一千零一夜-天方夜谭-1001 Nights(英文版)-第75章

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being　like　thyself　Release　me；　so　thou　mayst　get　a　repense　for　me　＇of　God＇。'

So　the　fisherman　took　heart　and　ing　up　to　him；　said　to　him；　'Art　thou　not　an　Afrit　of　the　Jinn？'　'Nay；'　replied　the　other；　'I　am　a　mortal　and　a　believer　in　God　and　His　Apostle。'　'Who　threw　thee　into　the　sea？'　asked　the　fisherman；　and　he　answered；　'I　am　of　the　children　of　the　sea　and　was　going　about　therein；　when　thou　castest　the　　over　me。　We　are　people　who　obey　God's　mandments　and　show　lovingkindness　unto　the　creatures　of　the　Most　High；　and　but　that　I　fear　and　dread　to　be　of　the　disobedient；　I　had　torn　thy　；　but　I　accept　that　which　God　hath　decreed　unto　me；　wherefore　thou　art　bee　my　owner　and　I　thy　captive。　Wilt　thou　then　set　me　free　for　the　love　of　God　the　Most　High　and　make　a　covenant　with　me　and　bee　my　friend？　I　will　e　to　thee　every　day　in　this　place；　and　do　thou　e　to　me　and　bring　me　a　gift　of　the　fruits　of　the　land。　For　with　you　are　grapes　and　figs　and　melons　and　peaches　and　pomegranates　and　what　not　else；　and　all　thou　bringest　me　will　be　acceptable　unto　me。　Moreover；　with　us　are　coral　and　pearls　and　chrysolites　and　emeralds　and　rubies　and　other　precious　stones；　and　I　will　fill　thee　the　basket；　wherein　thou　bringest　me　the　fruit；　with　precious　stones　of　the　jewels　of　the　sea。　What　sayst　thou　to　this；　O　my　brother？'

Quoth　the　fisherman；　'Be　the　first　chapter　of　the　Koran　between　thee　and　me　upon　this。'　So　they　recited　the　Fatiheh；　（198）　＇in　token　of　their　agreement＇；　and　the　fisherman　loosed　the　merman　from　the　　and　said　to　him；　'What　is　thy　name？'　'My　name　is　Abdallah　of　the　sea；'　answered　he；　'and　if　thou　e　hither　and　see　me　not；　do　thou　call　out　and　say；　〃Where　art　thou；　O　Abdallah；　O　merman？〃　And　I　will　be　with　thee　presently。　But　thou；　what　is　thy　name？'　'My　name　also　is　Abdallah；'　answered　the　fisherman。　Quoth　the　other；　'Thou　art　Abdallah　of　the　land　and　I　am　Abdallah　of　the　sea；　but　abide　here　till　I　go　and　fetch　thee　a　present。'　And　the　fisherman　said；　'I　hear　and　obey。'

Then　the　merman　went　down　into　the　sea　＇and　disappeared＇；　whereupon　the　fisherman　repented　him　of　having　released　him　and　said　in　himself；　'How　know　I　that　he　will　e　back　to　me？　Indeed；　he　beguiled　me；　so　that　I　released　him；　and　now　he　will　laugh　at　me。　Had　I　kept　him；　I　might　have　made　a　show　of　him　for　the　diversion　of　the　people　of　the　city　and　taken　money　from　all　the　folk　and　entered　with　him　the　houses　of　the　great。'　And　he　repented　him　of　having　let　him　go　and　said；　'Thou　hast　let　thy　prey　go　from　thy　hand。'　But；　as　he　was　thus　bemoaning　his　credulity；　behold；　the　merman　returned　to　him；　with　his　hands　full　of　pearls　and　coral　and　emeralds　and　rubies　and　other　jewels；　and　said　to　him；　'Take　these；　O　my　brother；　and　excuse　me；　for　I　had　no　basket　that　I　might　fill　it　for　thee。'

The　fisherman　rejoiced　and　took　the　jewels　from　the　merman；　who　said　to　him；　'e　hither　every　day；　before　sunrise；'　and　taking　leave　of　him；　went　down　into　the　sea；　whilst　the　other　returned　to　the　city；　rejoicing；　and　stayed　not　till　he　came　to　the　baker's　shop　and　said　to　him；　'O　my　brother；　good　luck　is　e　to　us　＇at　last＇；　so　do　thou　reckon　with　me。'　'There　needs　no　reckoning；'　answered　the　baker。　'If　thou　have　aught；　give　it　me；　and　if　not；　take　thy　bread　and　spendingmoney　and　begone；　against　good　betide　thee。'　'O　my　friend；'　rejoined　the　fisherman；　'indeed　good　hath　betided　me　of　God's　bounty；　and　I　owe　thee　much　money；　but　take　this。'　So　saying；　he　took　up；　at　a　handful；　half　of　the　pearls　and　coral　and　rubies　and　other　jewels　he　had　with　him；　and　gave　them　to　the　baker　saying；　'Give　me　some　ready　money　to　spend　this　day；　till　I　sell　these　jewels。'

