一千零一夜-天方夜谭-1001 Nights(英文版)-第41部分

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that　he　hath　oppressed　me；　loose　on　him　Thy　vengeance　this　night　and　send　down　on　him　Thy　punishment；　for　Thy　rule　is　just　and　Thou　art　the　Helper　of　every　afflicted　one；　O　Thou　to　whom　belong　the　power　and　the　glory　to　the　end　of　time！〃

When　the　gaoler　heard　the　prisoner's　prayer；　he　trembled　in　every　limb；　and　behold；　a　fire　broke　out　in　the　king's　palace　and　consumed　the　city　and　all　that　were　therein；　even　to　the　door　of　the　prison；　and　none　was　spared　save　the　gaoler　and　the　pilgrim。　When　the　gaoler　saw　this　he　knew　that　it　had　not　befallen　save　bemuse　of　the　pilgrim's　prayer；　so　he　loosed　him　and　fleeing　with　him　forth　of　the　burning；　betook　himself；　he　and　the　prince；　to　another　city。　So　was　the　unjust　king　consumed；　he　and　his　city；　by　reason　of　his　injustice；　and　he　lost　the　goods　both　of　this　world　and　the　next。

As　for　us；　O　august　king；'　continued　the　vizier；　'we　neither　lie　down　nor　rise　up　without　praying　for　thee　and　thanking　God　the　Most　High　for　His　goodness　in　giving　thee　to　us；　tranquil　in　reliance　on　thy　justice　and　the　excellence　of　thy　governance；　and　indeed　we　were　sore　concerned　for　thy　lack　of　a　son　to　inherit　thy　kingdom；　fearing　lest　there　betide　us；　after　thee；　a　king　unlike　thee；　but　now　God　hath　bestowed　His　favours　upon　us　and　done　away　our　concern　and　brought　us　gladness　in　the　birth　of　this　blessed　child；　wherefore　we　beseech　the　Most　High　to　make　him　a　worthy　successor　＇to　thee＇　and　endow　him　with　eternal　glory　and　felicity　and　abiding　good。'

Then　rose　the　fifth　vizier　and　said；　'Blessed　be　the　Most　High　God；　Giver　of　＇all＇　good　gifts！　We　are　well　assured　that　God　favours　those　who　are　grateful　to　Him　and　mindful　of　His　faith；　and　thou；　O　august　king；　art　renowned　for　these　illustrious　virtues　and　for　just　dealing　and　equity　among　thy　subjects；　in　that　which　is　acceptable　to　God　the　Most　High。　By　reason　of　this　hath　God　exalted　thy　dignity　and　made　thy　days　happy　and　bestowed　on　thee　the　good　gift　of　this　happy　child；　after　thou　hadst　despaired；　wherefrom　there　hath　betided　up　abiding　gladness　and　joyance　that　may　not　be　cut　off；　for　before　this　we　were　in　exceeding　anxiety　and　sore　concern　because　of　thy　lack　of　issue；　and　full　of　care；　bethinking　us　of　all　thy　justice　and　gentle　dealing　with　us　and　fearful　lest　God　decree　death　to　thee　and　there　be　none　to　succeed　thee　and　inherit　the　kingdom　after　thee；　and　so　we　be　divided　in　our　counsels　and　dissensions　arise　between　us　and　there　befall　us　what　befell　the　crows。'　'And　what　befell　the　crows？'　asked　the　king。　'Know；　O　august　king；'　replied　the　vizier；　'that

