 Section 13, Volume 3 of The Book of a Thousand Nights and a Night, translated by Richard Burton. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For further information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. The Book of a Thousand Nights and a Night, Volume 3, Section 13. When it was the one hundred and forty-fifth night, she said, It hath reached me, O auspicious king, that when Nujat Az-Zaman heard these words from the Badawi, the light was changed in her eyes to night. And she rose and, drawing the sword, smote Hamad the Arab between the shoulder blades so that the point issued from the apple of his throat. And when all present asked her, Why hast thou made haste to slay him? She answered, Praised be Allah, who hath granted me in my life tide to avenge myself with my own hand. And she bade the slaves drag the body out by the feet and cast it to the dogs. Thereupon they turned to the two prisoners who remained of the three, and one of them was a black slave. He said to him, What is thy name, fellow? Tell us the truth of thy case. He replied, As for me, my name is Al-Razban, and acquainted them, what had passed between himself and Queen Abriza, daughter of King Hardub, Lord of Greece, and how he had slain her and fled. Hardly had the Negro made an end of his story when King Rumzan struck off his head with a scimitar, saying, Praise to Allah, who gave me life. I have avenged my mother with my own hand. Then he repeated to them what his nurse Marjana had told him of this same slave whose name was Al-Razban. After which they turned to the third prisoner. Now this was the very camel driver whom the people of the Holy City, Jerusalem, hired to carry Zau Al-Maqan and lodge him in the hospital at Damascus of Syria. But he threw him down on the ashes midden and went his way, and they said to him, Acquaint us with thy case and tell the truth. So he related to them all that had happened to him with Sultan Zau Al-Maqan, how he had been carried from the Holy City at the time when he was sick till they made Damascus, and he had been thrown into the hospital. How also the Jerusalem folk had paid the Camileer money to transport the stranger to Damascus. And he had taken it and fled after casting his charge upon the midden by the side of the ash heap of the Hamam. But when he ended his words, Sultan Khan Maqan took his sword forthright and cut off his head, saying, Praise to be Allah, who hath given me life. That I might requite this traitor what he did with my father, for I have heard this very story from King Zau Al-Maqan himself. Then the king said each to other, It remaineth only for us to wreak our revenge upon the old woman Shawahi. He clept Zatadawahi, because she is the prime cause of all these calamities and cast us into adversity on this wise. Who will deliver her into our hands that we may avenge ourselves upon her and wipe out our dishonour? And King Rumzan said, Needs must we bring her hither. So without stay or delay he wrote a letter to his van mother, the aforesaid ancient woman, giving her to know therein that he had subdued the kingdoms of Damascus and Mosul and Iraq and had broken up the host of the Muslims and captured their princes, adding, I desire thee of all urgency to come to me, bringing with thee Queen Sophia, daughter of King Afridun, and whom thou wilt of the Nazarene chiefs, but no armies, for the country is quiet and holy under our hands. And when she read the letter and recognised the handwriting of King Rumzan, she rejoiced with great joy and forthright equipping herself and Queen Sophia set out with their attendants and journeyed without stopping till they drew near Baghdad. Then she forcent a messenger to acquaint the king of her arrival, whereupon Quoth Rumzan, we should do well to don the habit of the Franks and fare forth to meet the old woman to the intent that we may be assured against her craft and perfidy. Where too, Khan Makhan replied, hearing is consenting. So they clad themselves in Frankish clothes and, when Quazia Faqan saw them, she exclaimed, By the truth of the Lord of Worship did I not know you, I should take you to be indeed Franks. Then they salad forth with a thousand horse, King Rumzan riding on before them to meet the old woman. As soon as his eyes fell on hers, he dismounted and walked towards her and she, recognising him, dismounted also and embraced him. But he pressed her ribs with his hands till he well and I broke them. Quoth she, what is this on my son? But before she had done speaking, up came Khan Makhan and Dandan and the horsemen with them cried out at the women and slaves and took them all prisoners. Then the two kings returned to Baghdad with their captives and Rumzan bade them decorate the city which they did for three days, at the end of which they brought out the old woman Shawahi, Height Zattadawahi, with a peaked red turban of palm leaves on her head, diademed with asses dung and proceeded by herald, proclaiming aloud, This is the reward of those who presumed to lay hands on kings and the sons of kings. Then they crucified her on one of the gates of Baghdad and when her companions saw what befell her all embraced in a body the faith of Al-Islam. As for Khan Makhan and his uncle Rumzan and his aunt Nujata Zaman and the Wazir Dandan they marbled at the wonderful events that had betided them and Bade describes chronicle them in books that those who came after might read. Then they all abode for the remainder of their days in the enjoyment of every solace and comfort of life till they overtook them the destroyer of all delights and the sanderer of all societies. And this is the whole that hath come down to us of the dealings of fortune with King Omar bin At-Nu'uqman and his sons Sharkhan and Zawel Makhan and his son Sun Khan Makhan and his daughter Nujata Zaman and her daughter Kuzia Fakan. Thereupon quoth shakhya to shakhrazad I desire that thou tell somewhat about birds. And hearing this Dunya Zad said to her sister I have never seen the sultan light at heart all this while till the present night and his pleasure giveth me hope that the issue for thee with him may be a happy issue. Then drowsiness overcame the sultan so he slept and shakhrazad perceived the approach of day and ceased saying her permitted say. When it was the one hundred and forty-sixth night shakhrazad began to relate in these words the tale of the birds and beasts and the carpenter. Quoth she it hath reached me a war-spicious king that in times of yore in ages long gone before a peacock abode with his wife on the seashore. Now the place was infested with lions and all-mana wild beasts with all it abounded in trees and streams. So cock and hen were want to roost by night upon one of the trees being in fear of the beasts and went forth by day questing food. And they ceased not thus to do till their fear increased on them and they searched for some place wherein to dwell other than their old dwelling place. And in the course of their search behold they happened on an island abounding in streams and trees. So they alighted there and ate of its fruits and drank of its waters. But whilst they were thus engaged low up came to them a duck in the state of extreme terror and stayed not faring forwards till she reached the tree whereon were perched the two pee-fowl when she seemed reassured in mind. The peacock doubted not but that she had some rare story so he asked her of her case and the cause of her concern. Where to she answered I am sick for sorrow and my horror of the son of Adam so beware and again I say beware of the sons of Adam. Rejoined the peacock fear not now that thou hast won our protection cried the duck Alhamdulillah Glory to God who has done away my carc and care by means of you being near for indeed I come of friendship feign with you twain. And when she had ended her speech the peacock's wife came down to her and said Welcome and welcome and fair cheer No harm shall hurt thee How can son of Adam come to us and we in this isle which lieth the middle most of the sea From the land he cannot reach us neither can he come against us from the water so be of good cheer and tell us what hath betided thee from the child of Adam. Answered the duck No then, O thou pehen that of a truth I have dwelt all my life in this island safely and peacefully nor have I seen any disquieting thing till one night as I was asleep waited in my dream the semblance of a son of Adam who talked with me and I with him. Then I heard a voice say to me O thou duck, beware of the son of Adam and be not imposed on by his words nor by that he may suggest to thee for he aboundeth in wiles and guiles. So beware with all weariness of his perfidy for again I say he is crafty and right cunning even as singeth of him the poet. He'll offer sweet meats with his edged tongue and fox thee with the foxy guile of fox. And know thou that the son of Adam circumventeth the fishes and draweth them forth of the seas and he shooteth the birds with a pellet of clay and trappeth the elephant with his craft. None is safe from his mischief and neither bird nor beast escapeeth him. And on this wise have I told thee what I have heard concerning the son of Adam. So I awoke fearful and trembling and from that hour to this my heart hath not known gladness for dread of the son of Adam lest he surprise me unawares by his wile or trap me in his snares. By the time the end of the day overtook me my strength was grown weak and my spunk failed me. So, desiring to eat and drink I went forth walking troubled in spirit and with a heart ill at ease. Now when I reached Yonder Mountain I saw a tawny lion-welp at the door of a cave. And sighting me he joyed in me with great joy for my colour pleased him and my gracious shape. So he cried out to me saying Draw an eye unto me. I went up to him and he asked me what is thy name and what is thy nature? Answered I, my name is Duck and I am of the bird kind. And I added, But thou, why tarriest thou in this place till this time? Answered the-welp. My father, the lion, hath for many a day warned me against the son of Adam and it came to pass