一千零一夜-天方夜谭-1001 Nights(英文版)-第76章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　you！'

So　they　went　out　in　affright　and　the　king　said　to　Abdallah；　'O　man；　（may　God　bless　thee　in　that　He　hath　bestowed　on　thee！）　no　harm　shall　befall　thee；　but　tell　me　truly；　whence　gottest　thou　these　jewels；　for　I　am　a　king　and　have　not　the　like　of　them。'　'O　king　of　the　age；'　answered　the　fisherman；　'I　have　a　basketful　of　them　at　home。'　And　he　told　him　of　his　friendship　with　the　merman；　adding；　'We　have　made　a　covenant　together　that　I　shall　bring　him　every　day　a　basketful　of　fruit　and　that　he　shall　fill　me　the　basket　with　these　jewels。'　'O　man；'　said　the　king；　'this　is　thy　lot；　but　wealth　hath　need　of　station。'　（200）　I　will　protect　thee　for　the　once　against　men's　usurpations；　but　it　may　be　I　shall　be　deposed　or　die　and　another　be　made　king　in　my　stead；　and　he　shall　put　thee　to　death；　because　of　his　love　of　the　things　of　this　world　and　his　covetousness。　Wherefore　I　am　minded　to　marry　thee　to　my　daughter　and　make　thee　my　vizier　and　bequeath　thee　the　kingdom　after　me；　so　none　may　oppress　thee　after　my　death。'

Then　said　he　to　his　officers；　'Carry　this　man　to　the　bath。'　So　they　carried　him　to　the　bath　and　washed　his　body　and　clad　him　in　royal　apparel；　after　which　they　brought　him　back　to　the　king；　and　he　made　him　his　vizier　and　sent　to　his　house　couriers　and　the　soldiers　of　his　guard　and　all　the　wives　of　the　notables；　who　clad　his　children　in　royal　apparel　and　mounting　the　former　in　a　horselitter；　with　the　little　child　in　her　lap；　carried　her　to　the　palace；　whilst　the　guards　and　couriers　and　Cadis　walked　before　her。　Moreover；　they　brought　her　elder　children　in　to　the　king；　who　made　much　of　them；　taking　them　in　his　lap　and　seating　them　by　his　side；　for　they　were　nine　male　children　and　the　king　had　no　＇male＇　offspring；　nor　had　he　been　blessed　with　any　child；　save　this　one　daughter；　Umm　esSuwood。　Meanwhile　the　queen　entreated　Abdallah's　wife　with　honour　and　bestowed　favours　on　her　and　made　her　her　vizieress。　Then　the　king　manded　to　draw　up　the　contract　of　marriage　between　his　daughter　and　the　fisherman；　who　assigned　to　her；　as　her　dower；　all　the　precious　stones　and　jewels　in　his　possession；　and　they　opened　the　chapter　of　festivity。　Moreover；　the　king　made　proclamation；　manding　to　decorate　the　city；　in　honour　of　his　daughter's　wedding；　and　Abdallah　went　in　to　the　princess　and　did　away　her　maiden　head。

Next　morning；　the　king　looked　out　of　window　and　saw　Abdallah　carrying　on　his　head　a　basket　full　of　fruit。　So　he　said　to　him；　'What　hast　thou　there；　O　my　soninlaw；　and　whither　goest　thou？'　'I　go　to　my　friend　Abdallah　the　merman；'　answered　the　fisherman；　and　the　king　said；　'O　my　soninlaw；　this　is　no　time　to　go　to　thy　friend。'　Quoth　Abdallah；　'Indeed；　I　fear　to　break　tryst　with　him；　lest　he　reckon　me　a　liar　and　say；　〃The　things　of　the　world　have　distracted　thee　from　me。〃'　'True；'　rejoined　the　king。　'Go　to　thy　friend　and　God　help　thee！'　So　he　passed　through　the　city　on　his　way　to　the　seashore；　and　as　he　went；　he　heard　those　who　knew　him　say；　'There　goes　the　king's　soninlaw　to　exchange　fruit　for　jewels；'　whilst　those　who　knew　him　not　said；　'Harkye；　how　much　a　pound？　e；　sell　to　me。'　And　he　answered；　saying；　'Wait　till　I　e　back　to　thee；'　for　that　he　would　not　vex　any。

Then　he　fared　on　till　he　came　to　the　seashore　and　foregathered　with　his　friend　the　merman；　to　whom　he　delivered　the　fruit；　receiving　jewels　in　return。　As　he　passed　by　the　shop　of　the　baker；　on　his　return；　he　saw　it　closed；　and　thus　he　did　ten　days；　during　which　time　the　shop　abode　shut　and　he　saw　nothing　of　the　baker。　So　he　said　in　himself；　'This　is　a　strange　thing！　I　wonder　what　is　e　of　the　baker！'　Then　he　enquired　of　his　neighbour；　saying；　'O　my　brother；　where　is　thy　neighbour　the　baker　and　what　hath　God　done　with　him？'　'O　my　lord；'　answered　he；　'he　is　sick　and　eth　not　forth　of　his　house。'　'Where　is　his　house？'　asked　Abdallah；　and　the　other　replied；　'In　such　a　quarter。'

