When day began to draw near, Dinarzade put her sister’s orders in
execution very exactly, who, being awaked, prayed the sultan to
allow her to give Dinarzade that satisfaction; which the prince, who
took so much pleasure in the story himself, willingly agreed to.
Sir, then, says Scheherazade, the first old man who lead the hind,
continuing his story to the genie, to the other two old men, and the
merchant, proceeded thus: I took the knife, says he, and was going
to strike it into my son’s throat; when turning his eyes bathed
with tears, in a languishing manner towards me, he affected me so
that I had no strength to sacrifice him, but let the knife fall, and
told my wife positively that I would have another calf to sacrifice,
and not that. She used all endeavours to make me change my
resolution; but I continued firm, and pacified her a little, by
promising that I would sacrifice him against the Bairam next year.
Next morning my farmer desired to speak with me alone, and told me,
I come, says he, to tell you a piece of news, for which I hope you
will return me thanks. I have a daughter that has some skill in
magic. Yesterday, as I carried back the calf which you would not
sacrifice, I perceived she laughed when she saw him, and in a moment
after fell a weeping. I asked her why she acted two such contrary
parts at one and the same time. Father, replied she, the calf you
bring back is our landlord’s son: I laughed for joy to see him
still alive, and I wept at the remembrance of the sacrifice that was
made the other day of his mother, who was changed into a cow. These
two metamorphoses were made by the enchantments of our master’s
wife, who hated both the mother and son. This is what my daughter
told me, said the farmer, and I come to acquaint you with it.
At these words, the old man adds, I leave you to think, my lord
genie, how much I was surprised: I went immediately to my farmer, to
speak with his daughter myself. As soon as I came, I went forthwith
to the stall where my son was: he could not answer my embraces, but
received them in such a manner as fully satisfied me he was my son.
The former’s daughter came: My good maid, says I, can you restore
my son to his former shape? Yes, says she, I can. Ah! says I, if you
can, I will make you mistress of all my fortune. She replied to me,
smiling, You are our master, and I know very well what I owe to you;
but I cannot restore your son into his former shape but on two
conditions: the first is, that you give him me for my husband; and
the second is, that you allow me to punish the person who changed
him into a calf. For the first, says I, I agree to it with all my
heart; nay, I promise you more --a considerable estate for yourself,
independent of what I design for my son: in a word, you shall see
how I will reward the great service I expect from you. As to what
relates to my wife, I also agree to it; a person who has been
capable of committing such a criminal action deserves very well to
be punished: I leave her to you, only I must pray you not to take
her life. I am just going then, answers she, to treat her as she has
treated your son. I agree to it, says I, provided you restore my son
to me beforehand.
Then the damsel took a vessel full of water, pronounced over it
words that I did not understand, and, addressing herself to the
calf, O, calf, says she, if thou wast created by the almighty and
sovereign Master of the World such as you appear at this time,
continue in that form; but, if thou be a man, and art changed into a
calf by enchantment, return to thy natural shape, by the permission
of the sovereign Creator. As she spoke these words, she threw water
upon him, and in an instant, he recovered his first shape.
My son, my dear son, cried I, immediately embracing him, with such a
transport of joy that I knew not what I was doing: it is Heaven that
has sent us this young maid, to take off the horrible charm by which
you were enchanted, and to avenge the injury done to you and your
mother. I doubt not but, in acknowledgment, you will take your
deliverer to wife, as I have promised. He consented to it with joy:
but, before they married, she changed my wife into a hind; and this
is she whom you see here. I desired she should have this shape,
rather than another less agreeable, that we might see her in the
family without horror.
Since that time, my son is become a widower, and gone to travel;
and, it being several years since I heard of him, I am come abroad
to inquire after him; and not being willing to trust any body with
my wife till I should come home, I thought fit to carry her every
where with me. This is the history of myself and this hind: is it
not one of the most wonderful and surprising that can be? --I agree
to it, says the genie, and upon that account I forgive the merchant
the third of his crime.
When the first old man, sir, continued the sultaness, had finished
his story, the second, who led the two black dogs, addressed himself
to the genie, and says to him: I am going to tell you what happened
to me and those two black dogs you see by me, and I am certain you
will say that my story is yet more surprising than that which you
have just now heard; but, when I have told it you, I hope you will
be pleased to pardon the merchant the second third of his crime.
Yes, replies the genie, provided your story surpass that of the
hind. Then the second old man began in this manner. But, as
Scheherazade pronounced these words, she saw it was day, and left
off speaking.
O, heaven! sister, says Dinarzade, these adventures are very
singular. Sister, replies the sultaness, they are not comparable to
those which I have to tell you next night, if the sultan, my lord
and master, be so good as to let me live. Schahriar answered nothing
to that; but rose up, said his prayers, and went to council, without
giving any order against the life of the charming Scheherazade.