this night that I saw in my sleep the semblance of a son of Adam. And he went on to tell me the like of that I have told you. When I heard these words I said to him, Oh, lion, I take asylum with thee that thou mayest kill the son of Adam and be steadfast in resolve to his slaughter. Verily I fear him for myself with extreme fear and to my fright a fright is added for that thou also dredest the son of Adam, albeit thou art sultan of savage beasts. Then I ceased not on my sister to bid the young lion beware of the son of Adam and urge him to slay him till he rose of a sudden and at once from his stead and went out and he fared on and I after him and I noted him lashing flanks with tail. We advanced in the same order till we came to a place where the roads forked and saw a cloud of dust arise which presently clearing away discovered below it a runaway naked ass now galloping and running at speed and now rolling in the dust. When the lion saw the ass he cried out to him and he came up to him in all humility. Then said the lion Hark he crack brain brute what is thy kind and what be the cause of thy coming hither. He replied, O son of the sultan I am by kind an ass assinos cabalos and the cause of my coming to this place is that I am fleeing from the son of Adam. Asked the lion well dust thou fear then that he will kill thee. Not so O son of the sultan but I dread lest he put a cheat on me and mount upon me for he hath a thing called pack saddle which he setteth on my back also a thing called girth which he bindeth about my belly and a thing called cropper which he puteth under my tail and a thing called bit which he placeeth in my mouth and he fashioneth me a goat and goateth me with it and maketh me run more than my strength. If I stumble he curseth me and if I bray he revileeth me and at last when I grow old and can no longer run he puteth on me a panel of wood and delivereth me to the water carriers who load my back with water from the river in skins and other vessels and I cease not to wown in misery and abasement and fatigue till I die when they cast me on the rubbish heaps to the dogs. So what grief can surpass this grief and what calamities can be greater than these calamities? Now when I heard O Pien the asses words my skin shuddered and became as goose flesh at the son of Adam and said to the lion well oh my lord the ass of a verity hath excuse and his words add terror to my terror then quoth the young lion to the ass with a goest there quoth he before sunrise I spied the son of Adam afar off and fled from him and now I am minded to flee forth and run without ceasing for the greatness of my fear of him so happily I may find me a piece of shelter from the perfidious son of Adam whilst the ass was thus discoursing with the lion well seeking the wild to take leave of us and go away behold appeared to us another cloud of dust where at the ass braided and cried out and looked hard and let fly a loud fart after a while the dust lifted and discovered a black steed finally dite with a blaze on the forehead her round and bright handsomely marked about the hoof with white and with firm strong legs pleasing to sight and he nade with a fright this horse ceased not running till he stood before the welp the son of the lion who when he saw him marveled and made much of him and said what is thy kind oh majestic wild beast and wherefore fleece thou into this desert wide and vast he replied oh lord of wild beasts I am a steed of the horse kind and the cause of my running is that I am fleeing from the son of Adam the lion welp wondered at the horse's speech and cried to him speak not such words for it is shame to thee seeing that thou art tall and stout and how cometh it that thou fearst the son of Adam thou with thy bulk of body swiftness of running when I for all my littleness of stature and resolved to encounter the son of Adam and rushing on him eat his flesh that I may allay the affright of this poor duck and make her dwell in peace in her own place but now thou hast come here and thou hast wrung my heart with thy talk and turned me back from what I had resolved to do seeing that for all thy bulk the son of Adam hath mastered thee and hath feared neither thy height nor thy breath albeit were thou to kick him with one hoof thou wouldst kill him nor could he prevail against thee but thou wouldst make him drink the cup of death the horse laughed when he heard the welp's words and replied far far is it from my power to overcome him old prince let not my length and my breadth nor yet my bulk conclude thee with respect to the son of Adam for that he of the excess of his guile and his wiles fashioneth me a thing called hobble and applied to my four legs a pair of ropes made of palm fibres bound with felt and gibbitteth me by the head to a high peg so that I being tied up remain standing and could neither sit nor lie down and when he is minded to ride me he bindeth on his feet a thing of iron called stirrup and layeth on my back another thing called saddle which he fastneth by two girths passed under my armpits then he setteth in my mouth a thing of iron he calleth bit to which he titheth a thing of leather called rain and when he sitteth in the saddle of my back he taketh the rain in his hand and guideth me with it goading my flanks the while with the shovel stirrups till he maketh them bleed so do not ask O son of our sultan the hardships I endure from the son of Adam and when I grow old and lean and can no longer run swiftly he selleth me to the miller who maketh me turn in the mill and I cease not from turning night and day till I grow decrepit then he in turn vendeth me to the knacker who cuteth my throat and flayeth off my hide and plucketh out my tail which he selleth to the sieve maker and he melteth down my fat for tallow candles when the young lion heard the horse's words his rage and vexation redoubled and he said when didst thou leave the son of Adam replied the horse at midday and he is upon my track whilst the welp was thus conversing with the horse lo there rose a cloud of dust and presently opening out discovered beneath it a furious camel gurgling and pawing the earth with his feet and never ceasing so to do till he came up with us now when the lion welp saw how big and buxom he was he took him to be the son of Adam and was about to spring upon him when I said to him oh prince of a truth this is not Adam this be a camel and he seemeth to be fleeing from the son of Adam as I was thus conversing on my sister with the lion welp the camel came up and saluted him whereupon he returned the greeting and said what bringeth thee hither replied he I came here fleeing from the son of Adam quoth the welp and thou with thy huge frame and length and breadth seeing that with one kick of thy foot that would kill him quoth the camel oh son of the sultan know that the son of Adam hath subtleties and wiles which none can withstand nor can any prevail against him save only death for he puteth into my nostrils a twine of goats here he calleth nose ring and over my head a thing he calleth altar then he delivereth me to the least of his little children and the youngling droith me along by the nose ring my size and strength notwithstanding then they load me with the heaviest of burdens and go long journeys with me and put me to hard labour through the hours of the night and the day when I grow old and stricken in years and disabled from working my master keepeth me not with him but selleth me to the knacker and throat and vendeth my hide to the tanners and my flesh to the cooks so do not ask the hardships I suffer from the son of Adam when didst thou leave the son of Adam asked the young lion and he answered at sundown and I suppose that coming to my place after my departure and not finding me there he is now in search of me wherefore let me go oh son of the sultan that I may flee into the worlds and the wilds said the well wait a while oh camel till thou see how I will tear him and give thee to eat of his flesh whilst I crunch his bones and drink his blood replied the camel oh king son I fear for thee from the child of Adam for he is wily and guileful and he began repeating these verses when the tyrant enters the leeches land naught remains for the leeches but quick remove now whilst the camel was speaking with the lion well behold there rose a cloud of dust which after a time opened and showed an old man scanty of stature and lean of limb and he bore on his shoulder a basket of carpenter's tools and on his head a branch of a tree and eight planks he led little children by the hand and came on to a marching pace never stopping till he drew near the welp when I saw him on my sister I fell down for excessive fear but the young lion rose and walked forward to meet the carpenter and when he came up to him the man smiled in his face and said to him with a glib tongue and in courtly terms oh king who defendeth from harm and lord of the long arm allah prosper thine evening and thine endeavouring and increase thy valiancy and strengthen thee protect me from that which hath distressed me and with its mischief hath oppressed me for I have found no helper save only thyself and the carpenter stood in his presence weeping and wailing and complaining when the welp heard his sighing and his crying he said I will succor thee from that thou fierest who hath done thee wrong oh wild beast who's like in my life I never saw nor ever aspired one goodlier of form or more eloquent of tongue than thou what is thy case replied the man oh lord of wild beasts as to myself I am a carpenter but as to hath wronged me verily he is a son of Adam and by break of dawn after this coming night he will be with thee in this place the lion welp heard these words of the carpenter the light was changed to night before his sight and he snorted and roared with ire and his eyes cast forth sparks of fire then he cried out saying by Allah I will assuredly watch through this coming night till dawn nor will I return to my father till I have won my will then he returned to the carpenter and asked of a truth may thou art short of