The Arabian Nights Entertainments - Anonymous (best novels to read in english .TXT) 📗

well enough, yet the vizier Giafar did, out of ceremony, repeat them over again.

Zobeide, after the caliph by his discourse encouraged her, satisfied his curiosity in this manner.

THE STORY OF ZOBEIDE.

Commander of the faithful, says she, the relation I am about to give to your majesty is one of the strangest that ever was heard. The two black bitches and myself are sisters by the same father and mother; and I shall acquaint you by what strange accident they came to be metamorphosed. The two ladies that live with me, and are now here, are also my sisters by the father's side, but by another mother; she that has the scars on her breast is Amine, the other is Safie, and mine is Zobeide.

After our father's death, the estate that he left us was equally divided among us; and so soon as those two sisters received their portions, they went from me to live with their mother. My other two sisters and myself staid with our mother, who was then alive, and, when she died, left each of us a thousand sequins. As soon as we received our portions, the two elder (for I am the youngest) being married, followed their husbands, and left me alone. Some time after, my eldest sister's husband sold all that he had; and with that money, and my sister's portion, they both went into Africa, where her husband, by riotous living and debauchery, spent all; when, finding himself reduced to poverty, he found a pretext for divorcing my sister, and put her away. She returned to this city, and having suffered incredible hardships by the way, came to me in so lamentable a condition, as would have moved the hardest heart to compassion. I received her with all the tenderness she could expect; and inquiring into the cause of her sad condition, she told me, with tears, how inhumanly her husband had dealt by her. I was so much concerned at her misfortune, that tears flowed from my eyes: I put her into a bagnio, and clothed her with my own apparel, and spoke to her thus: Sister, you are the elder, and I esteem you as my mother: During your absence, God has blessed the portion that fell to my share, and the employment I follow to feed and bring up silk-worms. Assure yourself that there is nothing I have but what is at your service and as much at your disposal as my own.

We lived very comfortably together for some months; and as we were often discoursing together about our third sister, and wondering we heard no news of her, she came in as bad a condition as the elder; her husband had treated her after the same manner, and I received her with the same affection as I had done the former. Some time after, my two sisters, on pretence that they would not be chargeable to me, told me they had thoughts to marry again. I answered them, that if their putting me to charge was the only reason, they might lay those thoughts aside, and be very welcome to stay with me; for what I had would be sufficient to maintain us all three, answerably to our condition: But, said I, I rather believe you have a mind to marry again; which if you have, I am sure it will very much surprise me: After the experience you have had of the small satisfaction there is in wedlock, is it possible you dare venture a second time? You know how rare it is to meet with a husband that is a real honest man. Believe what I say, and let us stay together, and live as comfortably as we can. All my persuasion was in vain; they were resolved to marry, and so they did; but, after some months were past, they came back again, and begged my pardon a thousand times for not following my advice. You are our youngest sister, said they, and abundantly more wise than we; but if you will vouchsafe to receive us once more into your house, and account us your slaves, we shall never commit such a fault again. My answer was, Dear sisters, I have not altered my mind with respect to you since we last parted from one another; come again, and take part of what I have. Upon this, I embraced them cordially, and we lived together as formerly.

