A very rich merchant had several farmhouses in the country, where he
bred every kind of cattle. This merchant understood the language of
beasts. He obtained this privilege on the condition of not imparting
to any one what he heard, under penalty of death.
By chance[2] he had put an ox and an ass into the same stall; and
being seated near them, he heard the ox say to the ass: "How happy do
I think your lot. A servant looks after you with great care, washes
you, feeds you with fine sifted barley, and gives you fresh and clean
water; your greatest task is to carry the merchant, our master. My
condition is as unfortunate as yours is pleasant. They yoke me to a
plow the whole day, while the laborer urges me on with his goad. The
weight and force of the plow, too, chafes all the skin from my neck.
When I have worked from morning till night, they give me unwholesome
and uninviting food. Have I not, then, reason to envy your lot?"
[Footnote 2: The ass and the ox in the East were subject to very
different treatment; the one was strong to labor, and was little cared
for--the other was reserved for princes and judges to ride on, and was
tended with the utmost attention.]
When he had finished, the ass replied in these words: "Believe me,
they would not treat you thus if you possessed as much courage as
strength. When they come to tie you to the manger, what resistance,
pray, do you ever make? Do you ever push them with your horns? Do you
ever show your anger by stamping on the ground with your feet? Why
don't you terrify them with your bellowing? Nature has given you the
means of making yourself respected, and yet you neglect to use them.
They bring you bad beans and chaff. Well, do not eat them; smell at
them only and leave them. Thus, if you follow my plans, you will soon
perceive a change, which you will thank me for."
The ox took the advice of the ass very kindly, and declared himself
much obliged to him.
Early the next morning the laborer came for the ox, and yoked him to
the plow, and set him to work as usual. The latter, who had not
forgotten the advice he had received, was very unruly the whole day;
and at night, when the laborer attempted to fasten him to the stall,
he ran bellowing back, and put down his horns to strike him; in short,
he did exactly as the ass had advised him.
On the next morning, when the man came, he found the manger still full
of beans and chaff, and the ox lying on the ground with his legs
stretched out, and making a strange groaning. The laborer thought him
very ill, and that it would be useless to take him to work; he,
therefore, immediately went and informed the merchant.
The latter perceived that the bad advice of the ass had been followed;
and he told the laborer to go and take the ass instead of the ox, and
not fail to give him plenty of exercise. The man obeyed; and the ass
was obliged to drag the plow the whole day, which tired him the more
because he was unaccustomed to it; besides which, he was so beaten
that he could scarcely support himself when he came back, and fell
down in his stall half dead.
* * * * *
Here the grand vizier said to Schehera-zade: "You are, my child, just
like this ass, and would expose yourself to destruction."
"Sir," replied Schehera-zade, "the example which you have brought does
not alter my resolution, and I shall not cease importuning you till
I have obtained from you the favor of presenting me to the sultan as
his consort."
[Illustration: _He had the gift of understanding the language of
beasts Page 15_]
The vizier, finding her persistent in her request, said, "Well then,
since you will remain thus obstinate, I shall be obliged to treat you
as the rich merchant I mentioned did his wife."
Being told in what a miserable state the ass was, he was curious to
know what passed between him and the ox. After supper, therefore, he
went out by moonlight, accompanied by his wife, and sat down near
them; on his arrival, he heard the ass say to the ox, "Tell me,
brother, what you mean to do when the laborer brings you food
to-morrow!"
"Mean to do!" replied the ox. "Why, what you taught me, to be sure."
"Take care," interrupted the ass, "what you are about, lest you
destroy yourself; for in coming home yesterday evening, I heard our
master say these sad words: 'Since the ox can neither eat nor support
himself, I wish him to be killed to-morrow; do not, therefore, fail to
send for the butcher.' This is what I heard; and the interest I take
in your safety, and the friendship I have for you, induces me to
mention it. When they bring you beans and chaff, get up, and begin
eating directly. Our master, by this, will suppose that you have
recovered, and will, without doubt, revoke the sentence for your
death; in my opinion, if you act otherwise, it is all over with you."
This speech produced the intended effect; the ox was much troubled,
and lowed with fear. The merchant, who had listened to everything with
great attention, burst into a fit of laughter that quite surprised
his wife.
"Tell me," said she, "what you laugh at, that I may join in it. I wish
to know the cause."
"That satisfaction," replied the husband, "I cannot afford you. I can
only tell you that I laughed at what the ass said to the ox; the rest
is a secret, which I must not reveal."
"And why not?" asked his wife.
"Because, if I tell you, it will cost me my life."
"You trifle with me," added she; "this can never be true; and if you
do not immediately inform me what you laughed at, I swear by Allah
that we will live together no longer."
In saying this, she went back to the house in a pet, shut herself up,
and cried the whole night. Her husband, finding that she continued in
the same state all the next day, said, "How foolish it is to afflict
yourself in this way! Do I not seriously tell you, that if I were to
yield to your foolish importunities, it would cost me my life?"