step and I would not hurt thy feelings for that I am generous of heart yet do I deem thee unable to keep pace with the wild beasts tell me then wither thou goest answered the carpenter know that I am on my way to thy father's wazir the lynx for when he heard that the son of Adam had set foot in this country he feared greatly for himself and sent one of the wild beasts for me to make him a house wherein he should dwell that it might shelter him and fend off his enemy from him so not one of the sons of Adam should come at him accordingly I took up these planks and set forth to find him now when the young lion heard these words he envied the lynx and said to the carpenter by my life there is no help for it but thou make me a house with these planks ere thou make one for sir lynx when thou hast done my work go to him and make him what so he wishes the carpenter replied oh lord of wild beasts I cannot make thee ought till I have made the lynx what he desireth then will I return to thy service and build thee a house as a fort to ward thee from thy foe it exclaimed the lion well by Allah I will not let thee leave this place till thou build me a house of planks so saying he made for the carpenter and sprang upon him thinking to jest with him and cuffed him with his paw knocking the basket off his shoulder and threw him down in a fainting fit whereupon the young lion laughed at him and said woe to thee oh carpenter of a truth thou art feeble and hast no force so it is excusable in thee to fear the son of Adam now when the carpenter fell his back he waxed exceeding wrath but he dissembled his wrath for fear of the welp and sat up and smiled in his face saying well I will make for thee the house with this he took the planks he had brought and nailed together the house which he made in the form of a chest after the measure of the young lion and he left the door open for he had cut in the box a large aperture to which he made a stout cover for many holes therein then he took out some newly wrought nails and a hammer and said to the young lion enter the house through this opening that I may fit it to thy measure there at the welp rejoiced and went up to the opening but saw that it was straight and the carpenter said to him enter and crouch down on thy legs and arms so the welp did thus and entered the chest but his tail remained then he would have drawn back and come out but the carpenter said to him wait patiently a while till I see if there be room for thy tail with thee the young lion did as he was bid when the carpenter twisted up his tail and stuffing it into the chest whipped the lid on to the opening and nailed it down where at the welp cried out and said oh carpenter what is this narrow house thou hast made me but the carpenter answered far be it far be it from thy thought repentance for pastor veils nought and indeed of this place thou shalt not come out he then laughed and resumed verily thou art fallen into the trap and from thy duress there is no escape o vilest of wild beasts rejoined the welp oh my brother what manner of words are these thou addressest to me the carpenter replied no o dog of the desert that thou hast fallen into that which thou fearedst fate hath upset thee nor shall caution set thee up when the welp heard these words o my sister he knew that this was indeed the very son of Adam against whom he had been warned by his sire in waking state and by the mysterious voice in sleeping while and I also was certified that this was indeed he without doubt wherefore great fear of him for myself seized me and I withdrew a little apart from him and waited to see what he would do with the young lion then I saw o my sister the son of Adam dig a pit in that place hard by the chest which held the welp and throwing the box into the hole heap dry wood upon it by the fire at this sight o sister mine my fear of the son of Adam redoubled and in my fright I have been these two days fleeing from him but when the peahen heard from the duck this story and Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say and of section 13 of the book of a thousand nights and a night volume 3 section 14 volume 3 of the book of a thousand nights and a night translated by Richard Burton this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for further information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org the book of a thousand nights volume 3 section 14 when it was the 147th night she said it hath reached me o auspicious king that when the peahen heard from the duck this story she wandered with exceeding wonder and said to her oh my sister here thou art safe from the son of Adam for we are in one of the islands of the sea wither no way for the son of Adam so do thou take up thine abode with us till the law make easy thy case and our case quoth the duck I fear lest some calamity come upon me by night for no runaway can rid him of fate by flight rejoin the peahen abide with us and be like unto us and ceased not to persuade her till she yielded saying oh my sister I have not rejoiced how weak is my resistance but verily had I not seen thee here I had not remained said the peahen that which is on our foreheads we must indeed fulfil and when our doom day droith near who shall deliver us but not a soul departeth except it have accomplished its predestined livelihood and term now we have approached them at sight of which the duck shrieked aloud and ran down into the sea crying out beware, beware though flight there is not from fate and lot after a while the dust opened out and discovered under it an antelope where at the duck and the peahen were reassured and the peacock's wife said to her companion this thou seeest and wouldst have me beware of and here he is making for us he will do us no hurt for the antelope feedeth upon the herbs of the earth and even as thou art of the bird kind so is he of the beast kind be therefore of good cheer and cease care taking for care taking wasteeth the body hardly had the peahen done speaking when the antelope came up to them thinking to shelter him under the shade of the tree the peahen and the duck saluted them and said I came to this island today and I have seen none richer in herbage nor pleasanter for habitation then he besought them for company and amity and when they saw his friendly behaviour to them they welcomed him and gladly accepted his offer so they struck up a sincere friendship and swear there too and they slept in one place and they ate and drank together nor did they cease dwelling in safety, eating and drinking their fill till one day there came thither a ship which had strayed from her course in the sea she cast anchor near them and the crew came forth and dispersed about the island they soon caught sight of the three friends antelope, peahen and duck and made for them where upon the peahen flew up into the tree and thence they strayed through the air and the antelope fled into the desert but the duck abode paralysed by fear so they chased her till they caught her and she cried out and said caution availed me naught against fate and lot and they brought her off to the ship now when the peahen saw what had betided the duck she removed from the island saying I see that misfortunes lie in ambush for all after ship parting had not befallen between me and this duck because she was one of the truest of friends then she flew off and rejoined the antelope who saluted her and gave her joy of her safety and asked for the duck to which she replied the enemy hath taken her and I loathed the sojourn of this island after her then she wept for the loss of the duck and began repeating parting cut my heart in twain in twain may Allah cut the parting day and she spake also this couplet I pray some day that we reunion gain so I may tell him parting's ugly way the antelope sorrowed with great sorrow but dissuaded the peahen from her resolve to remove from the island so they abode there together with him eating and drinking peace and safety except that they ceased not to mourn for the loss of the duck and the antelope said to the peahen oh my sister thou seest how the folk who came forth of the ship were the cause of our severance from the duck and of her destruction so do thou beware of them and guard thyself from them and from the while of the son of Adam and his guile but the peahen replied that nought caused her death save her neglecting to say subhan Allah glory to God indeed I often said to her exclaim thou, praise be Allah and verily I fear for thee because thou neglectest to lord the almighty for all things created by Allah glorify him on this wise and whoso neglecteth the formula of praise him destruction way lays when the antelope heard the peahen's words he exclaimed Allah make fear thy face and betook himself to repeating the formula of praise and ceased not there from a single hour and it is said that his form of adoration was as follows praise be to the requiter of every good and evil thing the lord of majesty and of kings the king and a tale is also told on this wise of the hermits a certain hermit worshipped on a certain mountain wither resulted a pair of pigeons and the worshipper was want to make two parts of his daily bread and Shahrazad perceived the dawn of the day and ceased saying her permitted say when it was the one hundred and forty-eighth night she said it hath reached me oh auspicious king that the worshipper was want to make two parts of his daily bread eating one half himself and giving the other to the pigeon pair he also prayed for them both that they might be blessed with issue so they increased and multiplied greatly now they resorted only to that mountain where the hermit was and the reason of their foregathering with the holy man was their assiduity in repeating praise be Allah for it is recounted that the pigeon said in praise praised be the creator of all creatures the distributor of daily bread the builder of the heavens and the spreader of the earths and that couple ceased not to dwell together in the happiest of life they and their brood till the holy man died when the company of the pigeons was