So　the　baker　gave　him　all　the　money　he　had　by　him　and　all　the　bread　in　his　basket　and　rejoiced　in　the　jewels　he　had　given　him；　saying；　'I　am　thy　slave　and　thy　servant。'　Then　he　set　all　the　bread　on　his　head　and　following　the　fisherman　home；　gave　it　to　his　wife　and　children；　after　which　he　repaired　to　the　market　and　fetched　meat　and　vegetables　and　all　kinds　of　fruit。　Moreover；　he　left　his　shop　and　abode　with　Abdallah　all　that　day；　busying　himself　in　his　service　and　doing　all　his　occasions。　'O　my　brother；'　said　the　fisherman；　'thou　weariest　thyself。'　'This　is　my　duty；'　answered　the　baker；　'for　I　am　bee　thy　servant　and　thou　hast　overwhelmed　me　with　thy　bounties。'　'Not　so；'　rejoined　the　fisherman；　'it　is　thou　who　wast　my　benefactor　in　the　days　of　dearth　and　straitness。'　And　the　baker　passed　the　night　in　feasting　with　him　and　became　a　faithful　friend　to　him。　Then　the　fisherman　told　his　wife　what　had　befallen　him　with　the　merman；　whereat　she　rejoiced　and　said；　'keep　thy　secret；　lest　the　magistrates　e　down　upon　thee。'　But　he　said；　'Though　I　keep　my　secret　from　all　the　folk；　yet　will　I　not　hide　it　from　the　baker。'

On　the　morrow；　he　rose　before　the　sun　and　shouldering　a　basket；　which　he　had　filled　overnight　with　all　manner　fruits；　repaired　to　the　seashore；　where　he　set　down　the　basket　and　called　out；　saying；　'Where　art　thou；　O　Abdallah；　O　merman？'　And　he　answered；　saying；　'Here　am　I；　at　thy　service；'　and　came　forth　to　him。　The　fisherman　gave　him　the　fruit　and　he　took　it　and　plunging　into　the　sea　with　it；　was　absent　awhile。　after　which　he　came　up；　with　the　basket　full　of　all　kinds　of　precious　stones　and　jewels。　The　fisherman　set　it　on　his　head　and　went　away；　and　when　he　came　to　the　baker's　shop；　the　latter　said　to　him；　'O　my　lord；　I　have　baked　thee　forty　brioches　and　have　sent　them　to　thy　house；　and　now　I　will　bake　wastelbread；　and　as　soon　as　it　is　done；　I　will　bring　it　to　thy　house　and　go　and　fetch　thee　meat　and　vegetables。'

Abdallah　gave　him　three　handsful　of　jewels　out　of　the　basket　and　going　home；　set　it　down　there。　Then　he　took　a　jewel　of　price　of　each　sort　and　going　to　the　jewelbazaar；　stopped　at　the　Syndic's　shop　and　said　to　him；　'Buy　these　jewels　of　me。'　'Show　them　to　me；'　said　the　Syndic。　So　he　showed　them　to　him　and　the　jeweller　said；　'Hast　thou　other　than　these？'　'Yes；'　answered　Abdallah；　'I　have　a　basketful　at　home。'　'And　where　is　thy　house？'　asked　the　Syndic。　'In　such　a　quarter；'　replied　the　fisherman；　whereupon　the　Syndic　took　the　jewels　from　him　and　said　to　his　servants；　'Lay　hold　of　him；　for　he　is　the　thief　who　stole　the　queen's　jewels。'　And　he　bade　beat　him。　So　they　beat　him　and　bound　his　hands　behind　him；　after　which　the　Syndic　and　all　the　people　of　the　jewelmarket　arose　and　set　out　＇to　carry　him　to　the　king＇；　saying；　'We　have　gotten　the　thief。'　Quoth　one；　'None　robbed　such　an　one　but　this　knave；'　and　another；　'It　was　none　but　he　stole　all　that　was　in　such　an　one's　house；'　and　some　said　this　and　some　that。

But　he　was　silent　and　spoke　not　a　word　nor　answered　any　of　them；　till　they　brought　him　before　the　king；　to　whom　said　the　Syndic；　'O　king　of　the　age；　when　the　queen's　necklace　was　stolen；　thou　sentest　to　acquaint　us　therewith；　requiring　of　us　the　discovery　of　the　culprit；　wherefore　I　strove　beyond　the　rest　of　the　folk　and　have　taken　the　thief　for　thee。　Here　he　is　before　thee；　and　these　jewels　we　have　recovered　from　him。'　Thereupon　the　king　said　to　the　eunuch；　'Carry　these　jewels　to　the　queen　and　say　to　her；　〃Are　these　thy　jewels　that　thou　hast　lost？〃'　So　the　eunuch　carried　the　jearvelled　at　them　and　sent　to　the　king　to　say；　'I　have　found　my　necklace　in　my　own　place　and　these　jewels　are　not　my　property；　nay；　they　are　finer　than　those　of　my　necklace。　Wherefore　oppress　thou　not　the　man；　but；　if　he　will　sell　them；　buy　them　of　him　for　thy　daughter　Umm　esSuwood；　that　we　may　string　them　on　a　necklace　for　her。'

When　the　eunuch　returned　and　told　the　king　what　the　queen　said；　he　cursed　the　Syndic　of　the　jewellers　and　his　pany　with　the　curse　of　Aad　and　Themoud；'　（199）　and　they　said　to　him；　'O　king　of　the　age；　we　knew　this　man　for　a　poor　fisherman　and　deemed　these　jewels　too　much　for　him　＇to　e　by　honestly＇；　so　made　sure　that　he　had　stolen　them。'　'Wretches　that　ye　are！'　cried　the　king。　'Do　ye　begrudge　a　truebeliever　good　fortune？　？　Peradventure　God　the　Most　High　hath　vouchsafed　him　these　things　from　a　source　on　which　he　did　not　reckon。　Why　did　ye　make　him　out　a　thief　and　dishonour　him　amongst　the　folk？　Begone；　and　may　God　not　bless　you！'

So　they　went　out　in　affright　and　the　king　said　to　Abdallah；　'O　man；　（may　God　bless　thee　in