"Whatever happens rests with Allah," said she; "but I shall not alter
my mind."
"I see very plainly," answered the merchant, "it it not possible to
make you submit to reason, and that your obstinacy will kill you."
He then sent for the parents and other relations of his wife; when
they were all assembled, he explained to them his motives for calling
them together, and requested them to use all their influence with his
wife, and endeavor to convince her of the folly of her conduct. She
rejected them all, and said she had rather die than give up this
point to her husband. When her children saw that nothing could alter
her resolution, they began to lament most bitterly--the merchant
himself knew not what to do.
A little while afterward he was sitting by chance at the door of his
house, considering whether he should not even sacrifice himself in
order to save his wife, whom he so tenderly loved, when he saw his
favorite dog run up to the cock in the farmyard, and tell him all the
circumstances of the painful situation in which he was placed. Upon
which the cock said, "How foolish must our master be. He has but one
wife, and cannot gain his point, while I have fifty, and do just as I
please. Let him take a good-sized stick, and not scruple to use it,
and she will soon know better, and not worry him to reveal what he
ought to keep secret."
The merchant at once did as he suggested, on which his wife quickly
repented of her ill-timed curiosity, and all her family came in,
heartily glad at finding her more rational and submissive to her
husband.
* * * * *
"You deserve, my daughter," added the grand vizier, "to be treated
like the merchant's wife."
"Do not, sir," answered Schehera-zade, "think ill of me if I still
persist in my sentiments. The history of this woman does not shake my
resolution. I could recount, on the other hand, many good reasons
which ought to persuade you not to oppose my design. Pardon me, too,
if I add that your opposition will be useless; for if your paternal
tenderness should refuse the request I make, I will present myself to
the sultan."
At length the vizier, overcome by his daughter's firmness, yielded to
her entreaties; and although he was very sorry at not being able to
conquer her resolution, he immediately went to Schah-riar, and
announced to him that Schehera-zade herself would be his bride on the
following night.
The sultan was much astonished at the sacrifice of the grand vizier.
"Is it possible," said he, "that you can give up your own child?"
"Sire," replied the vizier, "she has herself made the offer. The
dreadful fate that hangs over her does not alarm her; and she resigns
her life for the honor of being the consort of your majesty, though it
be but for one night."
"Vizier," said the sultan, "do not deceive yourself with any hopes;
for be assured that, in delivering Schehera-zade into your charge
to-morrow, it will be with an order for her death; and if you disobey,
your own head will be the forfeit."
"Although," answered the vizier, "I am her father, I will answer for
the fidelity of this arm in fulfilling your commands."
When the grand vizier returned to Schehera-zade, she thanked her
father; and observing him to be much afflicted, consoled him by saying
that she hoped he would be so far from repenting her marriage with the
sultan that it would become a subject of joy to him for the remainder
of his life.
Before Schehera-zade went to the palace, she called her sister,
Dinar-zade, aside, and said, "As soon as I shall have presented myself
before the sultan, I shall entreat him to suffer you to sleep in the
bridal chamber, that I may enjoy for the last time your company. If I
obtain this favor, as I expect, remember to awaken me to-morrow
morning an hour before daybreak, and say, 'If you are not asleep, my
sister, I beg of you, till the morning appears, to recount to me one
of those delightful stories you know.' I will immediately begin to
tell one; and I flatter myself that by these means I shall free the
kingdom from the consternation in which it is."
Dinar-zade promised to do with pleasure what she required.
Within a short time Schehera-zade was conducted by her father to the
palace, and was admitted to the presence of the sultan. They were no
sooner alone than the sultan ordered her to take off her veil. He was
charmed with her beauty; but perceiving her tears, he demanded the
cause of them.
"Sire," answered Schehera-zade, "I have a sister whom I tenderly
love--I earnestly wish that she might be permitted to pass the night
in this apartment, that we may again see each other, and once more
take a tender farewell. Will you allow me the consolation of giving
her this last proof of my affection?"
Schah-riar having agreed to it, they sent for Dinar-zade, who came
directly. The sultan passed the night with Schehera-zade on an
elevated couch, as was the custom among the eastern monarchs, and
Dinar-zade slept at the foot of it on a mattress prepared for the
purpose.
Dinar-zade, having awakened about an hour before day, did what her
sister had ordered her. "My dear sister," she said, "if you are not
asleep, I entreat you, as it will soon be light, to relate to me one
of those delightful tales you know. It will, alas, be the last time I
shall receive that pleasure."
Instead of returning any answer to her sister, Schehera-zade addressed
these words to the sultan: "Will your majesty permit me to indulge my
sister in her request?"
"Freely," replied he.
Schehera-zade then desired her sister to attend, and, addressing
herself to the sultan, began as follows:
[Illustration]