broken up and they dispersed among the towns and villages and mountains now it is told that on a certain other mountain their dwelter shepherd a man of piety and good sense and chastity and he had flocks of sheep which he tended and he made his living by their milk and wool the mountain which gave him a home abounded in trees and pastures and also in wild beasts but these had no power over his flocks so he ceased not to dwell upon that highland in full security he no thought to the things of the world by reason of his beatitude and his acidity in prayer and devotion till Allah ordained that he should fall sick with exceeding sickness thereupon he betook himself to a cavern in the mountain and his sheep used to go out in the morning to the pasture and take refuge at night in the cave but Allah almighty being minded to try him and prove his patience and his obedience sent him one of his angels who came into him in the semblance of a fair woman and sat down before him when the shepherd saw that woman seated before him his flesh shuddered at her with horribilation and he said to her oh thou woman what was it invited thee to this my retreat I have no need of thee nor is there ought betwixt me coming into me quoth she oh man dost thou not behold my beauty and loveliness and the fragrance of my breath and no is thou not the need women have of men and men of women so who shall forbid thee from me when I have chosen to be near thee and desire to enjoy thy company indeed I come to thee willingly and do not withhold myself from thee and near us there is none whom we need fear and I wish to abide with thee as long as thou sogenest in this mountain and be thy companion and true friend I offer myself to thee for thou needest the service of woman and if thou have carnal connection with me and know me thy sickness shall be turned from thee and health returned to thee and thou wilt repent thee of the past for having foresworn the company of women during the days and now no more in very sooth I give thee good advice so incline to my council and approach me quoth the shepherd go out from me old woman deceitful and perfidious I will not incline to thee nor approach thee I want not thy company nor wish for union with thee he who coveteth the coming life renounceeth thee for thou seducest mankind and those of present time allah the most high life in wait for his servants and woe unto him who is cursed with thy company answered she oh thou that erished from truth and wanderest from the way of reason turn thy face to me and look upon my charms and take thy full of my nearness as did the wise who have gone before thee indeed they were richer than thou in experience and sharper of wit with all they rejected not as thou rejectest the enjoyment of women nay they took their pleasure of them and their company even as thou renounceest them and it did them no hurt in things temporal or things spiritual wherefore do thou recede from thy resolve and thou shalt praise the issue of thy case rejoin the shepherd all thou sayest I deny and abhor and all thou offerest I reject for thou art cunning and perfidious and there is no honesty in thee nor is there honour how much of foulness hideest thou under thy beauty and how many a pious man hast thou seduced from his duty and made his end penitence and perdition of aunt from me oh thou who devotest thyself to corrupt others thereupon he threw his goat's hair cloak over his head that he might not see her face and betook himself to calling upon the name of his lord and when the angel saw the excellence of his submission to the divine will he went out from him and ascended to heaven now hard by the hermit's hill was a village wherein dwelt a pious man who knew not the other's station till one night he heard in a dream a voice saying to him in such a place near to thee is a devout man go thou to him and be at his command so when morning dawned he set out to wend thither and what time the heat was grievous upon him he came to a tree which grew beside a spring of running water so he sat down to rest in the shadow of that tree and behold he saw beasts and birds coming to that fountain to drink and when they caught sight of the beasts sitting there they took fright and fled from before his face then said he there is no majesty and there is no might save in Allah I rest not here but to hurt of these beasts and fowls so he arose blaming himself and saying fairly my tarrying here this day hath wronged these animals and what excuse have I towards my creator and the creator of these birds and beasts there was the cause of their flight from their drink and their daily food and their place of pasturage alas for my shame before my lord on the day when he shall avenge the hornless sheep on the sheep with horns and he wept and began repeating these couplets now an by Allah unto man were fully known why he is made in careless sleep he near would wown first death then cometh wake and dreadful day of doom reproof with threats sore terror frightful malison bidwee or else for bidwee all of us are like the cave companions when at length their sleep was done then he again wept for that he had driven the birds and beasts from the spring by sitting down under the tree and he fared on till he came to the shepherd's dwelling and going in saluted him the shepherd returned his salutation and embraced him weeping and saying what hath brought thee to this place where no man hath ever yet come to me quoth the other devotee I saw in my sleep one who described to me this thys dead and bade me repair to thee and salute thee so I came in obedience to the commandment the shepherd welcomed him rejoicing in his company and the twain abode upon that mountain worshipping Allah with the best of worship and they ceased not serving their lord in the cavern and living upon the flesh and milk of their sheep having clean put away from them riches and children and what not till the certain the inevitable became their lot and this is the end of their story then said king Shahr Yar oh Shahr Azad thou wouldst cause me to renounce my kingdom and thou makeest me repent of having slain so many women and maidens hast thou any bird stories yes replied she and began to tell the tale of the waterfowl and the tortoise it is related by truthful men o king that a certain bird flew high up firmament woods and presently lit on a rock in the midst of water which was running and as he sat there behold the current carried to him the carcass of a man and lodged it against the rock for being swollen it floated the bird which was a waterfowl drew near and examining it found that it was the dead body of a son of Adam and saw in it sign of spear and stroke of sword so he said to himself I presume that this man who hath been slain were some evil doer and that a company banded themselves together against him and put him to death and were at peace from him and his evil doing and as he continued marvelling at this suddenly the vultures and kites came down upon the carcass from all sides and got round it which when the waterfowl saw he feared with sore a fright and said not a bite here any longer so he flew away in quest of a place where he might wown till that carcass should come to an end and the birds of prey leave it and he stayed not in his flight till he found a river with a tree in it's midst so he alighted on the tree troubled and distraught and saw grieved for departing from his birthplace and said to himself barely sorrows cease not to follow me to peace when I saw that carcass and rejoiced therein with much joy saying this is a gift of daily bread which Allah has dealt to me but my joy became annoy and my gladness turned to sadness for the ravenous birds which are like lions seized upon it and tear it to pieces and came between me and my prize so how can I hope to be secure from misfortune in this world and the dust therein indeed the proverb sayeth the world is the dwelling of him who hath no dwelling he who hath no wits is cousin by it and entrusteth it with his wealth and his child and his family and his folk and whoso is cousin ceaseth not to rely upon it pacing proudly upon earth until he is laid under earth and the dust is cast over his corpse by him though of all men was dearest to him and nearest but naught is better for generous youth than patience under its cares and miseries I have left my native place and it is abhorrent to me to quit my brethren and friends and loved ones now whilst he was thus musing lo a male tortoise descended into the river and approaching the waterfowl saluted him saying hath exiled thee and driven thee so far from thy place replied the waterfowl the descent of enemies thereon for the wise brooketh not the neighbourhood of his foe and how well sayeth the poet when as on any land the oppressor doth alight there's nothing left for those that dwell therein but flight quoth the tortoise if the matter be as thou sayest and the case as thou describeest I will not leave thee nor cease to stand before thee that I may do thy need and fulfil thy service for it is said that there is no saura desolation than that of him who is an exile cut off from friends and home and it is also said that no calamity equaleth that of severance from the good but the best solace for men of understanding is to seek companionship and to be patient under sorrows and adversity wherefore I hope that thou wilt approve of my company for I will be to thee a servant and a helper now when the waterfowl heard the tortoise's words he answered verily thou art right in what thou sayest for by my life I have found grief and pain in separation that while I have been parted and sundered from my brethren and friends seeing that in severance is an admonition to him who will be admonished and matter of thought for him who will take thought if the generous youth find not a companion to console him wheel is for ever cut off from him and ill is eternally established with him and there is nothing for the sage but to solace himself in every event with brethren and be constant in patience and endurance indeed these two are praiseworthy