　The　Crows　and　the　Hawk。

There　was　once；　in　a　certain　desert；　a　spacious　valley；　full　of　streams　and　trees　and　fruits　and　birds　singing　the　praises　of　God；　the　One；　the　Allpowerful；　Creator　of　day　and　night；　and　among　them　was　a　troop　of　crows；　which　led　the　goodliest　of　lives　under　the　governance　of　one　of　their　number；　who　ruled　them　with　mildness　and　benignity；　so　that　they　were　with　him　in　peace　and　security；　and　by　reason　of　their　wise　ordinance　of　their　affairs；　none　of　the　other　birds　could　avail　against　them。　In　course　of　time　there　befell　their　chief　that　which　is　irrevocably　appointed　to　all　creatures　and　he　died；　whereupon　the　others　mourned　sore　for　him；　and　what　added　to　their　grief　was　that　there　was　not　amongst　them　one　like　unto　him。　who　should　fill　his　place。　So　they　all　assembled　and　took　counsel　together　of　whom　it　befitted　to　set　over　them：　and　some　of　them　chose　one　crow；　saying；　〃It　beseemeth　that　this　one　be　king　over　us；〃　whilst　others　objected　to　him　and　would　none　of　him；　and　thus　there　arose　division　and　dissension　among　them　and　the　strife　waxed　hot　between　them。

At　last　they　agreed　to　sleep　the　night　upon　it　and　that　none　should　go　forth　at　peep　of　dawn　next　morning　to　seek　his　living；　＇as　of　wont＇；　but　that　all　should　wait　till　daybreak；　when　they　should　meet　all　in　one　place。　〃Then；〃　said　they；　〃we　will　all　take　flight　at　once　and　whichsoever　soars　above　the　rest　in　his　flying；　we　will　make　king　over　us。〃　So　they　did　as　they　had　agreed　and　took　flight　all；　but　each　of　them　deemed　himself　higher　than　his　fello　highest；〃　and　that；　〃Nay；　that　am　I。〃　Then　said　the　lowest　of　them　；　〃Look　up；　all　of　you；　and　whomsoever　ye　find　the　highest　of　you；　let　him　be　your　chief。〃　So　they　raised　their　eyes　and　seeing　the　hawk　soaring　over　them；　said　to　each　other；　〃We　agreed　that　which　bird　soever　should　be　the　highest　of　us　should　be　king　over　us；　and　behold；　the　hawk　is　the　highest　of　us：　what　say　ye　to　him？〃　And　they　all　cried　out；　saying；　〃We　accept　of　him。〃

So　they　called　the　hawk　and　said　to　him；　〃O　father　of　good；　we　have　chosen　thee　governor　over　us；　that　thou　mayst　look　into　our　affair。〃　The　hawk　consented；　saying；　〃God　willing；　ye　shall　have　of　me　great　good。〃　But；　after　awhile；　he　fell　to　taking　a　pany　of　them　and　betaking　himself　with　them　afar　off　to　one　of　the　caves；　where　he　struck　them　down　and　eating　their　eyes　and　brains；　threw　their　bodies　into　the　river。　Thus　he　did　every　day；　it　being　his　intent　to　destroy　them　all；　＇one　after　another＇；　till；　seeing　that　their　number　diminished　daily；　the　crows　flocked　to　him　and　said；　〃O　our　king；　we　plain　to　thee　for　that；　since　the　day　we　made　thee　king　and　ruler　over　us；　we　are　in　the　sorriest　case　and　every　day　a　pany　of　us　is　missing　and　we　know　not　the　cause　of　this；　more　by　token　that　the　most　part　thereof　are　of　those　in　attendance　on　thee。〃

Thereupon　the　hawk　waxed　wroth　with　them　and　said　to　them；　〃Verily　it　is　ye　who　have　slain　them；　and　ye　forestall　me　＇with　accusation＇。〃　So　saying；　he　pounced　upon　them　and　tearing　half　a　score　of　their　chiefs　＇in　pieces＇　before　the　rest；　threatened　them　and　drove　them　out　from　before　him　with　blows　and　buffets。　So　they　repented　them　of　that　which　they　had　done　and　said；　〃We　have　known　no　good　since　the　death　of　our　first　king；　especially　in　the　deed　of　this　stranger　in　kind；　but　we　deserve　＇all　we　suffer＇；　even　had　he　destroyed　us　to　the　last　of　us；　and　there　is　exemplified　in　us　the　saying　of　Him　who　saith；　'He　who　submitteth　not　himself　to　the　rule　of　his　own　people；　the　enemy　hath　dominion　over　him；　of　his　ignorance。'　And　now　there　is　nothing　for　it　but　to　flee　for　our　lives；　else　shall　we　perish。〃　So　they　took　flight　and　dispersed　to　various　places。

