burton--1001-nights--sample

Story of King Sindibad and his Falcon.
It is said (but Allah is All-knowing!) that there was a King of the Kings
of Fars, who was fond of pleasuring and diversion, especially coursing
and hunting. He had reared a falcon which he carried all night on his
fist, and whenever he went a-chasing he took with him this bird; and
he bade make for her a golden cuplet hung around her neck to give her
drink therefrom. One day as the King was sitting quietly in his palace,
behold, the high falconer of the household suddenly addressed him,
“O King of the age, this is indeed a day fit for birding.”
The King gave orders accordingly and set out taking the hawk on
fist; and they fared merrily forwards till they made a Wady 31 where they
planted a circle of nets for the chase; when lo! a gazelle came within
the toils and the King cried, “Whoso alloweth yon gazelle to spring
over his head and loseth her, that man will I surely slay.” They
narrowed the nets about the gazelle when she drew near the King’s
station; and, planting herself on her hind quarter, crossed her forehand
over her breast, as if about to kiss the earth before the King. He bowed
his brow low in acknowledgment to the beast; when she bounded high
over his head and took the way of the waste. Thereupon the King
turned towards his troops and, seeing them winking and pointing at
him, he asked, “O Wazir, what are my men saying?” and the Minister
answered, “They say thou didst proclaim that whoso alloweth the
gazelle to spring over his head, that man shall be put to death.”
Quoth the King, “Now, by the life of my head! I will follow her up
till I bring her back.” So he set off gallopping on the gazelle’s trail and
gave not over tracking till he reached the foot-hills of a mountain-chain
where the quarry made for a cave. Then the King cast off at it the
31
The Wady is the bed of a watercourse which flows only after rains.
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