qualities and both uphold one under calamities and vicissitudes of the world and ward off startling sorrows and harrowing cares come what will rejoin the tortoise beware of sorrow for it will spoil thy life and waste thy maniness and the two gave not over conversing till the bird said never shall I cease fearing the shifts of time and vicissitudes of events when the tortoise heard this he came up to him and kissing him between the eyes said to him never may the company of the birds cease to be blessed in thee and through thee and find wisdom in thy good counsel how shalt thou be burdened with care and harm and he went on to comfort the waterfowl and sooth his terrors till he became reassured then he flew to the place where the carcass was and found on arriving there the birds of prey gone and they had left nothing of the body but bones whereupon he returned to the tortoise and acquainted him with the fact that the foe had disappeared from his place saying no that of a truth I long for return homewards to enjoy the society of my friends for the sage cannot endure separation from his native place so they both went thither and found nought to affrite them whereupon the waterfowl began repeating and happily when as straight descends on lot of generous youth Wright saw with Allah only lies his issue from annoy he straightened but full off when rings and mash his straightest clip he escapes his straight and joins finds all be I see no joy so the twain abode in that island and while the waterfowl was enjoying a life of peace and gladness suddenly fate led thither a hungry falcon which drove its talons into the bird's belly and killed him nor did caution avail him when his term of life was ended now the cause of his death was that he neglected to use the formula of praise and it is said that his form of adoration was as follows praised be our lord in that he ordereth and ordaineth and praised be our lord in that he enricheth and impoverisheth such was the waterfowl's end and the tale of the ravenous birds and when it was finished quoth the sultan oh Shahrazar verily thou over well missed me with admonitions salatory instances hast thou any stories of beasts yes answered she and began to tell the tale of the wolf and the fox no oh king that a fox and a wolf once cohabited in the same den harboring therein together by day resorting thither by night but the wolf was cruel and oppressive to the fox they abode thus a while till it so befell that the fox exhorted the wolf to use gentle dealing and leave off his ill deeds saying if thou persist in thine arrogance be like Allah will give the son of Adam power over thee for he is past master in garland while and by his artifice he bringeth down the birds from the firmament and he haileth the mighty fish forth of the flood waters and he cuteth the mountain and place to place all this is off his craft and wildiness wherefore do thou butake thyself to equity and fair dealing and leave throedness and tyranny and thou shalt fare all the better for it but the wolf would not accept his counsel and answered him roughly saying what right thou to speak of matters of weight and importance and he dealt the fox a cuff that laid him senseless but saved he smiled in the wolf's face and excusing himself for his unseemly speech repeated these two couplets if any sin I sinned or I did ought in love of you which hateful mischief wrought my sin I saw repent and pardons you so give the sinner gift of pardons sought the wolf accepted his excuse and held his hand from further ill treatment saying speak not of what so concerned if thee not lest thou hear what will please thee not answered the fox to hear is to obey and Shafazad perceived the dawn of the day and ceased to say her permitted say and of section 14 of the book of a thousand nights and a night volume 3 section 15 volume 3 of the book of a thousand nights translated by Richard Burton this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Linda Moreau the book of a thousand nights and a night volume 3 section 15 when it was the 149th night she said it hath reached me O auspicious king that quoth the wolf to the fox speak not of what so concerned if thee not lest thou hear what will please thee not answered the fox to hear is to obey I will abstain henceforth from what please if thee not for the sage sayeth have a care that thou speak not of that whereof thou art not asked leave that which concern if thee not for that which concern if thee and by no means lavish good counsel on the wrongness and reflecting on the words of the wolf he smiled in his face but in his heart he meditated treachery against him and privily said there is no help but that I compass the destruction of this wolf so he bore with his injurious usage saying to himself verily insolence and evil speaking are causes of perdition and cast into confusion and it is said the insolent is shent and the ignorant doth repent and who so feareth to him safety is sent moderation market the noble and gentle manners are gains of the grandest it behooveeth me to dissemble with this tyrant and needs must he be cast down then quoth he to the wolf verily the Lord pardoneth his airing servant and relenteth toward him if he confess his offenses and I am a weak slave and have offended in presuming to counsel thee if thou knewest the pain that befell me by thy buffet thou would skin that even the elephant could not stand against it nor endure it but I complain not of this blow's hurt because of the joy and gladness that hath betided me through it for though it was to me exceeding soar yet was its issue of the happiest and with sooth sayeth this age the blow of the teacher is at first right hurtful but the end of it is sweeter than strained honey quoth the wolf pardon thee thine offense and I cancel thy fault but beware of my force and avow thyself my thrall for thou hast learned my severity unto him who showeth his hostility thereupon the fox prostrated himself before the wolf saying a law lengthened thy life and mayest thou never cease to overthrow thy foes and he stinted not to fear the wolf and to wedle him and dissemble with him now it came to pass that one day the fox went to a vineyard and saw a breach in its walls but he mistrusted it and said to himself verily for this breach there must be some cause and the old saw sayeth who so seeeth it cleft in the earth and shuneth it not and is not wary and approaching it the same as self-deluded and exposeth himself to danger and destruction indeed it is well known that some folk make the figure of a fox in their vineyards nay they even set before the semblance grapes and plates that foxes may see it and come to it and fall into perdition in very sooth I regard this breach as a snare and the proverb sayeth caution is one half of cleverness now prudence requireeth that I examine this breach and see if there be ought therein which may lead to perdition and coveting shall not make me cast myself into destruction so he went up to the hole and walked round it right verily and low it was a deep pit which the owner trapped therein the wild beasts which laid waste to his vines then he said to himself thou hast gained for thou hast refrained and he looked and saw that the hole was lightly covered with dust and matting so he drew back from it saying praised be a lot that I was wary of it I hope that my enemy the wolf who maketh my life miserable will fall into it so will the vineyard be left to me and I shall enjoy it alone and dwell therein at peace thus saying he shook his head and laughed a loud laugh and began versifying would heaven I saw at this hour the wolf fallen down in this well he who anguished my heart for so long and guard me drain Isle and fell heaven grant after this I may live free of wolf for long fortunate spell when I've rid grapes and vineyard of him and in bunch spoiling happily dwell his verse being finished he returned in haste to the wolf and said to him Allah hath made plain birthing the way into the vineyard without toil and moll this is of thine auspicious fortune so good luck to thee and mayest thou enjoy the plentiful plunder and the profuse provont which Allah hath opened up to thee without trouble asked the wolf what proof past thou of what thou assertest and the fox answered I went up to the vineyard and found that the owner was dead having been torn to pieces by wolves so I entered the orchard and saw the fruit shining upon the trees the wolf doubted not the fox's report and his gluttony gath-hold of him so he arose and repaired to the cleft for that greed blinded him whilst the fox falling behind him lay as one dead quoting to the case the following couplet for lay less favour dost thou greed but bear in mind greed is a yoke of harmful weight on neck of man and when the wolf had reached the breach the fox said enter the vineyard now it spared the trouble of climbing a ladder for the garden wall is broken down and with a lie it rested to fulfill the benefit so the wolf went on walking and thought to enter the vineyard but when he came to the middle of the pit covering he fell through where upon the fox shook for joy and gladness his care and concern left him and he sang out for delight and improvised these couplets fortune had mercy on the soul of me and for my torment now shows clemency granting whatever gift my heart desired and far removing what I feared to see I will good sooth excuse her all her sins she sinned in days gone by and much sinned she yea her injustice she had shown in this she whitened locks that were so black of blee but now for this same wolf escaped there's none of death and doom he had full certainty then all the vineyard comes beneath my rule I'll break no partner who so fond a fool then the fox looked into the cleft and seeing the wolf weeping in repentance and sorrow for himself wept with him where upon the wolf raised his head to him and asked is it of pity for me that weepest o father of the fortlet answered the fox no by him who cast the end to this pit I weep for the length of thy past life and for regret that thou didst not fall into the pit