Now there was once a man at Bagdad who
had seven sons, and when he died he left to each of them one hundred dirhems;
and his fifth son, called Alnaschar the Babbler, invested all this money in
some glassware, and, putting it in a big tray, from which to show and sell it,
he sat down on a raised bench, at the foot of a wall, against which he leant
back, placing the tray on the ground in front of him. As he sat he began
day-dreaming and said to himself: "I have laid out a hundred dirhems on
this glass. Now I will surely sell it for two hundred, and with it I will buy
more glass and sell that for four hundred; nor will I
cease to buy and sell till I become master of much wealth. With this I will buy
all kinds of merchandise and jewels and perfumes and gain great profit on them
till, God willing, I will make my capital a hundred thousand dinars or two
million dirhems. Then I will buy a handsome house, together with slaves and
horses and trappings of gold, and eat and drink, nor will there be a singing
girl in the city but I will have her to sing to me." This he said looking
at the tray before him with glassware worth a hundred dirhems. Then he
continued: "When I have amassed a hundred thousand dinars I will send out
marriage-brokers to demand for me in marriage the hand of the Vizier's
daughter, for I hear that she is perfect in beauty and of surpassing grace. I
will give her a dowry of a thousand dinars, and if her father consent, 'tis
well; if not, I will take her by force, in spite of him. When I return home, I
will buy ten little slaves and clothes for myself such as are worn by kings and
sultans and get a saddle of gold, set thick with precious jewels. Then I will
mount and parade the city, with slaves before and behind me, while the people
will salute me and call down blessings upon me: after which I will go to the
Vizier, the girl's father, with slaves behind and before me, as well as on
either hand. When the Vizier sees me, he will rise and seating me in his own
place, sit down below me, because I am his son-in-law. Now I will have with me
two slaves with purses, in each a thousand dinars, and I
will give him the thousand dinars of the dowry and make him a present of
another thousand dinars so that he may recognize my nobility and generosity and
greatness of mind and the littleness of the world in my eyes; and for every ten
words he will say to me, I will answer him only two. Then I will return to my
house, and if any one come to me on the bride's part, I will make him a present
of money and clothe him in a robe of honour; but if he bring me a present I
will return it to him and will not accept it so that they may know how great of
soul I am." After a while Alnaschar continued: "Then I will command
them to bring the Vizier's daughter to me in state and will get ready my house
in fine condition to receive her. When the time of the unveiling of the bride
is come, I will put on my richest clothes and sit down on a couch of brocaded
silk, leaning on a cushion and turning my eyes neither to the right nor to the
left, to show the haughtiness of my mind and the seriousness of my character.
My bride shall stand before me like the full moon, in her robes and ornaments,
and I, out of my pride and my disdain, will not look at her, till all who are
present shall say to me: 'O my lord, thy wife and thy handmaid stands before
thee; deign to look upon her, for standing is irksome to her.' And they will
kiss the earth before me many times, whereupon I will lift my eyes and give one
glance at her, then bend down my head again. Then they
will carry her to the bride-chamber, and meanwhile I will rise and change my
clothes for a richer suit. When they bring in the bride for the second time, I
will not look at her till they have implored me several times, when I will
glance at her and bow down my head; nor will I cease doing thus, till they have
made an end of parading and displaying her. Then I will order one of my slaves
to fetch a purse, and, giving it to the tire-women, command them to lead her to
the bride-chamber. When they leave me alone with the bride, I will not look at
her or speak to her, but will sit by her with averted face, that she may say I
am high of soul. Presently her mother will come to me and kiss my head and
hands and say to me: 'O my lord, look on thy handmaid, for she longs for thy
favour, and heal her spirit,' But I will give her no answer; and when she sees
this, she will come and kiss my feet and say, 'O my lord, verily my daughter is
a beautiful girl, who has never seen man; and if thou show her this aversion,
her heart will break; so do thou be gracious to her and speak to her.' Then she
will rise and fetch a cup of wine, and her daughter will take it and come to
me; but I will leave her standing before me, while I recline upon a cushion of
cloth of gold, and will not look at her to show the haughtiness of my heart, so
that she will think me to be a Sultan of exceeding dignity and will say to me:
'O my lord, for God's sake, do not refuse to take the
cup from thy servant's hand, for indeed I am thy handmaid.' But I will not
speak to her, and she will press me, saying: 'Needs must thou drink it,' and
put it to my lips. Then I will shake my fist in her face and spurn her with my
foot thus." So saying, he gave a kick with his foot and knocked over the
tray of glass, which fell over to the ground, and all that was in it was
broken.
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