And　we；　O　king；'　continued　the　vizier；　'we　feared　lest　the　like　of　this　befall　us　and　a　king　bee　ruler　over　us；　other　than　thyself；　but　God　hath　vouchsafed　us　this　boon　and　hath　sent　us　this　blessed　child；　and　now　we　are　assured　of　peace　and　union　and　security　and　prosperity　in　the　land。　So　blessed　be　God　the　Great　and　to　Him　be　thanks　and　praise　and　fair　honour！　And　may　He　bless　the　king　and　us　all　his　subjects　and　vouchsafe　unto　us　and　him　the　utmost　felicity　and　make　his　life　happy　and　his　fortune　constant！'

Then　arose　the　sixth　vizier　and　said；　'God　grant　thee　all　felicity；　O　king；　in　this　world　and　the　next！　Verily；　the　ancients　say；　〃He　who　prayeth　and　fasteth　and　giveth　parents　their　due　and　is　just　in　his　rule　meeteth　his　Lord　and　He　is　well　pleased　with　him。〃　Thou　hast　been　set　over　us　and　hast　ruled　us　justly　and　thine　endeavour　in　this　hath　been　blessed；　wherefore　we　beseech　God　the　Most　High　to　make　great　thy　reward　and　requite　thee　thy　goodness。　I　have　heard　what　this　wise　man　hath　said　respecting　our　fear　for　the　loss　of　our　prosperity；　by　reason　of　the　death　of　the　king　or　the　advent　of　another　who　should　not　be　like　him；　and　how　after　him　dissensions　would　be　rife　among　us　and　calamity　betide　thereupon；　and　how　it　behoved　up　therefore　to　be　instant　in　prayer　to　God　the　Most　High；　so　haply　He　might　vouchsafe　the　king　a　happy　son；　to　inherit　the　kingship　after　him。　But；　after　all；　the　issue　of　that　which　man　desireth　of　the　goods　of　the　world　and　after　which　he　lusteth　is　unknown　unto　him；　and　it　behoveth　him　to　ask　not　of　his　Lord　a　thing　whose　issue　he　knoweth　not；　for　that　belike　the　hurt　of　the　thing　is　nearer　to　him　than　its　profit　and　his　destruction　may　be　in　that　he　seeketh　and　there　may　befall　him　what　befell　the　serpentcharmer's　wife　and　children　and　the　people　of　his　house。'　'What　was　that？'　asked　the　king。　'Know；　O　king；'　replied　the　vizier；　'that

　The　Serpentcharmer　and　His　Wife。

There　was　once　a　man；　a　serpentcharmer；　who　used　to　＇catch　and＇　train　serpents；　and　this　was　his　trade；　and　he　had　a　great　basket；　in　which　were　three　snakes；　but　the　people　of　his　house　knew　this　not。　Every　day　he　used　to　take　the　basket　and　go　round　about　the　town　with　it；　gaining　his　living　and　that　of　his　family　＇by　exhibiting　the　snakes＇；　and　at　eventide　he　returned　to　his　house　and　clapped　them　back　into　the　basket　privily。　One　day；　when　he　came　home；　as　of　wont；　his　wife　asked　him　what　was　in　the　basket　and　he　said；　〃What　wouldst　thou　with　it？　Is　not　victual　plentiful　with　you？　Be　content　with　that　which　God　hath　allotted　to　thee　and　enquire　not　of　aught　else。〃　With　this　she　held　her　peace；　but　she　said　in　herself；　〃Needs　must　I　search　the　basket　and　know　what　is　therein。〃　So　she　egged　on　her　children　to　ask　him　of　the　basket　and　importune　him；　till　he　should　tell　them　what　was　therein。　They　concluded　that　it　contained　something　to　eat　and　sought　every　day　of　their　father　that　he　should　show