before this day for hath thou done so before I foregathered with thee I had rested and enjoyed repose but thou was spared till the fulfillment of thine allotted term and thy destined time then the wolf said to him as one jesting oh evildoer go to my mother and tell her what hath befallen me happily she may devise some device for my release of a truth thou has been brought to destruction by the excess of thy greed and thine exceeding gluttony since thou art fallen into a pit whence thou will never escape knowest thou not the common proverb o thou witless wolf whoso take if no thought as to how things end him shall fate never be friend nor shall he safe from perils when oh reiner quote the wolf thou wast want to show me fondness and covet my friendliness and fear the greatness of my strength hate me not rankerously because of that I did with thee for he who hath power and forgiveth his reward a law giveth even as saith the poet so kindness seed in the unfittest stead it will not be wasted where so thou shalt sow for kindness I'll be buried long yet none shall reap the crop save sower who guard it grow rejoined the fox oh witlessest of beasts of prey and stupidest of the wild brute which the world's over stray hast thou forgotten thine arrogance and insolence and tyranny and thy disregarding the due of good fellowship and thy refusing to be advised by what the poet saith wrong not thy neighbor even if thou have power the wronger all way vengeance harvest reaps thine eyes shall sleep while bides the wrong it on wake cursing thee and a law's eye ne'er sleeps oh abual hossain twit me not with my past sins for forgiveness is expected of the generous and doing kind deeds is the truest of treasures how well saith the poet haste to do kindness while thou hast much power for at all seasons thou hast not such power and he ceased not to humble himself before the fox and say happily thou canst do somewhat to deliver me from destruction replied the fox oh thou wolf this deluded deceitful trickster hope not for deliverance for this is but the just reward of thy foul dealing and its due retaliation then he laughed with chops wide open and repeated these two couplets no longer beguile me thou'll fail of thy will what can't be thou seekest thou hast sown so reap ill quote the wolf oh gentlest of ravenous beasts I feign hold thee too faithful to leave me in this pit then he wept and complained and with tears streaming from his eyes recited these two couplets oh thou whose favors have been out of compt whose gifts are more than may be numbered never mischance befell me yet from time but that I found thy hand right feign to aid oh thou ninny foe quote the fox I was reduced to humiliation and prostration and objection and submission after insolence and pride and tyranny and arrogance verily I kept company with thee only for fear of thy fury and I could jolt thee without one hope of fair treatment from thee but now trembling has come upon the inventions hath overtaken thee and he repeated these two couplets oh thou whose seekest innocence to guile the trap of thine intentions vile now drain the draught of shameful mischance and be with other wolves cut off thou scryle replied the wolf oh thou clement one speak not with the tongue of enemies nor look with their eyes but fulfill the covenant of fellowship with me ere the time of applying remedy cease to be rise and make ready to get me a rope and tie one end of it to a tree rather down to me that I may lay hold of it so happily I shall from this straight win free and I will give thee all my hand possesseth of wealth and fee quote the fox thou persistest in conversation concerning what will not procure thy liberation hope not for this for thou shalt never, never get of me wherewithal to set thee at liberty but call to mind thy past misdeeds and the craft and perfidy imagine against me and bethink thee how near thou art to being stoned to death for know that thy soul is about the world to quit and cease in it and depart from it so shalt thou to destruction high and ill is the abiding place thou shalt abide rejoin the wolf oh father of the fortlet hasten to return to amity and persist not in this rankerous enmity know that whoso from ruin save the soul is as if he had quickened it and made it whole and whoso saveth a soul alive is as if he had saved all mankind follow not forwardness for the wise forbid it and it were most manifest forwardness to leave me in this pit draining the agony of death and dite to look upon my own doom when is it lyeth in thy power to deliver me from my store so do thy best to release me and deal with me benevolently answered the fox oh thou base and barbarous wretch I compare thee because of the fairness of thy professions and expressions and the foulness of thy intentions and thy inventions to the falcon and the partridge asked the wolf how so and the fox began to tell the tale of the falcon and the partridge once upon a time I entered a vineyard to eat of its grapes and while so doing behold I saw a falcon stoop upon a partridge and seize him but the partridge escaped from the Caesar and entering his nest hid himself there the falcon followed a pace and called out to him saying oh imbecile I saw thee and hungered in the world and took pity on thee so I picked up for thee some grain and took hold of thee that thou mightest eat but thou fleddest from me and I want not the cause of thy flight except it were to put upon me a slight come out then and take the grain I have brought thee to eat and much good may it do thee and with thy health agree when the partridge heard these words he believed and came out to him whereupon the falcon struck his talons into him and seized him cried the partridge is this that which thou toldest me thou hadst brought me from the world and whereof thou betest me eat saying much good may it do thee and with thy health agree and may a law cause what thou eatest of my flesh to be a killing poison in thy maw so when the falcon had eaten the partridge his feathers fell off and his strength failed and he died on the spot no then a wolf pursued the fox that he who digeth for his brother a pit himself soon falleth into it and thou first deceivest me in mode unfit quote the wolf spare me this discourse nor saws and remind me not of my former ill course for sufficeth me the sorry plight I endure perforce seeing that I am fallen into a place in which even my foe would pity me much more a true friend rather find some trick to deliver me and be thou thereby my saviour if this caused thee trouble remember that a true friend will undertake the sores travail for his true friend's sake and will risk his life to deliver him from evil and indeed it heth been said a real friend is better than a real brother so if thou stir thyself to save me and I be saved I will for sure gather thee such storage shall be a provision for thee against want however sore and truly I will teach thee rare tricks whereby to open what so bounteous vineyards thou please and strip the fruit-laden trees rejoined the fox laughing how excellent is what the learned what bountieth in ignorance like unto thee asked the wolf what do the wise men say and the fox answered they have observed that the gross of body are gross of mind far from intelligence and nigh unto ignorance as for thy saying oh thou stupid cunning idiot that a true friend should undertake sores travail for his true friend's sake it is soothest thou sayest but tell me of thine ignorance and poverty of intelligence how can I be a true friend to thee considering thy treachery dost thou count me thy true friend nay, I am thy foe who joyeth in thy woe and couldst thou trow it this word were soreer to thee than slaughter by shot of shaft as for thy promise to provide me a store against want however sore and teach me tricks to plunder what so bounteous vineyards I please and spoil fruit-laden trees how cometh it oh guileful traitor that thou knowest not a while to save thyself from destruction how far art thou from profiting thyself and how far am I from accepting thy counsel if thou have any tricks make shift for thyself to save thee from the risk wherefrom I pray a lot to make thine escape far distant so look oh fool if there be any trick with thee and therewith save thyself from death ere thou lavish instruction upon thy neighbors but thou art like a certain man attacked by a disease who went to another diseased man with the same disease and said to him shall I heal thee of thy disease replied the sick man why dost thou not begin by healing thyself so he left him and went his way and thou, oh ignorant wolf art like this so stay where thou art and under what hath we fallen thee be of good heart when the wolf heard what the fox said he knew that from him he had no hope of favour so he wept for himself saying verily I have been heedless of my wheel but if a law delivered me from this ill I will assuredly repent of my arrogance toward those who are weaker than I and will wear woolens and go upon the mountains celebrating praises of the Almighty a law and fearing his punishment and I will withdraw from the company of other wild beasts and for sure will feed the poor fighters for the faith then he wept and wailed till the heart of the fox softened and he heard his humble words and his professions of penitence for his past insolence and arrogance so he took pity upon him and sprang up joyfully and going to the brink of the breach squatted down on his hind quarters and let his tail hang in the hole where upon the wolf arose and putting out his paw pulled the fox's tail so that he fell down in the pit with him then said the wolf oh fox of little mercy my companion and under my dominion now the art fallen into the pit with me and retribution have soon overtaken thee barely the sages have said if one of you reproaches brother with sucking the dugs of a bitch he also shall suck her and how well quote the poet when fortune weighs heavy on some of us and makes camel kneel by some other one say to those who rejoice in our ills awake the rejoicer shall supper as we have done and death in