Thousand & One Nights: 143rd Night: Lame Young Man & Baghdad Barber -5

The old woman said to Judge's daughter, '"O my lady, I fared badly at your hands, and when I went back to him and acquainted him with your reply he got worse, and remained bed-ridden untill I thought that he would surely die and gave him up for lost.'
The young lady turned pale and asked, 'All this because of me?' I replied, 'Yes, what is your command?'
'Let him come here on Friday, before the noon prayer. When he comes I will come down, and take him upstairs. But he should leave before my father comes back."' My anguish ceased. "Ba ready on Friday," said the old woman. I gave her the reward and she went away.
On Friday, the old woman came in. I was hale and hearty. She asked me to go for a wash. I have already washed myself with water. I want a barber to shave my head. I asked my servant to get me sensible and discreet barber, who will not give me a headache with his chatter. The servant went out and brought a old and wretched barber. He was a chatterbox and started with his pleasantries about my weakness and his advice on how to be cheerful and his prayer that I would soon recover. I patiently answered him. Then getting himself to his job, he asked me, "O my lord, do you want me to shave your head or to let blood?
I said, shave my head at once, and spare me from your raving, for I am still weak from my illness."

Morning overtook and Shahrazad lapsed into silence.






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