登陆注册
3553400000011

第11章 THE BOOK OF THE THOUSAND NIGHTS AND ONE NIGHT(9)

Then I carried him to the bath and clad him in one of my own suits and took him to live with me. MoreoverI cast up my accounts and found that I had made a thousand dinars profitso that my capital was now two thousand dinars. I divided this between my brother and myselfsaying to him'Put it that thou hast never travelled nor been abroad.'He took it gladly and opened a shop with it. Presentlymy second brother arose like the first and sold his goods and all that belonged to him and determined to travel. We would have dissuaded himbut he would not be dissuaded and bought merchandise with which he set out on his travelsand we saw no more of him for a whole year;at the end of which time he came to us as had done his elder brother,and I said to him'O my brotherdid I not counsel thee not to travel?'And he wept and said'O my brotherit was decreed: and beholdI am poorwithout a dirhem or a shirt to my back.'Then I carried him to the bath and clad him in a new suit of my own and brought him back to my shopwhere we ate and drank together;after whichI said to him'O my brotherI will make up the accounts of my shopas is my wont once a yearand the increase shall be between thee and me.'So I arose and took stock and found I was worth two thousand dinars increasein excess of capitalwherefore I praised the Divine Creator and gave my brother a thousand dinarswith which he opened a shop. In this situation we remained for some timetill one daymy brothers came to me and would have me go on a voyage with them;but I refused and said to them'What did your travels profit youthat I should look to profit by the same venture?'And I would not listen to them;so we abode in our shopsbuying and sellingand every year they pressed me to traveland I declineduntil six years had elapsed. At last I yielded to their wishes and said to them'O my brothersI will make a voyage with youbut first let me see what you are worth.'So I looked into their affairs and found they had nothing lefthaving wasted all their substance in eating and drinking and merrymaking. HoweverI said not a word of reproach to thembut sold my stock and got in all I had and found I was worth six thousand dinars. So I rejoiced and divided the sum into two equal parts and said to my brothers,'These three thousand dinars are for you and me to trade with.'

The other three thousand I buriedin case what befell them should befall me alsoso that we might still haveon our returnwherewithal to open our shops again. They were content and I gave them each a thousand dinars and kept the like myself.

Then we provided ourselves with the necessary merchandise and equipped ourselves for travel and chartered a shipwhich we freighted with our goods. After a month's voyagewe came to a cityin which we sold our goods at a profit of ten dinars on every one (of prime cost). And as we were about to take ship againwe found on the beach a damsel in tattered clotheswho kissed my hand and said to me'O my lordis there in thee kindness and charity? I will requite thee for them.'Quoth I,'Indeed I love to do courtesy and charitythough I be not requited.'And she said'O my lordI beg thee to marry me and clothe me and take me back to thy countryfor I give myself to thee. Entreat me courteouslyfor indeed I am of those whom it behoves to use with kindness and consideration;and I will requite thee therefor: do not let my condition prejudice thee.'

When I heard what she saidmy heart inclined to herthat what God (to whom belong might and majesty) willed might come to pass.

So I carried her with me and clothed her and spread her a goodly bed in the ship and went in to her and made much of her. Then we set sail again and indeed my heart clove to her with a great love and I left her not night nor day and occupied myself with her to the exclusion of my brothers. Wherefore they were jealous of me and envied me my much substance;and they looked upon it with covetous eyes and took counsel together to kill me and to take my goodssaying'Let us kill our brotherand all will be ours.'

And Satan made this to seem good in their eyes. So they took me sleeping beside my wife and lifted us both up and threw us into the sea. When my wife awokeshe shook herself and becoming an Afritehtook me up and carried me to an islandwhere she left me for awhile. In the morningshe returned and said to me,'I have paid thee my debtfor it is I who bore thee up out of the sea and saved thee from deathby permission of God the Most High. Know that I am of the Jinn who believe in God and His Apostle (whom God bless and preserve!) and I saw thee and loved thee for God's sake. So I came to thee in the plight thou knowest of and thou didst marry meand now I have saved thee from drowning. But I am wroth with thy brothersand needs must I kill them.'When I heard her wordsI wondered and thanked her for what she had done and begged her not to kill my brothers. Then I told her all that had passed between usand she said'This very night will I fly to them and sink their ship and make an end of them.'God on thee,'answered I'do not do thisfor the proverb says'O thou who dost good to those who do evillet his deeds suffice the evil doer!'After allthey are my brothers.'