company is the best of things wherefore I will certainly and assuredly hasten to slay thee ere thou see me slain said the fox to himself ah ha! I am fallen into the snare with this tyrant and my case calleth for the use of craft and cunning for indeed it is said that a woman fashioneth her jewelry for the day of display and quotes the proverb I have not kept thee, oh my tear save for the time when distress hath near and unless I make haste to circumvent this prepotent beast I am lost without recourse and how well sayeth the poet make thy game by guile for thou art born at a time when sons are lions and forests lain and turn on the leet of thy navery that the mill of subsistence may grind thy grain and pluck the fruits or if out of reach why cram thy maw with the grass on plain then said the fox to the wolf hasten not to slay me for that is not the way to pay me and thou wouldst repent it oh thou valiant wild beast lord of forests and exceeding prowess and thou accord delay and consider what I shall say thou wilt ken what purpose I proposed but if thou hasten to kill me it will profit thee not and we shall both die in this very place answered the wolf oh thou wily trickster let thee hope to work my deliverance in thine own that thou prayest me to grant thee delay speak and propound to me thy purpose replied the fox as for the purpose I proposed it was one which deserved it that thou girded me handsomely for it for when I heard thy promises and thy confessions of thy past misdeeds and regrets for not having earlier repented and done good and when I heard thee vowing should thou escape from this straight harming thy fellows and others for swear the eating of grapes and of all manner of fruits devote thyself to humility cut thy claws and break thy dog teeth dawn woolens and offer thyself as an offering to Almighty Allah then indeed I had pity upon thee for true words are the best words and although before I had been anxious for thy destruction when as I heard thy repenting and thy vows of amending should a law thou shape to save thee to free thee from this thy present plight so I let down my tail that thou mightest grasp it and be saved yet wouldest thou not quit thy wanted violence and habit of brutality nor soughtest thou to save thyself by fair means but thou gavest me a tug which I thought would sever body from soul so that thou and I are fallen into the same place of distress and death and now there is but one thing can save us and if thou accepted of me I will make thine escape and after it behooveeth me to fulfill the vows thou hast made and I will be thy veritable friend ask the wolf what is it thou proposest for my acceptance answered the fox it is that thou stand up at full height till I come nigh on level with the surface of the earth then will I give a spring and reach the ground and when out of the pit I will bring thee what thou mayst lay hold of the wolf I have no faith in thy word for sages have said whoso practises trust in the place of hate areth and whoso trusteth in the untrustworthy as a dup he who retrieth him who hath been tried shall reprepentance and his days shall go waste and he who cannot distinguish between case and case giving each its due and assigneth all the weight to one side how well save the poet let thy thought be ill in none else but ill for suspicion is best of the worldling skill not cast at the man into parlous place but good opinion and worse good will and the saying of another be sure all are villains and so bide safe who lives wide awake on few ills shall light meet the foe with smiles and a smooth fair brow and in heart raise a host for the battle-dite and that of yet another he thou trusted most is thy worst unfriend where all and take heed with whom thou went fair opinion of fortune is feeble sign so believe her ill and her ills prepend quote the fox fairly mistrust and ill opinion of others are not to be commended in every case nay trust and confidence are the characteristics of a noble nature and the issue thereof is freedom from stress of fear now it behoove it thee o thou wolf to devise some device for thy deliverance from this thou art in and our escape will be better to us both than our death so quit thy distrust in rank or for if thou trust in me one of two things will happen either I shall bring thee something whereof to lay hold and escape from this case or I shall abandon thee to thy doom but this thing may not be for I am not safe from falling into some straight as this thou art in which indeed would be fitting punishment of perfidy of a truth the adage sayeth faith is fair and faithlessness is foul so it behoove it thee to trust in me for I am not ignorant of the haps and mishaps of the world and delay not to contrive some device for our deliverance as the case is too close to allow further talk replied the wolf for all my want of confidence in thy fidelity verily I knew what was in thy mind and that thou wast moved to deliver me when as thou hurtest my repentance and I said to myself if what he asserteth be true he will have repaired the ill he did and if false it resteth with the Lord to requite him so lucky I have accepted thy proposal and if thou betray me may thy traitorous deed be the cause of thy destruction then the wolf stood bolt up right in the pit and taking the fox upon his shoulders raised him to the level of the ground whereupon Reynard gave a spring from his back and lighted on the surface of the earth when he found himself safely out of the cleft he fell down senseless and the wolf said to him oh my friend neglect not my case and delay not to deliver me the fox laughed with a loud ha ha and replied oh dupe not threw me into thy hand save my laughing at thee and making mock of thee for in good soothe when I heard thee profess repentance mirth and gladness seized me and I fixed about and made merry and danced so that my tail hung low into the pit and thou caughtest hold of it and dragst me down with thee and the end was that the law almighty delivered me from thy power then why should I be other than a helper in thy destruction seeing that thou art of Satan's host I dreamt yesterday that I danced at thy wedding and I told my dream to an interpreter who said to me verily thou shalt fall into imminent deadly danger and thou shalt escape therefrom so now I know that my falling into thy hand and my escape are the fulfillment of my dream and thou oh imbecile knowest me for thy foe so how couldest thou of thine ignorance and unintelligence nurse desire of deliverance at my hands after all thou hast heard of harsh words from me and wherefore should I attempt thy salvation when the ages have said in the death of the wicked is rest for mankind and a purge for the earth but were it not that I fear to bear more affliction by keeping faith with thee than the sufferings which follow perpity I had done mine endeavour to save thee when the wolf heard this he bit his forehand for repentance and shot Hazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say end of section 15 section 16 volume 3 of the book of a thousand nights and a night translated by Richard Burton this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Kamna the book of a thousand nights and a night volume 3 section 16 when it was the 150th night she said it hath reached me o auspicious king that when the wolf heard the fox's words he bit his forehand for repentance then he gave the fox fair words but this availed not and he was at his wit's end for what to do so he said to him in soft, low accents verily you tribe of foxes are the most pleasant in point of tongue and the subtlest in jest and this is but a joke of thine but all times are not good for funny and jesting the fox replied o ignoramus in good sooth jesting hath a limit with the jester must not overpass and deem not that Allah will again give thee possession of me after having once delivered me from thy hand quote the wolf it behovet thee to compass my release by reason of our brotherhood and good fellowship and if thou release me I will assuredly make fair thy recompense quote the fox wise men say not to brother the wicked fool for he will disgrace thee in lieu of disgracing thee not take to brother the liar for if thou do good he will conceal it and if thou do ill he will reveal it and again the sages have said there is help for everything but death all may be warded off except fate as for the reward thou declarest to be my due from thee I compare thee herein within the serpent which fled from the charmer a man saw her a fritter and said to her what elit thee o thou serpent replied she I am fleeing from the snake charmer for he seeketh to trap me and if thou wilt save me and hide me with thee I will make fire thy reward and do thee all manner of kindness so he took her and cited thereto by lust for the recompense and eager to find favour with heaven and set her in his breast pocket now when the charmer had passed and he had vended his way and the serpent had no longer any cause to fear he said to her where is the reward thou did spawnest me behold I have saved thee from that thou fearedest I reply replied she tell me in what limb or in what place shall I strike thee with my fangs for thou knowest we exceed not that recompense so saying she gave him a bite whereof he died and I liken thee o dullard to the serpents in her dealings with her man has thou not heard with the poet sayeth just not to man when thou hast raised his plane and wrath nor that to a cold thou misween smooth fields the viper to the touch and glides with grace yet hides she deadliest veneen quote the wolf o thou glib of gab and fairer face ignore not my case and men's fear of me and when thou weetest how I assault the strongly world pace and uproot the vines from base wherefore do as I bid thee and stand before me even as a thrall standeth before his lord quote the fox o stupid dullard who seekest a vain thing I marvel at thy folly and thy front of brass in that thou bidest me serve thee and stand up before thee as I were a slave bought with thy silver but soon shall thou see what is in store for thee