burton--1001-nights--sample

cuckolded me, I slew her. But as for thee I am not well satisfied that
thou hast wronged me in her; nevertheless I must not let thee go
unharmed; so ask a boon of me and I will grant it.”
Then I rejoiced, O my lady, with exceeding joy and said, “What
boon shall I crave of thee?” He replied, “Ask me this boon; into what
shape I shall bewitch thee; wilt thou be a dog, or an ass or an ape?”
I rejoined (and indeed I had hoped that mercy might be shown me),
“By Allah, spare me, that Allah spare thee for sparing a Moslem and a
man who never wronged thee.” And I humbled myself before him with
exceeding humility, and remained standing in his presence, saying,
“I am sore oppressed by circumstance.” He replied “Talk me no long
talk, it is in my power to slay thee; but I give thee instead thy choice.”
Quoth I, “O thou Ifrit, it would besit thee to pardon me even as the
Envied pardoned the Envier.” Quoth he, “And how was that?” and I
began to tell him the
Tale of the Envier and the Envied.
They relate, O Ifrit, that in a certain city were two men who dwelt in
adjoining houses, having a common party-wall; and one of them envied
the other and looked on him with an evil eye, and did his utmost
endeavour to injure him; and, albeit at all times he was jealous of his
neighbour, his malice at last grew on him till he could hardly eat or
enjoy the sweet pleasures of sleep. But the Envied did nothing save
prosper; and the more the other strove to injure him, the more he got
and gained and throve.
At last the malice of his neighbour and the man’s constant endeavour
to work him a harm came to his knowledge; so he said, “By Allah!
God’s earth is wide enough for its people;” and, leaving the neighbour-
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