So　he　；　but；　when　he　knocked　at　the　door；　the　baker　looked　out　of　window　and　seeing　his　friend　the　fisherman；　with　a　full　basket　on　his　head；　came　down　and　opened　the　door　to　him。　Abdallah　entered　and　throwing　himself　on　the　baker；　embraced　him　and　wept；　saying；　'How　dost　thou；　O　my　friend？　Every　day；　I　pass　by　thy　shop　and　see　it　closed；　so　I　asked　thy　neighbour；　who　told　me　that　thou　wast　sick；　and　I　enquired　for　thy　house；　that　I　might　see　thee。'　'God　requite　thee　for　me　with　all　good！'　answered　the　baker。　'Nothing　ails　me；　but　it　was　told　me　that　the　king　had　taken　thee；　for　that　certain　of　the　folk　had　lied　against　thee　and　accused　thee　of　being　a　thief；　wherefore　I　feared　and　shut　my　shop　and　hid　myself'　'It　is　well；'　said　Abdallah　and　told　him　all　that　had　befallen　him　with　the　king　and　the　Syndic　of　the　jewellers；　adding；　'Moreover；　the　king　hath　given　me　his　daughter　to　wife　and　made　me　his　vizier：　so　do　thou　take　what　is　in　this　basket　to　thy　share　and　fear　nothing。'

Then　he　left　him；　after　having　done　away　his　fear　from　him；　and　returned　with　the　empty　basket　to　the　king；　who　said　to　him；　'O　my　soninlaw；　it　would　seem　thou　hast　not　foregathered　with　thy　friend　the　merman　today。'　'I　went　to　him；'　replied　Abdallah；　'but　that　which　I　got　of　him　I　gave　to　my　friend　the　baker；　to　whom　I　owe　kindness。'　'Who　is　this　baker？'　asked　the　king；　and　the　fisherman　answered；　'He　is　a　benevolent　man；　who　did　with　me　thus　and　thus　in　the　days　of　my　poverty　and　never　neglected　me　a　single　day　nor　vexed　my　spirit。'　Quoth　the　king；　'What　is　his　name？'　'　His　name　is　Abdallah　the　baker；'　replied　the　fisherman；　'and　my　name　is　Abdallah　of　the　land　and　that　of　my　friend　the　merman　Abdallah　of　the　sea。'　'And　my　name；　also；　is　Abdallah；'　rejoined　the　king；　and　the　servants　of　God　（201）　are　all　brethren。　So　send　and　fetch　thy　friend　the　baker　that　I　may　make　him　my　vizier　of　the　left。'

So　he　sent　for　the　baker　and　the　king　invested　him　with　the　vizier's　habit　and　made　him　vizier　of　the　left；　making　Abdallah　of　the　land　his　vizier　of　the　right。　On　this　wise　the　fisherman　abode　a　whole　year；　every　day　carrying　the　merman　the　basket　full　of　fruit　and　receiving　it　back；　full　of　jewels；　and　when　fruit　failed　from　the　gardens；　he　carried　him　raisins　and　almonds　and　hazelnuts　and　walnuts　and　figs　and　so　forth；　and　all　that　he　brought　him　the　merman　accepted　and　returned　him　the　basket　full　of　jewels；　as　of　wont。

It　chanced　one　day　that　he　carried　him　the　basket；　full　of　dry　（202）　fruits；　according　to　custom；　and　his　friend　took　them　from　him。　Then　they　sat　down　to　converse；　the　fisherman　on　the　beach　and　the　merman　in　the　water；　near　the　shore；　and　conversed；　and　the　talk　went　round　between　them；　till　it　fell　upon　the　subject　of　tombs；　y　brother；　they　say　that　the　Prophet　（whom　God　bless　and　preserve！）　is　buried　with　you　on　the　land。　Knowest　thou　his　tomb？'　'Yes；'　answered　Abdallah。　'It　lies　in　a　city　called　Yethrib。'　（203）　'And　do　the　people　of　the　land　visit　it？'　asked　the　merman。　'Yes；'　replied　the　fisherman；　and　the　other　said；　'I　give　you　joy；　O　people　of　the　land；　of　visiting　＇the　tomb　of＇　that　noble　and　passionate　prophet；　which　whoso　visits　merits　his　intercession！　Hast　thou　visited　it；　O　my　brother？'　'No；'　answered　the　fisherman；　'for　I　was　poor　and　had　not　what　to　spend　by　the　way；　nor　have　I　been　at　my　ease　but　since　I　knew　thee　and　thou　bestowedst　on　me　this　good　fortune。　But　it　behoves　me　to　visit　it；　after　I　have　made　the　pilgrimage　to　the　Holy　House　of　God；　（204）　and　nought　withholds　me　therefrom　but　my　love　for　thee；　for　I　cannot　leave　thee　for　one　day。'

'And　dost　thou　set　the　love　of　me；'　rejoined　the　merman；　'before　the　visitation　of　the　tomb　of　Mohammed　（whom　God　bless　and　preserve！）；　who　shall　intercede　for　thee　on　the　day　of　appearance　before　God　and　shall　save　thee　from　the　fire　and　through　whose　intercession　thou　shalt　enter　Paradise？　And　dost　thou；　for　the　love　of　the　world；　leave　to　visit　the　tomb　of　thy　Prophet　Mohammed；　whom　God　bless　and　preserve？'　'No；　by　Allah；'　replied　Abdallah。　'I　set　the　visitation　of　the　Prophet's　tomb　above　all　else；　and　I　crave　thy　leave　to　visit　it　this　year。'　'I　grant　thee　leave；'　answered　the　merman；　'but　I　have　a　trust　to　give　thee；　so　e　thou　with　me　into　the　sea；　that　I　may　carry　thee　to　my　city　and　my　house　and　entertain　thee　there　and　give　thee　a　deposit；　a