登陆注册
12108400000011

第11章 THE BOOK OF THE THOUSAND NIGHTS AND ONE NIGHT(9)

Then I carried him to the bath and clad him in one of my own suits and took him to live with me. MoreoverI cast up my accounts and found that I had made a thousand dinars profitso that my capital was now two thousand dinars. I divided this between my brother and myselfsaying to him'Put it that thou hast never travelled nor been abroad.'He took it gladly and opened a shop with it. Presentlymy second brother arose like the first and sold his goods and all that belonged to him and determined to travel. We would have dissuaded himbut he would not be dissuaded and bought merchandise with which he set out on his travelsand we saw no more of him for a whole year;at the end of which time he came to us as had done his elder brother,and I said to him'O my brotherdid I not counsel thee not to travel?'And he wept and said'O my brotherit was decreed: and beholdI am poorwithout a dirhem or a shirt to my back.'Then I carried him to the bath and clad him in a new suit of my own and brought him back to my shopwhere we ate and drank together;after whichI said to him'O my brotherI will make up the accounts of my shopas is my wont once a yearand the increase shall be between thee and me.'So I arose and took stock and found I was worth two thousand dinars increasein excess of capitalwherefore I praised the Divine Creator and gave my brother a thousand dinarswith which he opened a shop. In this situation we remained for some timetill one daymy brothers came to me and would have me go on a voyage with them;but I refused and said to them'What did your travels profit youthat I should look to profit by the same venture?'And I would not listen to them;so we abode in our shopsbuying and sellingand every year they pressed me to traveland I declineduntil six years had elapsed. At last I yielded to their wishes and said to them'O my brothersI will make a voyage with youbut first let me see what you are worth.'So I looked into their affairs and found they had nothing lefthaving wasted all their substance in eating and drinking and merrymaking. HoweverI said not a word of reproach to thembut sold my stock and got in all I had and found I was worth six thousand dinars. So I rejoiced and divided the sum into two equal parts and said to my brothers,'These three thousand dinars are for you and me to trade with.'

The other three thousand I buriedin case what befell them should befall me alsoso that we might still haveon our returnwherewithal to open our shops again. They were content and I gave them each a thousand dinars and kept the like myself.

Then we provided ourselves with the necessary merchandise and equipped ourselves for travel and chartered a shipwhich we freighted with our goods. After a month's voyagewe came to a cityin which we sold our goods at a profit of ten dinars on every one (of prime cost). And as we were about to take ship againwe found on the beach a damsel in tattered clotheswho kissed my hand and said to me'O my lordis there in thee kindness and charity? I will requite thee for them.'Quoth I,'Indeed I love to do courtesy and charitythough I be not requited.'And she said'O my lordI beg thee to marry me and clothe me and take me back to thy countryfor I give myself to thee. Entreat me courteouslyfor indeed I am of those whom it behoves to use with kindness and consideration;and I will requite thee therefor: do not let my condition prejudice thee.'

When I heard what she saidmy heart inclined to herthat what God (to whom belong might and majesty) willed might come to pass.

So I carried her with me and clothed her and spread her a goodly bed in the ship and went in to her and made much of her. Then we set sail again and indeed my heart clove to her with a great love and I left her not night nor day and occupied myself with her to the exclusion of my brothers. Wherefore they were jealous of me and envied me my much substance;and they looked upon it with covetous eyes and took counsel together to kill me and to take my goodssaying'Let us kill our brotherand all will be ours.'

And Satan made this to seem good in their eyes. So they took me sleeping beside my wife and lifted us both up and threw us into the sea. When my wife awokeshe shook herself and becoming an Afritehtook me up and carried me to an islandwhere she left me for awhile. In the morningshe returned and said to me,'I have paid thee my debtfor it is I who bore thee up out of the sea and saved thee from deathby permission of God the Most High. Know that I am of the Jinn who believe in God and His Apostle (whom God bless and preserve!) and I saw thee and loved thee for God's sake. So I came to thee in the plight thou knowest of and thou didst marry meand now I have saved thee from drowning. But I am wroth with thy brothersand needs must I kill them.'When I heard her wordsI wondered and thanked her for what she had done and begged her not to kill my brothers. Then I told her all that had passed between usand she said'This very night will I fly to them and sink their ship and make an end of them.'God on thee,'answered I'do not do thisfor the proverb says'O thou who dost good to those who do evillet his deeds suffice the evil doer!'After allthey are my brothers.'

