The sixth night being come, the sultan and his lady went to bed. Dinarzade awaked at the usual hour, and calling to the sultaness, says, Dear sister, if you be not asleep, I pray you, until it be day, to satisfy my curiosity; I am impatient to hear the story of the old man and the two black dogs. The sultan consented to it with pleasure, being no less desirous to know the story than Dinarzade; and Scheherazade continued it as follows.
THE STORY OF THE SECOND OLD MAN AND THE TWO BLACK DOGS.
Great prince of genies, says the old man, you must know that we are three brothers, I and the two black dogs you see: Our father left each of us, when he died, one thousand sequins; with that sum we all entered into the same way of living, and became merchants. A little time after we had opened shop, my eldest brother, one of these two dogs, resolved to travel and trade in foreign countries. Upon this design, he sold his estate, and bought goods proper for the trade he intended.
He went away, and was absent a whole year; at the end of which, a poor man, who, I thought, had come to ask alms, presented himself before me in my shop. I said to him, God help you. God help you also, answered he, is it possible you do not know me? Upon this, I looked to him narrowly, and knew him. Ah, my brother! cried I, embracing him, how could I know you in this condition? I made him come into my house, and asked him concerning his health, and the success of his travels. Do not ask me that question, says he; when you see me, you see all. It would only renew my grief to tell you all the particulars of the misfortunes that have befallen me, and reduced me to this condition, since I left you.
I immediately shut up my shop, and, carrying him to a bath, gave him the best clothes I had by me; and examining my books, and finding that I had doubled my stock, that is to say, that I was worth two thousand sequins, I gave him one half. With that, said I, brother, you may make up your loss. He joyfully accepted the proffer, recovered himself, and we lived together as before.
Some time after, my second brother, who is the other of these two dogs, would also sell his estate. I and his other brother did all we could to divert him from it, but could not; He sold it, and with the money bought such goods as were suitable for the trade he designed. He joined a caravan; and took a journey. He returned at the end of the year in the same condition as my other brother; and I having gained another thousand sequins, gave him them, with which he furnished his shop, and continued to follow his trade.
Some time after, one of my brothers comes to me to propose a trading voyage with them; I immediately rejected their proposal. You have travelled, said I, and what have you gained by it? Who can assure me that I shall be more successful than you have been? They represented to me in vain all that they thought fit to prevail upon me to engage in that design with them, for I constantly refused; but they importuned me so much, that after having resisted their solicitations five whole. years, they overcame me at last: but when we were to make preparations for our voyage, and to buy goods necessary for the undertaking, I found they had spent all, and that they had not one farthing left of the thousand sequins I had given each of them. I did not, however, upbraid them in the least with it. On the contrary, my stock being six thousand sequins, I shared the half of it with them, telling them, My brothers, we must venture these three thousand sequins, and hide the rest in some sure place, that, in case our voyage be no more successful than yours was formerly, we may have wherewith to assist us, and to follow our ancient way of living. I gave each of them a thousand sequins; and keeping as much for myself, I buried the other three thousand in a corner of my house. We bought our goods; and, after having embarked them on board a vessel, which we freighted betwixt us three, we put to sea with a favourable wind. After a month's sail—But I see day, says Scheherazade, I must stop here.
Sister, says Dinarzade, this story promises a great deal; I fancy the rest of it must be very extraordinary. You are not mistaken, answered the sultaness; and if the sultan will allow me to tell it you, I am persuaded it will very much divert you. Schahriar got up, as he did the day before, without explaining his mind; but gave no order to the grand vizier to kill his daughter.
The Seventh Night.
When the seventh night drew near a close, Dinarzade awaked the sultaness, and prayed her to continue the story of the second old man. I will, answered Scheherazade, provided the sultan, my lord and master, do not oppose it. Not at all, says Shahriar; I am so far from opposing it, that I desire you earnestly to go on with it.