第11章 THE BOOK OF THE THOUSAND NIGHTS AND ONE NIGHT(9)

Then I carried him to the bath and clad him in one of my own suits and took him to live with me. MoreoverI cast up my accounts and found that I had made a thousand dinars profitso that my capital was now two thousand dinars. I divided this between my brother and myselfsaying to him'Put it that thou hast never travelled nor been abroad.'He took it gladly and opened a shop with it. Presentlymy second brother arose like the first and sold his goods and all that belonged to him and determined to travel. We would have dissuaded himbut he would not be dissuaded and bought merchandise with which he set out on his travelsand we saw no more of him for a whole year；at the end of which time he came to us as had done his elder brother，and I said to him'O my brotherdid I not counsel thee not to travel？'And he wept and said'O my brotherit was decreed： and beholdI am poorwithout a dirhem or a shirt to my back.'Then I carried him to the bath and clad him in a new suit of my own and brought him back to my shopwhere we ate and drank together；after whichI said to him'O my brotherI will make up the accounts of my shopas is my wont once a yearand the increase shall be between thee and me.'So I arose and took stock and found I was worth two thousand dinars increasein excess of capitalwherefore I praised the Divine Creator and gave my brother a thousand dinarswith which he opened a shop. In this situation we remained for some timetill one daymy brothers came to me and would have me go on a voyage with them；but I refused and said to them'What did your travels profit youthat I should look to profit by the same venture？'And I would not listen to them；so we abode in our shopsbuying and sellingand every year they pressed me to traveland I declineduntil six years had elapsed. At last I yielded to their wishes and said to them'O my brothersI will make a voyage with youbut first let me see what you are worth.'So I looked into their affairs and found they had nothing lefthaving wasted all their substance in eating and drinking and merrymaking. HoweverI said not a word of reproach to thembut sold my stock and got in all I had and found I was worth six thousand dinars. So I rejoiced and divided the sum into two equal parts and said to my brothers，'These three thousand dinars are for you and me to trade with.'

The other three thousand I buriedin case what befell them should befall me alsoso that we might still haveon our returnwherewithal to open our shops again. They were content and I gave them each a thousand dinars and kept the like myself.

Then we provided ourselves with the necessary merchandise and equipped ourselves for travel and chartered a shipwhich we freighted with our goods. After a month's voyagewe came to a cityin which we sold our goods at a profit of ten dinars on every one （of prime cost）. And as we were about to take ship againwe found on the beach a damsel in tattered clotheswho kissed my hand and said to me'O my lordis there in thee kindness and charity？ I will requite thee for them.'Quoth I，'Indeed I love to do courtesy and charitythough I be not requited.'And she said'O my lordI beg thee to marry me and clothe me and take me back to thy countryfor I give myself to thee. Entreat me courteouslyfor indeed I am of those whom it behoves to use with kindness and consideration；and I will requite thee therefor： do not let my condition prejudice thee.'

When I heard what she saidmy heart inclined to herthat what God （to whom belong might and majesty） willed might come to pass.

So I carried her with me and clothed her and spread her a goodly bed in the ship and went in to her and made much of her. Then we set sail again and indeed my heart clove to her with a great love and I left her not night nor day and occupied myself with her to the exclusion of my brothers. Wherefore they were jealous of me and envied me my much substance；and they looked upon it with covetous eyes and took counsel together to kill me and to take my goodssaying'Let us kill our brotherand all will be ours.'

And Satan made this to seem good in their eyes. So they took me sleeping beside my wife and lifted us both up and threw us into the sea. When my wife awokeshe shook herself and becoming an Afritehtook me up and carried me to an islandwhere she left me for awhile. In the morningshe returned and said to me，'I have paid thee my debtfor it is I who bore thee up out of the sea and saved thee from deathby permission of God the Most High. Know that I am of the Jinn who believe in God and His Apostle （whom God bless and preserve！） and I saw thee and loved thee for God's sake. So I came to thee in the plight thou knowest of and thou didst marry meand now I have saved thee from drowning. But I am wroth with thy brothersand needs must I kill them.'When I heard her wordsI wondered and thanked her for what she had done and begged her not to kill my brothers. Then I told her all that had passed between usand she said'This very night will I fly to them and sink their ship and make an end of them.'God on thee，'answered I'do not do thisfor the proverb says'O thou who dost good to those who do evillet his deeds suffice the evil doer！'After allthey are my brothers.'