She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the merchant
had sold his chanders-wood and had taken the money he quitted that city
and returned to his own land. Then the Prince continued, “But this is
not more wondrous than the tale of the three-year-old child.” “What may
that be?” asked the King, and the Prince answered, “I have heard tell
this tale of
The Debauchee and the Three-Year-Old Child.
Know, O King that a certain profligate man, who was addicted to the
sex, once heard of a beautiful and lovely woman who dwelt in a city
other than his own. So he journeyed thither, taking with him a present,
and wrote her a note, setting forth all that he suffered of
love-longing and desire for her and how his passion for her had driven
him to forsake his native land and come to her; and he ended by praying
for an assignation. She gave him leave to visit her and, as he entered
her abode, she stood up and received him with all honour and worship,
kissing his hands and entertaining him with the best entertainment of
meat and drink. Now she had a little son, but three years old, whom she
left and busied herself in cooking rice.[FN#253] Presently the man said
to her, “Come, let us go and lie together;” but she replied, “My son is
sitting looking at us.” Quoth the man, “He is a little child,
understanding not neither knowing how to speak.” Quoth the woman, “Thou
wouldst not say thus, and thou knew his intelligence.” When the boy saw
that the rice was done, he wept with bitter weeping and his mother said
to him, “What gars thee weep, O my son?” “Ladle me out some rice,”
answered he, “and put clarified butter in it.” So she ladled him out
somewhat of rice and put butter therein; and the child ate a little,
then began to weep again. Quoth she, “What ails thee now, O my son?”;
and quoth he, “O mother mine, I want some sugar with my rice.” At this
said the man, who was an-angered, “Thou art none other than a curst
child.” “Curst thyself, by Allah,” answered the boy, “seeing thou
weariest thyself and journeyest from city to city, in quest of
adultery. As for me, I wept because I had somewhat in my eye, and my
tears brought it out; and now I have eaten rice with butter and sugar
and am content; so which is the curst of us twain?” The man was
confounded at this rebuke from a little child and forthright grace
entered him and he was reclaimed. Wherefor he laid not a finger on the
woman, but went out from her and returned to his own country, where he
lived a contrite life till he died. “As for the story of the
five-year-old child” (continued the Prince), “I have heard tell, O
King, the following anent
The Stolen Purse.
Four merchants once owned in common a thousand gold pieces; so they
laid them mingled together in one purse and set out to buy merchandise
therewith. They happened as they wended their way on a beautiful
garden; so they left the purse with a woman who had care of the garden,
saying to here, “Mind thee, thou shalt not give it back save when all
four of us in person demand it of thee.” She agreed to this and they
entered and strolled awhile about the garden-walks and ate and drank
and made merry, after which one of them said to the others, “I have
with me scented fuller’s-earth; come, let us wash our heads therewith
in this running water.” Quoth another, “We lack a comb;” and a third,
“Let us ask the keeper; belike she hath a comb.” Thereupon one of them
arose and accosting the care-taker, said to her, “Give me the purse.”
Said she, “Not until ye be all present or thy fellows bid me give it
thee.” Then he called to his companions (who could see him but not hear
him) saying, “She will not give it me;” and they said to her, “Give it
him,” thinking he meant the comb. So she gave him the purse and he took
it and made off as fast as he could. When the three others were wary of
waiting, they went to the keeper and asked her, “Why wilt thou not give
him the comb?” Answered she, “He demanded naught of me save the purse,
and I gave not that same but with your consent, and he went his way
with it.” When they heard her words they buffeted their faces and,
laying hands upon her, said, “We authorized thee only to give him the
comb;” and she rejoined, “He named not a comb to me.” Then they seized
her and haled her before the Kazi, to whom they related their claim and
he condemned her to make good the purse and bound over sundry of
her debtors to answer for her.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of
day and ceased to say her permitted say.