《一千零一夜-天方夜谭-1001 Nights(英文版)》

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一千零一夜-天方夜谭-1001 Nights(英文版)- 第59部分


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nd carried him into the royal presence; where he saw Abousir seated by the king's side and the porter and workmen of the dyery standing before him。 Quoth the porter to him; 'Is not this thy rade whom thou robbedst of his money and leftest with me sick in the khan?' And the workmen said to him; 'Is not this he whom thou badest us seize and beat?'

Therewith Aboukir's baseness was made manifest to the king and he was certified that he merited a punishment yet sorer than that which Munker and Neckir (194) deal 'to the wicked after death'。 So he upbraided him and said to his guards; 'Take him and parade him about the city and the markets; then lay him in a sack and cast him into the sea。' Whereupon quoth Abousir; 'O king of the age; accept my intercession for him; for I pardon him all he hath done with me。' 'If thou pardon him his offences against thee;' answered the king; 'I cannot pardon him his offences against me。' And he cried out; saying; 'Take him。' So they took him and paraded him about the city; after which they laid him in a sack  into the sea; and he died; drowned and burnt。

Then said the king to the barber; 'O Abousir; ask of me what thou wilt and it shall be given thee。' And he answered; saying; 'I ask of thee to send me back to my own country; for I care no longer to abide here。' Then the king offered to make him his vizier; but he consented not; so he gave him great store of gifts; over and above that which he had bestowed on him aforetime; and amongst the rest a galleon laden with goods; and the crew of this galleon were slaves; so he gave him these also。 Then he took leave of the king and set sail; nor did he cast anchor till he reached Alexandria and made fast to the shore there。 Then they landed and one of his servants; seeing a sack on the beach; said to Abousir; 'O my lord; there is a great heavy sack on the seashore; with the mouth tied up and I know not what therein。' So Abousir came up and opening the sack; found therein the dead body of Aboukir; which the sea had borne thither。 He took it forth and burying it near Alexandria; built over the grave a place of visitation and endowed it for pious uses; writing over the door the following verses:

  A man is by his actions known among his fellows aye: The actions of the freeborn man his generous birth betray。
  Backbite not any; lest thyself backbitten be in tarn。 Whososaith aught; his fellowmen the like of him will say。
  Abstain from lewd and ribald words: I rede thee speak them not At any time; or if it be in earnest or in play。
  The dog; good manners if he use; Is suffered in the house; The lion; of his ignorance; is fettered night and day。
  The carrion of the waste floats up upon the topmost sea; Whilst on the lowest of its sands the pearls neglected stay。
  But for its featherheadedness and levity of wit; The sparrow never with the hawk to jostle would essay。
  Lo; on the pages of the air is written; in the sky; 'Whoso doth good; the like thereof his actions shall repay。'
  Beware of gathering sugar; then; from out the colocynth: Still in the tasting will the thing its origin bewray。 
After this Abousir abode awhile; till God took him to Himself and they buried him hard by the tomb of his rade Aboukir; wherefore the place was called Aboukir and Abousir; but it is now known as Aboukir 'only'。 This; then; is that which hath reached us of their history; and glory be to Him who endureth for ever and by whose will the days and nights succeed each other!



ABDALLAH THE FISHERMAN AND ABDALLAH THE MERMAN。

There was once a fisherman named Abdallah; who had a wife and nine children and was very poor; owning nothing but his 。 Every day he used to go to the sea to fish; and if he caught little; he sold it and spent the price on his children; after the measure of that which God vouchsafed him of provision; but; if he caught much; he would cook a good mess of meat and buy fruit and spend without stint till nothing was left him; saying in himself; 'Tomorrow's provision will e tomorrow。' Presently; his wife gave birth to another child; making ten in all; and it chanced that day that he had nothing at all; so she said to him; 'O my master; see 'and get' me wherewithal I may sustain myself。' Quoth he; 'Under favour of God the Most High; I am going today to the sea; to fish in the name of this newborn child; that we may see its luck。' And she answered; 'Put thy trust in God。'

So he took his  and went down to the seashore; where he cast it in the name of the little child; saying; 'O my God; make his living easy; not hard; and abundant; not scant!' Then he waited awhile and drew in the ; which came up full of rubbish and sand and pebbles and weeds; and he found therein no fish; neither much not little。 He cast it again and waited; then drew it in; but found no fish in it; and threw it a third and a fourth and a fifth time; with no better success。 So he removed to another place; beseeching God the Most High to grant him his daily bread; and thus he did till the end of the day; but caught not so much as a sprat; whereat he fell amarvelling in himself and said; 'Hath God then created this newborn child; without 'an appointed' provision? This may never be; He who slits the corners of the mouth hath engaged for its provision; for He is the Bountiful; the Provider!' So saying; he shouldered his  and turned homeward; brokenspirited and heavy at heart for his family; for that he had left them without food; more by token that his wife was in the straw。

