第9章 THE BOOK OF THE THOUSAND NIGHTS AND ONE NIGHT(7)

He journeyed on till he reached the gardenwhere he had met with the genieon the first day of the new yearand there sat down to await his doom. Presentlyas he sat weeping over what had befallen himthere came up an old manleading a gazelle by a chainand saluted the merchantsaying'What ails thee to sit alone in this placeseeing that it is the resort of the Jinn？'The merchant told him all that had befallen him with the Afritand he wondered and said'By AllahO my brotherthy good faith is exemplary and thy story is a marvellous one！If it were graven with needles on the corners of the eyeit would serve as a warning to those that can profit by example.'Then he sat down by his sidesaying'By AllahO my brotherI will not leave thee till I see what befalls thee with this Afrit.'So they sat conversingand fear and terror got hold upon the merchant and trouble increased upon himnotwithstanding the old man's company. Presently another old man came upleading two black dogsand saluting theminquired why they sat in a place known to be haunted by Jinnwhereupon the merchant repeated his story to him. He had not sat long with them when there came up a third old man leading a dappled she-muleand after putting to them the same question and receiving a like answersat down with them to await the issue of the affair. They had sat but a little while longerwhen beholdthere arose a cloud of dust and a great whirling column approached from the heart of the desert. Then the dust lifted and discovered the geniewith a drawn sword in his hand and sparks of fire issuing from his eyes. He came up to them and dragged the merchant from amongst themsaying'Risethat I may slay thee as thou slewest my sonthe darling of my heart！'Whereupon the merchant wept and bewailed himself and the three old men joined their cries and lamentations to his. Then came forward the first old manhe of the gazelleand kissed the Afrit's hand and said to him'O genie and crown of the kings of the Jinnif I relate to thee my history with this gazelle and it seem to thee wonderfulwilt thou grant me a third of this merchant's blood？'YesO old man，'answered the genie'if thou tell me thy story and I find it wonderfulI will remit to thee a third of his blood.'Then said the old man'KnowO Afritthat The First Old Man's Story.

This gazelle is the daughter of my father's brother and my own flesh and blood. I married her whilst she was yet of tender age and lived with her near thirty yearswithout being blessed with a child by her. So I took me a concubine and had by her a son like the rising full moonwith eyes and eyebrows of perfect beauty；and he grew up and flourished till he reached the age of fifteenwhen I had occasion to journey to a certain cityand set out thither with great store of merchandise. Now my wife had studied sorcery and magic from her youth： soI being goneshe turned my son into a calf and his mother into a cow and delivered them both to the cowherd： and whenafter a long absenceI returned from my journey and inquired after my son and his mothermy wife said to me'Thy slave died and her son ran awaywhither I know not.'I abode for the space of a year，mournful-hearted and weeping-eyedtill the coming of the Greater Festivalwhen I sent to the herdsman and bade him bring me a fat cow for the purpose of sacrifice. So he brought me the very cow into which my wife had changed my concubine by her art；and I tucked up my skirts and taking the knife in my handwent up to the cow to slaughter her；but she lowed and moaned so piteously，that I was seized with wonder and compassion and held my hand from her and said to the herd'Bring me another cow.'Not so！'

cried my wife. 'Slaughter this onefor we have no finer nor fatter.'So I went up to her againbut she cried outand I left her and ordered the herdsman to kill her and skin her. So he killed her and flayed herbut found on her neither fat nor fleshonly skin and bone. Then I was sorry for having slain her，when repentance availed me not；and I gave her to the herd and said to him'Bring me a fat calf.'So he brought me my son in the guise of a calf；and when he saw mehe broke his halter and came up to me and fawned on me and moaned and wepttill I took pity on him and said to the man'Bring me a cow and let this calf go.'But my wife cried out at me and said'Not so： thou must sacrifice this calf and none other to-day： for it is a holy and a blessed dayon which it behoves us to offer up none but a good thingand we have no calf fatter or finer than this one.'

Quoth I'Look at the condition of the cow I slaughtered by thine order；we were deceived in herand now I will not be persuaded by thee to slay this calf this time.'By the great Godthe Compassionatethe Merciful，'answered she'thou must without fail sacrifice this calf on this holy day！Else thou art no longer my husband nor am I thy wife.'When I heard this harsh speech from herI went up to the calfknowing not what she aimed atand took the knife in my hand.'Here Shehrzad perceived the day and was silent；and her sister said to her'What a charming and delightful story！'Quoth Shehrzad'This is nothing to what I will tell thee to-morrow nightif the King let me live.'And the King said to himself'By AllahI will not kill hertill I hear the rest of the story！'So they lay together till morningwhen the King went out to his hall of audience and the Vizier came in to himwith the winding-sheet under his arm.

Then the King ordered and appointed and deposedwithout telling the Vizier aught of what had happenedmuch to the former's surpriseuntil the end of the daywhen the Divan broke up and he retired to his apartments.