven　thieves　once　went　out　to　steal；　according　to　their　wont；　and　fell　in　with　a　poor　orphan　boy；　who　besought　them　for　some　to　him；　〃Wilt　go　with　us；　O　boy；　and　we　will　feed　thee　and　clothe　thee　and　entreat　thee　kindly？〃　And　he　answered；　saying；　〃Needs　must　I　go　with　you　whithersoever　ye　will　and　ye　are　as　my　own　people。〃　So　they　took　him　and　fared　on　with　him　till　they　came　to　a　garden；　and　entering；　went　round　about　therein；　till　they　found　a　walnuttree　laden　with　ripe　fruit　and　said　one　to　another；　〃Look　which　is　the　lightest　and　smallest　of　us　and　make　him　climb　the　tree。〃　And　they　said；　〃None　of　us　is　smaller　than　this　boy。〃　So　they　sent　him　up　into　the　tree　and　said　to　him；　〃O　boy；　touch　not　aught　of　the　fruit；　lest　some　one　see　thee　and　do　thee　a　mischief。〃　〃How　then　shall　I　do？〃　asked　he；　and　they　said；　〃Sit　among　the　boughs　and　shake　them　with　thy　might；　so　that　which　is　thereon　may　fall；　and　we　will　pick　it　up。　Then；　when　thou　hast　made　an　end　of　shaking　down　the　fruit；　e　down　and　take　thy　share　of　that　which　we　have　gathered。〃　So　he　began　to　shake　every　bunch　at　which　he　could　e；　so　that　the　nuts　fell　and　the　thieves　picked　them　up　and　ate　＇some＇　and　hid　＇other　some＇　till　they　were　all　full；　except　the　boy；　who　had　eaten　nought。

As　they　were　thus　engaged；　up　came　the　owner　of　the　garden　and　said　to　them；　〃What　do　ye　with　this　tree？〃　〃We　have　taken　nought　thereof；〃　answered　they；　〃but　we　were　passing　by　and　seeing　yonder　boy　on　the　tree；　concluded　that　he　was　the　owner　thereof　and　besought　him　to　give　us　to　eat　of　the　fruit。　So　he　fell　to　shaking　the　branches；　that　the　nuts　dropped　down；　and　we　are　not　at　fault。〃　Quoth　the　master　to　the　boy；　〃What　sayst　thou？〃　And　he　answered；　〃These　men　lie；　but　I　will　tell　thee　the　truth。　It　is　that　we　all　came　hither　together　and　they　bade　me　climb　the　tree　and　shake　its　branches；　that　the　nuts　might　fall　down　to　them；　and　I　obeyed　them。〃　〃Verily；〃　said　the　master；　〃thou　hast　brought　thyself　into　parlous　case；　but　hast　thou　profited　to　eat　aught　of　the　fruit？〃　And　he　said；　〃I　have　eaten　nought　thereof。〃　〃Now　know　I　thy　stupidity　and　folly；〃　rejoined　the　owner　of　the　garden；　〃in　that　thou　hast　wroughten　to　ruin　thyself　and　advantage　others。〃　Then　said　he　to　the　thieves；　〃Go　your　ways：　I　have　no　resort　against　you。〃　But　he　laid　hands　on　the　boy　and　punished　him。　On　like　wise；'　added　the　favourite；　'thy　viziers　and　officers　of　state　would　sacrifice　thee　to　their　interests　and　do　with　thee　as　did　the　thieves　with　the　boy。'　'Thou　sayst　sooth；'　answered　the　king；　'and　I　will　not　go　forth　to　them　nor　leave　my　pleasures。'

Then　he　passed　the　night　with　his　wife　in　all　delight　till　the　morning；　when　the　chief　vizier　arose　and　assembling　the　officers　of　state；　together　with　those　of　the　folk　who　were　present　with　them；　repaired　with　them　to　the　palace；　glad　and　rejoicing　＇in　the　anticipation　of　good＇。　But　the　door　opened　not　nor　did　the　king　e　forth　unto　them　nor　give　them　leave　to　go　in　to　him。　So；　when　they　despaired　of　him；　they　said　to　Shimas；　'O　excellent　vizier　and　acplished　sage；　seest　thou　not　the　behaviour　of　this　boy；　young　of　years　and　little　of　wit；　how　he　addeth　falsehood　to　his　offences？　See　how　he　hath　broken　his　promise　to　us　and　hath　failed　of　that　for　which　he　engaged　unto　us；　and　this　it　behoveth　thee　join　to　his　other　sins；　but　we　beseech　thee　go　in　to　him　yet　again　and　see　what　is　the　cause　of　his　holding　back　and　refusal　to　e　forth；　for　we　doubt　not　but　that　the　like　of　this　fashion　eth　of　his　depraved　nature；　and　indeed　he　hath　reached　the　utmost　pitch　of　stiffneckedness。'

Accordingly；　Shimas　went　in　to　the　king　and　bespoke　him；　saying；　'Peace　be　upon　thee；　O　king！　How　eth　it　that　I　see　thee　give　thyself　up　to　paltry　pleasures　and　neglect　the　great　affair　whereto　it　behoveth　thee　apply　thyself？　Thou　art　like　unto　a　man；　who　had　a　milch　camel　and　ing　one　day　to　milk　her；　the　goodness　of　her　milk　caused　him　fet　to　hold　fast　her　halter；　which　whenas　she　felt　she　pulled　herself　free　and　made　of　into　the　desert。　Thus　he　lost　both　milk　and　camel　and　the　mischief　that　betided　him　overpassed　his　profit。　Wherefore　do　thou　look　unto　that　wherein　is　thy　welfare　and　that　of　thy　subjects；　for；　even　as　it　behoveth　not　a　man　to　sit　for　ever　at　the　kitchen　door；　because　he　needeth　food；　so　should　he　not　pany　overmuch　with　women；　by　reason　of　his　inclination　to　them。　A　man　should　eat　but　as　much　food　as　will　stay　his　hunger　and　drink　but　what　will　ward　of　the　pangs　of　thirst；　and　in　like　manner　it　behoveth　the　man　of　understanding　to　content　himself　with　passing　two　of　the　fourandtwenty　hours　of　his　day　with　women　and　spend　the　rest　in　ordering　his　own　affairs　and　those　of　his　people。　For　to　be　longer　than　this　in　pany　with　women　is　hatful　both　to　mind　and　body；　seeing　that　they　mand　not　unto　good　neither　direct　thereto：　wherefore　it　behoveth　a　man　to　accept　from　them　neither　speech　nor　deed；　for　indeed　I　have　heard　tell　that　many　men　have　e　to　ruin　through　their　women；　and　amongst　others　＇I　have　heard　tell　of＇　a　certain　man　who　perished；　for　that　he　obeye