As he trudged along; saying in himself; 'How shall I do and what shall I say to the children tonight?' he came to a baker's oven and saw a crowd about it; for it was a time of dearth and food was scant with the folk; so they were proffering the baker money; but he paid no heed to any of them; by reason of the much crowd。 The fisherman stood looking and snuffing the smell of the hot bread; and indeed his soul longed for it; by reason of his hunger; till the baker caught sight of him and cried out to him; saying; 'e hither; O fisherman!' So he went up to him; and the baker said to him; 'Dost thou want bread?' But he was silent。 'Speak;' said the baker; 'and be not ashamed; for God is bountiful。 If thou have no money; I will give thee 'bread' and have patience with thee till good 'fortune' betide thee。' 'By Allah; O master;' replied Abdallah; 'I have indeed no money! But give me bread enough for my family; and I will leave thee this  in pawn till the morrow。' 'Nay; good fellow;' rejoined the baker; 'this  is 'as it were' thy shop and the means of thy livelihood; (195) so; if thou pawn it; wherewithal wilt thou fish? Tell me; how much 'bread' will suffice thee?' 'Ten pares' worth;' replied the fisherman。

So he gave him ten pares' worth of bread and ten pares in money; saying; 'Take these ten pares and cook thyself a mess of meat therewith; so wilt thou owe me twenty pares; for which bring me fish tomorrow; but; if thou catch nothing again; e and take thy bread and thy ten pares; and I will have patience with thee till better luck betide thee; when thou shalt bring me fish for all thou owest me。' 'May God the Most High reward thee' said the fisherman; 'and requite thee for me with all good!' Then he took the bread and the money and went away; glad at heart; and buying what he could 'of meat and vegetables'; returned to his wife; whom he found sitting up; soothing the children; who were weeping for hunger; and saying to them; 'Your father will be here with what ye may eat。' So he set the bread before them and they ate; whilst he told his wife what had befallen him; and she said; 'God is bountiful。'

On the morrow; he shouldered his  and went forth of his house; saying; 'I beseech thee; O Lord; to vouchsafe me this day what shall whiten my face with the baker!' When he came to the seashore; he proceeded to cast his  and pull it in; but there came up no fish therein; and he toiled thus till ended day and caught nothing。 Then he set out homeward; in sore concern; and the way to his house lay past the baker's shop; so he said in himself; 'How shall I go home? But I will hasten past that the baker may not see me。' When he reached the shop; he saw a crowd about it and quickened his pace; being ashamed to face the baker; but the latter raised his eyes to him and cried out to him; saying; 'Ho; fisherman! e and take thy bread and spendingmoney。 Meseems thou fettest。' 'By Allah;' answered Abdallah; 'I had not fotten; but I was ashamed to face thee; because I have caught no fish today。' 'Be not ashamed;' answered the baker。 'Said I not to thee; 〃At thy leisure; till good hap betide thee?〃'

Then he gave him the bread and the ten pares and he returned and told his wife; who said; 'God is bountiful。 If it please the Most High; good luck shall yet betide thee and thou shalt give the baker his due。' On this wise he did forty days; betaking himself daily to the sea; from the rising of the sun to the going down thereof; and returning 'at nightfall'; without fish; and still he took bread and spendingmoney of the baker; who never named the fish to him nor neglected him nor kept him waiting; like the folk; (196) but gave him the bread and the ten pares 'forthright'。 Whenever the fisherman said to him; 'O my brother; reckon with me;' he would say; 'Go thy ways; this is no time for reckoning。 'Wait' till good luck betide thee; and then I will reckon with thee。' And the fisherman would go away; blessing and thanking him。

On the oneandfortieth day; he said to his wife; 'I have a mind to tear up the  and be quit of this life。' 'Why wilt thou do this?' asked she。 And he said; 'Meseems there is an end of my getting my living from the sea。 How long shall this last? By Allah; I am consumed with shame before the baker; and I will go no more to the sea; so I may not pass by his shop; for I have no other way home; and every time I pass; he calls me and gives me the bread and the ten pares。 How much longer shall I run in debt to him?' 'Praised be God the Most High;' replied his wife; 'who hath inclined his heart to thee; so that he giveth thee our daily bread! What dislikest thou in this?' Quoth he; 'I owe him now a great sum of money; and he will without fail demand his due。' 'Hath he vexed thee with words?' asked his wife。 'Nay;' answered Abdallah;
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