burton--1001-nights--sample

Such is the World, so bear a patient heart * When riches leave thee
and when friends depart!
Then she told me her own story, and what had happened to her with
her two sisters and how matters had ended; so we abode together and
the subject of marriage was never on our tongues for all these years.
After a while we were joined by our other sister, the procuratrix, who
goeth out every morning and buyeth all we require for the day and
night; and we continued in such condition till this last night. In the
morning our sister went out, as usual, to make her market and then
befel us what befel from bringing the Porter into the house and
admitting these three Kalandar-men.
We entreated them kindly and honourably and a quarter of the
night had not passed ere three grave and respectable merchants from
Mosul joined us and told us their adventures. We sat talking with them
but on one condition which they violated, whereupon we treated them
as sorted with their breach of promise, and made them repeat the
account they had given of themselves. They did our bidding and we
forgave their offence; so they departed from us and this morning we
were unexpectedly summoned to thy presence. And such is our story!
The Caliph wondered at her words and bade the tale be recorded and
chronicled and laid up in his muniment-chambers. —
And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her
permitted say.
Now when it was the Nineteenth Night,
she continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Caliph
commanded this story and those of the sister and the Kalandars to be
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