burton--1001-nights--sample

and setting out, fared days and nights, till he came near Samarcand,
where the townspeople met him at a distance of three marches and
rejoiced in him with exceeding joy. So he entered the city and they
decorated the houses and it was a notable day. He sat down on the
throne of his kingship and the Wazirs did him homage and
the Grandees and Emirs of Samarcand and all prayed that he might
be vouchsafed justice and victory and length of continuance. So he
bestowed on them robes of honour and entreated them with distinction
and they made him Sultan over them.
As soon as his father-in-law had departed for Samarcand, King
Shahriyar summoned the Grandees of his realm and made them a
stupendous banquet of all manner of delicious meats and exquisite
sweetmeats. He also bestowed on them robes of honour and
guerdoned them and divided the kingdoms between himself and his
brother in their presence, whereat the folk rejoiced. Then the two
Kings abode, each ruling a day in turn, and they were ever in harmony
each with other while on similar wise their wives continued in the love
of Allah Almighty and in thanksgiving to Him; and the peoples and
the provinces were at peace and the preachers prayed for them from
the pulpits, and their report was bruited abroad and the travellers bore
tidings of them to all lands.
In due time King Shahriyar summoned chroniclers and copyists
and bade them write all that had betided him with his wife, first
and last; so they wrote this and named it “The Stories of the Thousand
Nights and A Night.” The book came to thirty volumes and these the
King laid up in his treasury. And the two brothers abode with their
wives in all pleasance and solace of life and its delights, for that indeed
Allah the Most High had changed their annoy into joy; and on this
wise they continued till there took them the Destroyer of delights and
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