同类推荐
  • 中藏经

    中藏经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 洞真太上三九素语玉清真诀

    洞真太上三九素语玉清真诀

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 增广和剂局方药性总论

    增广和剂局方药性总论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 坐忘论

    坐忘论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说碱水喻经

    佛说碱水喻经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 光头流浪记

    光头流浪记

    本章描写了光头流浪到大上海后的坎坷命运和遭遇,同时表现了光头不断寻找幸福的辛酸,无奈,幽默的流浪经历!
  • 流年知流年

    流年知流年

    “在青春时光里,我们两谁也没能成为谁的良人,那么,在接下来的日子里,你可愿成为我人生路上携手同行的家人?”贺璟拉着宋云影的手,小心翼翼地问出了他一直藏在心底没有问出的话,内心深处涌动着一股强烈的躁郁不安感,无法纾解,无法消除。“当然。”一瞬间便似春风拂面,神清气爽。青春有点迷茫,有点懵懂,然而却是最单纯,最美好的时光,青春并不仅仅是打马而过,我们最终也不会落花成伤,相信最后时光沉淀下来的,是你与我的美好岁月。
  • 洪恩灵济真君灵签

    洪恩灵济真君灵签

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 亿万奶爸是总裁

    亿万奶爸是总裁

    【全文完】他是令人闻风丧胆的慕家大少,亦是专制霸道的国际总裁。她不小心在老虎头上拔了毛,从此被他禁锢身边,与他出生入死,一颗心渐渐沦陷。到最后不过是将整颗心拿去换另外一个女人的命,她心死神伤,5年后卷土重来,又是怎样一番情境?“慕少,这刀子可不长眼。”手术台上一名年轻貌美的女子眼角挂着一丝笑意,手里的刀子不断的对着男人比划。“老婆,我是孩子他爹啊。”男人平静冷酷的脸勾起一抹强势笑容。女子脸一僵,对旁边还在吃着棒棒糖的小奶包狠狠道:“看见没有,这就是反面教材!”【木头新文已发:《BOSS宠很深:宝贝,抗议无效》】
  • 末日BOSS

    末日BOSS

    末日降临,在这个末世中谁主沉浮!“去TM的一刀999!”“等等,我才是boss?”
  • 弃妇有毒:腹黑爵爷禽深款款

    弃妇有毒:腹黑爵爷禽深款款

    重活一世,有仇报仇,有怨抱怨!吃了我的,统统吐出来!什么?仇人爱上她,非要再求娶?冷酷爵爷缠上她,耍酷、耍贱、装软弱、玩深情?别!别!别!仇还没有报完,又要陷入情网?抬头,元芳,你怎么看?天空飘来五个字,那都不是事儿!
  • 填词杂说

    填词杂说

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 妖孽太猛

    妖孽太猛

    “妈咪……你是……开玩笑的吧!”韩筱米不确定的问,因为她那老狐狸妈咪,完全就没有一点说笑的样子,她不过是抱着一点点小小的希望而已。“你看我像是说笑的吗?”“妈咪!你有没有搞错?我才十九岁?”韩筱米终于忍不住大声抗议起来。“有什么关系?你如果担心的是结婚年龄的问题的话,那你就不用担心了!因为你再过六十三天就二十了,你冯妈妈和她儿子这点时间还是能等的!”他?他回来了?韩筱米……
  • 大唐刀圣

    大唐刀圣

    小小穿越者身怀一百零八套经传世经典刀法,心怀我不入桃花阵谁入桃花阵的雄心壮志,玩转大唐盛世,笑看贞观风云!
  • 西点凌晨两点半(白金珍藏版)

    西点凌晨两点半(白金珍藏版)

    在西点,优秀是一种习惯。两百多年来,西点军校培养了两届美国总统、4位五星上将、3700多位将军、数千世界500强CEO及高管……它就是一座打造优秀男人的“魔鬼训练工厂”!无论多么懦弱、胆小、懒散的男孩,只要能从这个“工厂”走出来,他就会变得独立、坚强、勇敢,成为能够独当一面的社会精英。