burton--1001-nights--sample

followed delight till midday, by which time I had drunken wine so
freely that I had lost my wits, and stood up, staggering to the right and
to the left, and said “Come, O my charmer, and I will carry thee up
from this underground vault and deliver thee from the spell of thy
Jinni.” She laughed and replied “Content thee and hold thy peace: of
every ten days one is for the Ifrit and the other nine are thine.” Quoth I
(and in good sooth drink had got the better of me), “This very instant
will I break down the alcove whereon is graven the talisman and
summon the Ifrit that I may slay him, for it is a practice of mine to slay
Ifrits!”
When she heard my words her colour waxed wan and she said, “By
Allah, do not!” and she began repeating: —
This is a thing wherein destruction lies * I rede thee shun it an thy
wits be wise.
And these also: —
O thou who seekest severance, draw the rein * Of thy swift steed nor
seek o’ermuch t’ advance;
Ah stay! for treachery is the rule of life, * And sweets of meeting end
in severance.
I heard her verse but paid no heed to her words, nay, I raised my foot
and administered to the alcove a mighty kick —
And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.
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