knocking thy stuccoons with stones and knocking out thy Titoris dog teeth so saying the fox clomb hill overlooking the vineyard and standing there shouted to the vintagers nor did he give overshouting till he woke them and they seeing him all came up to him in haste he stood his ground till they drew near him and close to the pit wherein was the wolf then he turned and fled so the folk looked into the cleft and spying the wolf said to pelting him with heavy stones and they stinted not smiting him with stones and sticks and stabbing him with spears till they killed him and went away thereupon the fox returned to the cleft and said standing over the spot where his foe had been slain saw the wolf dead so he wagged his head for very joints and began to recite these couplets fate the wolf soul snatched up from wordly's dead far be from bliss his soul that perished abu sirhan how sore thou saltest my death thou burnt this day in fire of sorrow dread thou art fallen into pit where all who fall are blown by death blast down among the dead thence forward the aforesaid fox unto the hour of his death secure and fearing no hurt and such are the adventures of the wolf and the fox but men also tell a tale of the mouse and the itchinum a mouse and an itchinum once dealt in the house of a peasant who was very poor and one of his friends sickened the doctor brisquied him husked sesame so the hint sought of one of his great sesame to be hussed by way of healing the sick man and when a measure thereof was given to him he carried it home to his wife and bade her dress it so she steeped it and hussed it and spread it out to dry now when the itchinum saw the grain she went up to it and fell to carrying it away to her hole and she toyed all day till she had borne off the most of it presently in came the peasant's wife and seeing much of the grain gone stood a while wondering after which she sat down to watch and find out who might be the intruder and make him account for her loss after a while out crept the itchinum to carry off the grain as was her wound but spying the woman seated there knew that she was on the watch for her and said in her mind verily this affair is like the end blamably and so I fear me this woman is on the lookout for me and fortune is no friend to those who attend not to the issue and end so there is no help for it but that I do a fair deed whereby I may manifest my innocence and wash out all the ill-doings I have done so saying she began to take the sesame out of her hole and carry it forth and lay it back upon the rest the woman stood by and seeing the itchinum do thus said to herself verily this is not the cause of our loss for she bring it back from the hole for him who stole it and returned it to its place and of a truth she had done us a kindness in storing us a sesame and the reward of those who does us good is that we do them they like good it is clear that it is she who stole the grain but I will not seize my watching till he fall into my hands and I find out who is this thief the itchinum guess what was in her mind so she went to the mouse and said to her oh my sister there is good in one who observe it not the claims of neighbourship and who show it no constancy in friendship the mouse replied even so oh my friend and I delight in thee and in thy neighbourhood but what be the motive of this speech quoted the itchinum the house master had brought some home some sesame and had eaten his fill of it he and his family and had left much every living being had eaten of it if thou take of it and I return thou art worthier thereof than any other this please the mouse and she squeaked for joy and danced and frisked her ears and tail and greed for the grain deluded her so she rose at once and issuing forth of her home saw the sesame husked and dry shining with whiteness and the woman sitting at watch and ward the mouse taking no thought to the issue of the affair for the woman had armed herself with a cudgel and unable to contain herself ran up to the sesame and began turning it over and eating of it whereupon the woman smoothed her with that club and cleft her head so the cause of her destruction were her greed and headlessness of consequences then said the sultan O Shah Razaad by Allah this be a goodly parable say me has thou any story bearing on the beauty of true friendship and the observance of its duty in time of distress and rescuing from destruction answered she yes it had reached me that they tell the tale of the cat and the crow once upon a time a crow and a cat lived in brotherhood and one day as they were together under a tree behold they spied a leopard making towards them and they were not aware of his approach till he was close upon them the crow at once flew up to the tree top but the cat aboard confounded and said to the crow O my friend now no device to save me even as all hope is in thee replied the crow of very truth it behoved brethren in case of need to cast about for the device when peril overtake at them and how well said the poet a friend in need is he who ever true for they well doing would himself undo one who when fortune gauze you said now hard by that tree was shepherds with their dogs so the crow flew towards them and smote the face of the earth with its wings going and crying out furthermore he went up to one of the dogs and flapped his wings in his face and flew up a little way whilst the dog ran after him thinking to catch him presently one of the shepherds raised his head and saw the bird flying near the ground and lightning lighting alternately so he followed them and the crow seized not flying just high enough to save him said and to throw out the dogs and yet tempting them to follow for the purpose of tearing him to pieces but as soon as they came near him he would fly up a little and so at last he brought them to the tree under which was a leopard the fox saw him they rushed upon him and he turned and fled now the leopard thought to eat the cat who was saved by the graft of his friend by the crow this story oking showed that the friendship of brothers of purity delivered it and saved it from difficulties and from falling into mortal dangers and they also tell a tale of the fox and the crow a fox once dwelt in a cave of a certain mountain and as often as a cub was born to him and grossed out he would eat the young one for he had died of hunger had he instead of doing left the cub alive and bred it by his side and preserved and cherished with a tissue yet this was very grievous to him now on the chest of the same mountain a crow had made his nest and the fox said to himself I have a mind to set up a friendship with this crow and make a comrade of him that he may help me to my daily breath for he can do in such matters what I cannot so he drew near the crow's home and when he came within the sound of speech he saluted him and said O my neighbour, verily a true believer had two claims upon his true believing neighbour the right of neighbourliness and the right of al-islam a common faith O my friend, that thou art my neighbour and thou hast to claim upon me which is behaviour to be observed the more that I have long been thy neighbour also there be implanted in my breast a store of love to thee which bideth me speak thee fair and obliged me to solicit thy brothership what sayest thou in reply answer the crow verily the truest speech is the best speech what sayest thou with thy tongue that which is not in thy heart so I fear lest thy brotherhood be only of the tongue outward and thy enmity be in the heart inward for that thou art the eater and either eaten and faring apart were apter to us than friendship and fellowship what then make it the seek that which thou hast may not gain and desire what may not be done seeing that I be the birth kind and thou be of the beast kind verily this thy preferred brotherhood may not be made neither were it seemly to make it rejoin the fox of a truth who'd knoweth the abiding place of excellent things make it by the choice in what he chose to put their form so per chance he may advantage his brethren and indeed I should love to woe near thee and I have soothed for thine intimacy to the end that we may help each other to our several objects and success shall surely wait upon our enmity I have many tales of the goodliness of true friendship which I will relate to thee if thou wish the relating answer the crow thou hast my leave to let me hear thy communication so tell thy tale and relate it to me that I may harken to it and verily it and judge of thine which intend thereby rejoin the fox here then o my friend what which is told of a flea and a mouse and which beareth out what I have said to thee ask the crow how so and the fox answered they tell this tale of the flea and the mouse once upon a time a mouse dwelt in the house of a merchant and owned much merchandise and great stories of monies one night a flea took shelter in the merchant's carpet bed and finding his body soft and being thirsty drank of his blood the merchant was awakened by the smart of his bite of the bite and sitting up called to his slave girls and serving men so they hastened to him and tucking up their sleeves fell to searching for the flea but as soon as the bloodsucker was aware of the search he turned to flea and coming on the mouse's home entered it when the mouse saw him she said to him what bringeth thee into me thou who art not of my nature nor of my kind and who canst not be assured of safety from violence or not of being expelled with roughness and illusage answer the flea of a truth I took refuge in thy dwelling to save me from slaughter and I have come to thee seeking thy protection and on now is converting thy house nor shall any mischief betide thee from me to make thee leave thy home nay I hope right soon to repay thy favors to me with all good and then shall thou see and praise the issue of my words and when the mouse heard the speech of the flea and Shahrazaad perceived the dawn of day and sees saying her permitted saying End of section 16 of the book of a thousand nights and a night Volume 3 Recording by Kamna