同类推荐
  • 平蛮录

    平蛮录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 题新昌所居

    题新昌所居

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 客座赘语

    客座赘语

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 劝修净土切要

    劝修净土切要

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz

    Dorothy and the Wizard in Oz

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 中国类型电视剧研究

    中国类型电视剧研究

    《中国类型电视剧研究》由十二章组成,分别从学理和实践的层面对十二种主要类型电视剧,即都市言情剧、青春偶像剧、谍战剧、家庭剧、历史剧、儿童剧、农村剧、民工剧、西部剧、军事剧、灾难剧、“红色经典”改编剧展开了多元的思考与探讨。不仅梳理了这些类型电视剧的发展轨迹、生成语境、影像风格衍变规律,还剖析其存在的问题和未来的发展态势。同时为便于读者阅读和学界、业界同仁的进一步研究,每章后还附有该类型电视剧主要作品年表。
  • 杀帝

    杀帝

    世界第一杀手林麟重返都市,执行任务,开创林麟团队,踏上征途。你要诛杀我,我就要诛杀你,即便你是皇帝,也是照杀不误!
  • 凤舞春秋

    凤舞春秋

    他曾为一女子,年少白头…他曾凤凰古城问阴阳…他曾烟台阁里得春秋…他曾一剑金刚杀玄象…他曾“剑来”战龙象…他曾三剑还天玄…他曾帝凰功逆,天下群雄跪伏…他曾手握春秋,背负苍冥…他曾六百“反”,天下乱…他曾屠城三千,春秋颤抖…他曾拔剑一怒,只身赴荒古…他曾手握诸子百家,一喝而天地蹦,一笑而天下平,一怒而鬼神惧……对于他的传说,数不胜数,不管再过多少载,依然记得曾有一白头,他剑走春秋,凤鸣天下,而他,叫叶翎。
  • 女皇独宠:神子,别想跑

    女皇独宠:神子,别想跑

    她拥有人界至尊皇脉,与他有千百年的纠缠。这一世,她穿越过来只为与他白头偕老,却要与天抵抗,最终能否相守还看今世。
  • 魂之契约师

    魂之契约师

    契约之言,永生永世不得违背。契约之义,生生世世追随。你可敢,与自己的灵魂定下契约?建了一个群,群号291968610,上限500人,欢迎各位读者作家加入。
  • 十六大罗汉因果识见颂

    十六大罗汉因果识见颂

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 暴君盛宠:皇妃无争

    暴君盛宠:皇妃无争

    麦灵灵可悲的穿越了,还是因为玩儿游戏玩儿穿的。本以为她可以借这一世好好的享受一下装的滋味,却没想到穿越成不争宠的冷宫弃妃。从此她就走上了推销官棱翰的道路。“这可是皇上的玉佩,谁要?!”麦灵灵撑着脑袋,手里拿着某种马送的玉佩,眼睛瞪得大大的,不屑的看着一众妃子。官楞汉则是在御书房拼命地打喷嚏。她,被人针对。“皇上,臣妾是亲眼看到灵妃把肖妃推下莲花池的。”宫中肖妃一派的孟答应楚楚可怜的跪着求皇上降罪。她,面无表情的看着宫棱翰不解释。那一次,他赐她20大板和门禁15天。“朕没想到,朕如此宠你,你还是选择背叛朕。”他眼眶通红,手紧紧的掐着她的脖子。第二次,他不分青红皂白降罪于她。她为什么还是舍不得。
  • 书道神兵

    书道神兵

    天地有字,天雨粟,鬼夜哭。字通天道,仓颉成圣;尧、舜练字悟道封神;大禹练字成道,召唤神兵止水;周文王演绎易经八卦,姜子牙悟字成亚圣,一笔《封神榜》,拯救世间大道;春秋战国,字演万道,百家兴盛。儒道墨法兵名,阴阳纵横,传道大千;刘邦吹字斩龙,开辟汉朝天国;书士落笔鬼神泣;书元一笔九里生辉;书爵执笔大风起兮风吹扬;书神提笔破云霄,召唤神兵;落笔八百里冰与火,五百里雷厉风行。王浩怀揣《朱字诏》,踉踉跄跄踏上练字悟道之路。
  • 仙剑奇侠传之侠侣奇缘

    仙剑奇侠传之侠侣奇缘

    一个初出茅庐的神秘门派弟子,在江湖历练时,先后结识了多名奇女子,恩怨情仇,家国兴亡,除魔卫道,在他略显稚嫩的肩膀上,担负了太多的重任,但是他义无反顾,至死无悔!正所谓:仗剑天涯,心怀家国。为情为义,宁舍真身。幸结仙缘,一息尚存。千辛万苦,冰晶还魂。
  • EXO独宠我

    EXO独宠我

    她,苏沫雪,是一个孤儿,天真活泼可爱,从小是由院长带大,在星辰学校上大二时,被选为去韩国圣樱学院的交换生,遇到十二位不一样的少年,他们能擦出怎样爱的火花