一千零一夜-天方夜谭-1001 Nights(英文版)-第73章

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ut；　when　I　visited　thee　in　thy　bath；　thou　entreatedst　me　hospitably；　and　I　will　requite　thee　thy　hospitality　by　setting　thee　free　and　sending　thee　back　to　thine　own　country。〃　Then　he　laid　a　great　stone　in　the　sack　and　cast　it　into　the　sea　in　my　stead；　but；　when　thou　signedst　to　him　to　throw　me　in；　thy　sealring　dropped　from　thy　finger　into　the　sea；　and　a　fish　swallowed　it。

Now　I　was　on　the　island；　fishing；　and　this　fish　came　up　＇in　the　＇　with　others；　whereupon　I　took　it；　thinking　to　broil　it；　but；　when　I　opened　its　maw；　I　found　the　ring　therein；　so　I　took　it　and　put　it　on　my　finger。　Presently；　up　came　two　of　the　servants　of　the　kitchen；　in　quest　of　fish；　and　I　signed　to　them　with　my　hand；　knowing　not　the　property　of　the　ring；　and　their　heads　fell　off。　Then　the　captain　came　back　and　seeing　the　ring　on　my　finger；　acquainted　me　with　its　enchantment；　and　behold；　I　have　brought　it　back　to　thee；　for　that　thou　dealtest　bounteously　by　me　and　entreatedst　me　with　the　utmost　generosity；　nor　is　that　which　thou　hast　done　me　of　kindness　lost　upon　me。　Here　is　thy　ring；　take　it；　and　if　I　have　done　with　thee　aught　deserving　of　death；　tell　me　my　crime　and　slay　me　and　thou　shalt　be　quit　of　my　blood。'　So　saying；　he　pulled　the　ring　from　his　finger　and　gave　it　to　the　king；　who　put　it　on　and　his　life　returned　to　him。

Then　he　rose　to　his　feet　and　embracing　Abousir；　said　to　him；　'O　man；　thou　art　indeed　of　the　flower　of　the　noble！　Bear　me　not　malice；　but　five　me　the　wrong　I　have　done　thee。　Had　any　but　thou　e　by　this　ring；　he　had　never　restored　it　to　me。'　'O　king　of　the　age；'　answered　Abousir；　'if　thou　wouldst　have　me　five　thee；　tell　me　what　was　my　offence　that　drew　down　thine　anger　upon　me；　so　that　thou　mandedst　to　put　me　to　death。'　'By　Allah；'　rejoined　the　king；　'it　is　clear　to　me　that　thou　art　altogether　guiltless　of　offence；　since　thou　hast　done　this　good　deed；　only　the　dyer　denounced　thee　to　me；'　and　he　told　him　all　that　Aboukir　had　said。　'By　Allah；　O　king　of　the　age；'　replied　Abousir；　'I　know　not　the　King　of　the　Christians　and　have　never　journeyed　to　their　country；　nor　did　it　ever　enter　my　thought　to　kill　thee；　but　this　dyer　was　my　rade　and　neighbour　in　the　city　of　Alexandria；　and　life　was　straitened　upon　us　there；　wherefore　we　departed　thence；　to　seek　our　fortunes；　by　reason　of　the　straitness　of　our　livelihood　there；　after　we　had　recited　the　first　chapter　of　the　Koran　together　＇in　token　of　our　agreement＇　that　he　who　got　work　should　feed　him　who　lacked　thereof；　and　there　befell　me　with　him　such　and　such　things。'

Then　he　went　on　to　relate　to　the　king　all　that　had　befallen　him　with　the　dyer；　how　he　had　robbed　him　and　left　him　alone　and　sick　in　the　khan　and　how　the　porter　had　fed　him　of　his　own　monies　till　God　recovered　him　of　his　sickness；　when　he　went　forth　and　walked　about　the　city　with　his　shaving　gear；　as　of　his　wont；　till　he　espied　a　dyery；　about　which　the　folk　were　crowding；　so　he　looked　at　the　door　and　seeing　Aboukir　seated　on　a　bench　there；　went　in　to　salute　him；　whereupon　he　accused　him　of　being　a　thief　and　beat　him　grievously；　brief；　he　told　him　his　whole　story；　from　first　to　last；　and　added；　'O　king　of　the　age；　it　was　he　who　counselled　me　to　make　the　depilatory　and　present　it　to　thee；　saying；　〃The　bath　is　perfect　in　all　things　but　that　it　lacketh　this；〃　and　know；　O　king；　that　this　unguent　is　harmless　and　we　use　it　in　our　country；　where　it　is　one　of　the　requisites　of　the　bath；　but　I　had　fotten　it：　so；　when　he　visited　the　bath；　I　entreated　him　with　honour　and　he　reminded　me　thereof。　But　do　thou　send　after　the　porter　of　such　a　khan　and　the　workmen　of　the　dyery　and　question　them　all　of　that　which　I　have　told　thee。'

So　the　king　sent　for　them　and　questioned　them　and　they　acquainted　him　with　the　truth　of　the　matter。　Then　he　sent　to　fetch　the　dyer；　bidding　bring　him　barefoot　and　bareheaded；　with　his　hands　bound　behind　him。　Now　he　was　sitting　in　his　house；　rejoicing　in　Abousir's　＇supposed＇　death；　when；　before　he　could　be　ware；　the　king's　guards　rushed　in　upon　him　and　cuffed　him　on　the　nape　of　the　neck；　after　which　they　bound　him　and　carried　him　into　the　royal　presence；　where　he　saw　Abousir　seated　by　the　king's　side　and　the　porter　and　workmen　of　the　dyery　standing　before　him。　Quoth　the　porter　to　him；　'Is　not　this　thy　rade　whom　thou　robbedst　of　his　money　and　leftest　with　me　sick　in　the　khan？'　And　the　workmen　said　to　him；　'Is　not　this　he　whom　thou　badest　us　seize　and　beat？'

