Thousand & One Nights: 134th Night: Mosul Youth & The Murdered Girl -4

The frame story teller is Queen Shahrazad. The present story was originally told by the Mosul Youth to the Jewish physician. The Jewish physician later told the story to the king of China. The story is presented by Jewish physician as a first person account by Mosul Youth:

When she entered I was bound to honour her. I went in and closed the door behind us. She sat and raised her veil, and a pair of sparkling eyes looked into my eyes. Then she took off her cloak, and I saw her beautiful shape. I went out and bought a tray of the most delicate food and fruits and wine. We ate and drank. When it was dark I lighted the candles, and set the cups. We ate and drank and then we slept together. In the morning I offered her ten dinars. She frowned upon me, "Shame on you,  man from Mosul, to think that you can have me for gold or money!" Taking out twenty dinars from her pocket she put it into my pocket, hugged me and said, "Darling, expect me in three days, between sundown and nightfall and set a banquet for the occasion."
She bade me goodbye, and went away taking my heart with her.

Three days later the banquet was prepared, and my waiting for her arrival, and she came, we ate and drank and then dallied, and slept. While leaving in the morning she asked, "My lord, am I not beautiful?"
"Yes," I replied.
"Then, allow me to bring with me a young lady, even more beautiful and younger than I, so that she may play, laugh, and enjoy herself, for she has been sequestered for a long time, and she has asked to go out and spend the night with me."
I replied, "By God, yes."
She gave me twenty five dinars, and said, "Buy more provisions, for we will have a new guest, when we meet next time." And she went away.

On the third day I prepared a banquet, and waited for the arrival of the new guest.

Morning overtook and Shahrazad lapsed into silence 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

( 16 )CHARLES DICKENS: DAVID COPPERFIELD: CHAPTER 16: I AM A NEW BOY IN MORE SENSES THAN ONE

Thousand & One Nights: 70th Night

Thousand & One Nights: 66th Night: