Thousand & One Nights: Night Three: The Merchant & The Demon

The Night. Shahrazad and Dinarzad in the King's Chamber. The King had been undergoing treatment, Shahrazad had been acting on behalf of him. King was waiting eagerly for the remaining portion of the story. 

The merchant and the old man with the deer were talking.  Another man came with two black hounds, and greeted them, and they returned the greetings. The story of the merchant and the demon was now related to the new comer by the man with the deer. The new comer joined them to see the aftermath of the story.

Another old man came and asked them why they were sitting,  at such a strange and frightening place. The second old man related the story of the merchant to the third old man. The third old man also joined them to see the demon coming and killing the merchant.

They sat talking with one another.  Suddenly, they saw the dust rising, followed by the demon with a steel sword in his hand. He stood before them without any greeting; got hold of the merchant and jerked him, and said, "Get ready to die." The merchant and the three old men began to weep and wail.

It was dawn and Shahrazad fell silent.
"What a lovely sorry," said Dinarzad to her sister.

"What is this?" said Shahrazad to her sister and the king, "when compared with what I shall tell tomorrow night? It will be more lovely and entertaining."
The king had been enjoying the story. There was hope and expectations in him. He began to show interest in matters of administration,  but Hakim advised Shahrazad to go slowly in handing over to him the matters of the Kingdom. Shahrazad continued to engage herself in matters of administration.

End of the Section 


Notes:-

1. The Demon in the story represents the member of an alien tribe.It is because of his xenophobia that the merchant calls him Demon. He represents an uncivilized tribe who depends on hunting. Merchants society was in a transition to civilization as the man with deer and the new comer with hounds and the third old man manifest.


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