Therewith　Aboukir's　baseness　was　made　manifest　to　the　king　and　he　was　certified　that　he　merited　a　punishment　yet　sorer　than　that　which　Munker　and　Neckir　（194）　deal　＇to　the　wicked　after　death＇。　So　he　upbraided　him　and　said　to　his　guards；　'Take　him　and　parade　him　about　the　city　and　the　markets；　then　lay　him　in　a　sack　and　cast　him　into　the　sea。'　Whereupon　quoth　Abousir；　'O　king　of　the　age；　accept　my　intercession　for　him；　for　I　pardon　him　all　he　hath　done　with　me。'　'If　thou　pardon　him　his　offences　against　thee；'　answered　the　king；　'I　cannot　pardon　him　his　offences　against　me。'　And　he　cried　out；　saying；　'Take　him。'　So　they　took　him　and　paraded　him　about　the　city；　after　which　they　laid　him　in　a　sack　　into　the　sea；　and　he　died；　drowned　and　burnt。

Then　said　the　king　to　the　barber；　'O　Abousir；　ask　of　me　what　thou　wilt　and　it　shall　be　given　thee。'　And　he　answered；　saying；　'I　ask　of　thee　to　send　me　back　to　my　own　country；　for　I　care　no　longer　to　abide　here。'　Then　the　king　offered　to　make　him　his　vizier；　but　he　consented　not；　so　he　gave　him　great　store　of　gifts；　over　and　above　that　which　he　had　bestowed　on　him　aforetime；　and　amongst　the　rest　a　galleon　laden　with　goods；　and　the　crew　of　this　galleon　were　slaves；　so　he　gave　him　these　also。　Then　he　took　leave　of　the　king　and　set　sail；　nor　did　he　cast　anchor　till　he　reached　Alexandria　and　made　fast　to　the　shore　there。　Then　they　landed　and　one　of　his　servants；　seeing　a　sack　on　the　beach；　said　to　Abousir；　'O　my　lord；　there　is　a　great　heavy　sack　on　the　seashore；　with　the　mouth　tied　up　and　I　know　not　what　therein。'　So　Abousir　came　up　and　opening　the　sack；　found　therein　the　dead　body　of　Aboukir；　which　the　sea　had　borne　thither。　He　took　it　forth　and　burying　it　near　Alexandria；　built　over　the　grave　a　place　of　visitation　and　endowed　it　for　pious　uses；　writing　over　the　door　the　following　verses：

　　A　man　is　by　his　actions　known　among　his　fellows　aye：　The　actions　of　the　freeborn　man　his　generous　birth　betray。
　　Backbite　not　any；　lest　thyself　backbitten　be　in　tarn。　Whososaith　aught；　his　fellowmen　the　like　of　him　will　say。
　　Abstain　from　lewd　and　ribald　words：　I　rede　thee　speak　them　not　At　any　time；　or　if　it　be　in　earnest　or　in　play。
　　The　dog；　good　manners　if　he　use；　Is　suffered　in　the　house；　The　lion；　of　his　ignorance；　is　fettered　night　and　day。
　　The　carrion　of　the　waste　floats　up　upon　the　topmost　sea；　Whilst　on　the　lowest　of　its　sands　the　pearls　neglected　stay。
　　But　for　its　featherheadedness　and　levity　of　wit；　The　sparrow　never　with　the　hawk　to　jostle　would　essay。
　　Lo；　on　the　pages　of　the　air　is　written；　in　the　sky；　'Whoso　doth　good；　the　like　thereof　his　actions　shall　repay。'
　　Beware　of　gathering　sugar；　then；　from　out　the　colocynth：　Still　in　the　tasting　will　the　thing　its　origin　bewray。　
After　this　Abousir　abode　awhile；　till　God　took　him　to　Himself　and　they　buried　him　hard　by　the　tomb　of　his　rade　Aboukir；　wherefore　the　place　was　called　Aboukir　and　Abousir；　but　it　is　now　known　as　Aboukir　＇only＇。　This；　then；　is　that　which　hath　reached　us　of　their　history；　and　glory　be　to　Him　who　endureth　for　ever　and　by　whose　will　the　days　and　nights　succeed　each　other！



ABDALLAH　THE　FISHERMAN　AND　ABDALLAH　THE　MERMAN。

There　was　once　a　fisherman　named　Abdallah；　who　had　a　wife　and　nine　children　and　was　very　poor；　owning　nothing　but　his　。　Every　day　he　used　to　go　to　the　sea　to　fish；　and　if　he　caught　little；　he　sold　it　and　spent　the　price　on　his　children；　after　the　measure　of　that　which　God　vouchsafed　him　of　provision；　but；　if　he　caught　much；　he　would　cook　a　good　mess　of　meat　and　buy　fruit　and　spend　without　stint　till　nothing　was　left　him；　saying　in　himself；　'Tomorrow's　provision　will　e　tomorrow。'　Presently；　his　wife　gave　birth　to　another　child；　making　ten　in　all；　and　it　chanced　that　day　that　he　had　nothing　at　all；　so　she　said　to　him；　'O　my　master；