We continued thus a whole year in perfect love and tranquillity; and seeing that God had increased my small stock, I projected a voyage by sea to hazard somewhat in trade. To this end, I went with my two sisters to Balsora, where I bought a ship ready fitted for sea, and loaded her with such merchandise as I brought from Bagdad. We set sail with a fair wind, and soon got through the Persian gulph; and when got into the ocean, we steered our course for the Indies, and saw land the twentieth day. It was a very high mountain, at the bottom of which we saw a great town; and having a fresh gale, we soon reached the harbour, where we cast anchor. I had not patience to stay till my sisters were dressed to go along with me, but went ashore in the boat myself; and making directly to the gate of the town, I saw there a great number of men upon guard, some sitting and others standing, with batons in their hands; and they had all such dreadful countenances that they frightened me; but perceiving that they had no motion, nay not so much as with their eyes, I took courage, and went nearer, and then found they were all turned into stones. I entered the town, and passed through the several streets, where there stood every where men in several postures, but all immovable and petrified. On that side where the merchants lived, I found most of the shops shut, and, in such as were open, I likewise found the people petrified. I looked up to the chimnies, but saw no smoke; which made me conjecture that those within, as well as those without, were turned into stones. Being come into a vast square in the heart of the city, I perceived a great gate covered with plates of gold, the two leaves of which stood open, and a curtain of silk stuff seemed to be drawn before it; I also saw a lamp hanging over the gate. After I had well considered the fabric, I made no doubt but it was the palace of the prince who reigned over that country; and being very much astonished that I had not met with one living creature, I went thither in hopes to find some: I entered the gate, and was still more surprised when I saw none but the guards in the porches all petrified; some standing, some sitting, and others lying. I crossed over a large court, where I saw just before me a stately building, the windows of which were enclosed with gates of massy gold: I looked upon it to be the queen's apartment, and went into a large hall, where stood several black eunuchs turned into stone. I went from thence in to a room richly hung and furnished, where I perceived a lady in the same manner. I knew it to be the queen, by the crown of gold that hung over her head, and a necklace of pearl about her neck, each of them as big as a nut: I, went up close to her to view it, and never saw any thing finer, I stood some time, and admired the richness and magnificence of the room; but, above all, the foot-cloth, the cushions, and the sofas, which were all lined with Indian stuff of gold, with pictures of men and beasts in silver, drawn to admiration. I went out of the chamber where the petrified queen was, and came through several other apartments and closets richly furnished, and at last came into a vast large room, where there was a throne of massy gold raised several steps above the floor, and enriched with large enchased emeralds, and a bed upon the throne of rich stuff embroidered with pearls. That which surprised me more than all the rest was a sparkling light which came from above the bed: Being curious to know from whence it came, I mounted the steps, and lifting up my head, I saw a diamond, as big as the egg of an ostrich, lying upon a low stool: It was so pure, that I could not find the least blemish in it; and it sparkled so bright, that I could not endure its lustre when I saw it by day. On each side of the bed-head there stood a lighted flambeau, but for what use I could not apprehend; however, it made me imagine that there was some living creature in this place; for I could not believe that these torches continued burning of themselves. Several other rarities detained me in this room, which was inestimable, were it only for the diamond I mentioned.

The doors being all open, or but half shut, I surveyed some other apartments as fine as those I had already seen. I looked into the offices and store-rooms, which were full of infinite riches; and I was so much taken with the sight of all these wonderful things, that I forgot myself, and did not think on my ship or my sisters, my whole design being to satisfy my curiosity: Meantime night came on, which put me in mind that it was time to retire. I was for returning by the same way I came in, but could not find it; I lost myself among the apartments; and finding I was come back again to that large room where the throne, the couch, the large diamond, and the torches stood, I resolved to make my night's lodging there, and to depart the next morning betimes, in order to get on board my ship. I laid myself down upon the couch, not without some dread to be alone in a wild place, and this fear hindered my sleep.

About midnight I heard a voice like that of a man reading the alcoran, after the same manner, and in the same tone, as we used to read it in our mosques. Being extremely glad to hear it, I got up immediately, and, taking a torch in my hand to light me, I passed from one chamber to another, on that side whence the voice issued; I came to the closet-door, where I stood still, not doubting that it came from thence. I set down my torch upon the ground, and looking through a window, I found it to be an oratory. In short, it had, as we have in our mosques, a niche, which shows where we must turn to say our prayers. There were also lamps hung up, and two candlesticks with large tapers ef white wax burning. I saw a little carpet laid down like those we kneel upon when we say our prayers, and a comely young man sat upon this carpet reading the alcoran, which lay before him upon a desk, with great devotion. At the sight of this I was transported with admiration; I wondered how it came to pass that he should be the only living creature in a town where all the people were turned into stones, and did not doubt but that there was something in it very extraordinary. The door being only half shut, I opened it, and went in, and, standing upright before the niche, said this prayer aloud: 'Praise be to God, who has favoured us with a happy voyage; and may he be graciously pleased to protect us in the same manner, until we arrive again in our own country. Hear me, O Lord, and grant my request.' The young man cast his eyes upon me, and said, My good lady, pray let me know who you are, and what has brought you to this desolate city? In requital I will tell you who I am, what happened to me, why the inhabitants of this city are reduced to the state you see them in, and why I alone am safe and sound in the midst of such a terrible disaster. I told him in few words from whence I came, what made me undertake the voyage, and how I safely arrived at this port, after twenty days sailing; and when I had done, prayed him to perform his promise, and told him how much I was struck by the frightful desolation which I had seen in all places as I came along.

My dear lady, says the young man, have patience for