burton--1001-nights--sample

holy Shaykh;” and the Envied continued, “Send and fetch her, and I
trust to heal her forthright (an such it be the will of Allah!).”
The King in great joy sent for his daughter, and they brought her
pinioned and fettered. The Envied made her sit down behind a curtain
and taking out the hairs fumigated her therewith; whereupon that
which was in her head cried out and departed from her. The girl was at
once restored to her right mind and veiling her face, said, “What hath
happened and who brought me hither?” The Sultan rejoiced with a joy
that nothing could exceed, and kissed his daughter’s eyes, and the holy
man’s hand; then, turning to his great lords, he asked, “How say ye!
What fee deserveth he who hath made my daughter whole?” and all
answered, “He deserveth her to wife;” and the King said, “Ye speak
sooth!” So he married him to her and the Envied thus became son-inlaw
to the King. And after a little the Wazir died and the King said,
“Whom can I make Minister in his stead?”
“Thy son-in-law,” replied the courtiers. So the Envied became a
Wazir; and after a while the Sultan also died and the lieges said,
“Whom shall we make King?” and all cried, “The Wazir.” So the Wazir
was forthright made Sultan, and he became King regnant, a true ruler
of men. One day as he had mounted his horse, and, in the eminence of
his kinglihood, was riding amidst his Emirs and Wazirs and the
Grandees of his realm his eye fell upon his old neighbour, the Envier,
who stood afoot on his path; so he turned to one of his Ministers, and
said, “Bring hither that man and cause him no affright.” The Wazir
brought him and the King said, “Give him a thousand miskáls of gold
from the treasury, and load him ten camels with goods for trade, and
send him under escort to his own town.” Then he bade his enemy
farewell and sent him away and forbore to punish him for the many
and great evils he had done.
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