Thousand & One Nights 103rd Night

One hundred and third night.
Shahrazad the queen of India and Indochina was present for story telling. The story was told at the request of her sister Dinarzad in the presence of King Shahriar who went berserked at the sight of his previous and principal wife and black slave in compromising posture. The technique of her story telling was to leave the suspense for the following night.

When the tailor and his wife saw the hunchback intoxicated and reeking of wine, now singing and now beating tambourine, they were delighted, and invited him home to sup and drink with them that night. He accepted the invitation gladly, and walked home with them.

The tailor went to the market, it was already dark. He bought bread, fried fish, radishes, lemons, and a bowl of honey, as well as a candle to give them light during their carousing. When he returned, he set the bread and fish before the hunchback, and the wife joined them for supper. The tailor and his wife were pleased to have the hunchback with them saying to each other, "We will spend the night carousing, bantering, and amusing ourselves with this hunchback." They ate until they were satisfied. Then the tailor took a piece of fish, and cramming it in the hunchback's mouth, and held it shut and said laughing, "By God, you must swallow the whole piece." The hunchback unable to breath, could not wait to chew, and he hasten to swallow the piece, which happened to have a large bone, which stuck in his throat and choked him. When the tailor saw the hunchback's eyes rolled up, he raised his hand and boxed him on the chest, and the hunchback's soul left his body, and he slumped lifeless. The tailor and his wife were stunned, and trembling said, "There is no power and no strength, save in God the Almighty, the Magnificent. How soon was his appointed hour!" The wife said to his husband the tailor, "why do you sit still and do nothing?" Haven't you heard the poet say:

"How can you wait and let the fire raged on? Such idleness brings ruin and destruction."

The tailor asked, "what shall I do?" and she replied, "Rise, carry him in your arms, cover him with a silk shawl, and follow me. If anybody sees us in the dark, we shall say, 'This is our sick boy, who took ill a short while ago, and since the doctor could not come to see him, we are taking him there.' If we do that ....."

The dawn overtook and Shahrazad stopped the story.












Notes:-



Carouse = drink alcohol and enjoy oneself with others in a noisy lively way. 
Banter = playful and friendly exchange of teasing remarks.

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