Thousand & One Nights: 56th Night: Tale of 3rd Dervish - 4

These stories reflects the events of different times and different cultures, and some stories are a fusion of different time, space and cultures. Most of the stories were popularised by ancient story tellers. Later they evolved into the art of Drama, integrating some features of tribal, cultural and political rituals. Whatever the form of art, it is for entertainment. Though it is entertainment it reflects history.

The story is told by the third dervish in the presence of the beautiful girls of Baghdad house.

My lady, when I was sure that I had killed the young man, as the God above had preordained, I rose, and ascending the stairs, replaced the trapdoor, and covered it with earth. I looked towards the sea and saw the ship that had brought him, cleaving with waters towards the island to take him. I said to myself, " The moment they come and see their boy slain, and find that I am his slayer, they will surely kill me." I headed towards a nearby tree, and climbing it I hid among the branches. The black servants came out with the old man, his father. They removed the earth, which was soft and some of them murmured. They found the young man lying down, his face glowing after the bath, dressed in clean clothes, and the knife deep in his heart. They touched him, called him, and found that he was dead. They shrieked, beat their face, wept and wailed. His father fell into a swoon. When he came to himself, they wrapped the young man in his clothes, and carried him up. A black slave came with seat covered with silk, and they carried the old man, laid him by the side of the young man. The old man sat by the head of his son. I witnessed all these from the top of the tree, with a heavy heart. The old man recited these words:

O my life, hurry; he is gone away 
His resting place is far away 
What shall I say of him, I wish
He had never born, I never seen him.

The old man took a breath, and with a deep sigh his soul left his body. The black slaves carried their masters to the ship, and sailed. I came down from the the top of the tree, and went into the secret house, stood in his presence, it was there, among the things he used to, for a few days.

End of the Night 








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