CONTENTS OF THE FOURTH VOLUME.
| PAGE | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| CONTINUATION OF THE TALE OF KAMAR AL-ZAMAN:— | |||
| Ni’amah bin al-Rabi’a and Naomi his Slave-Girl | [1] | ||
| a. | Conclusion of the Tale of Kamar al-Zaman | [23] | |
| (Lane II., Chapt. X. Story of Neameh and Noam: p. 186.) | |||
| 13. | ALA AL-DIN ABU AL-SHAMAT | [29] | |
| (Lane, Chapt. XI. Story of Ala ed-Deen Abu-sh-Shámát: p. 250.) | |||
| 14. | HATIM OF THE TRIBE OF TAYY | [94] | |
| (Lane, Notes to Chapt. XI. Liberality of Hatim el-Táee after his Death: p. 333) | |||
| 15. | MA’AN THE SON OF ZAIDAH AND THE THREE GIRLS | [96] | |
| (Lane, Notes to Chapt. XI. Anecdote of Maan the Son of Záïdeh: p. 335) | |||
| 16. | MA’AN SON OF ZAIDAH AND THE BADAWI | [97] | |
| 17. | THE CITY OF LABTAYT | [99] | |
| 18. | THE CALIPH HISHAM AND THE ARAB YOUTH | [101] | |
| 19. | IBRAHIM BIN AL-MAHDI AND THE BARBER-SURGEON | [103] | |
| (Lane, Notes to Chapt. XI. Adventures of Ibráheem the Son of El-Mahdee: p. 336.) | |||
| 20. | THE CITY OF MANY-COLUMNED IRAM AND ABDULLAH SON OF ABI KALABAH | [113] | |
| (Lane, Notes to Chapt. XI. The Discovery and History of Irem Zát el-‘Emad, the Terrestrial Paradise of Sheddad the Son of ‘Ad: p. 342.) | |||
| 21. | ISAAC OF MOSUL | [119] | |
| (Lane, Note to Chapt. XI. Anecdote of Ishák el-Mósilee and Khadeejeh and El-Ma-moon: p. 347.) | |||
| 22. | THE SWEEP AND THE NOBLE LADY | [125] | |
| 23. | THE MOCK CALIPH | [130] | |
| (Lane, Chapt. XIII. Story of Mohammad ‘Alee the Jeweller, or the False Khaleefeh: p. 380.) | |||
| 24. | ALI THE PERSIAN | [149] | |
| 25. | HARUN AL-RASHID AND THE SLAVE-GIRL AND THE IMAM ABU YUSUF | [153] | |
| 26. | THE LOVER WHO FEIGNED HIMSELF A THIEF | [155] | |
| (Lane, Note to Chapt. XIII. Anecdote of a Disinterested Lover: p. 400.) | |||
| 27. | JA’AFAR THE BARMECIDE AND THE BEAN-SELLER | [159] | |
| (Lane, Note to Chapt. XIII. Anecdote of Jaafar el-Barmakee: p. 404.) | |||
| 28. | ABU MOHAMMED HIGHT LAZYBONES | [162] | |
| (Lane, Chapt. XIV. Story of Aboo Mohammad the Lazy: p. 406.) | |||
| 29. | GENEROUS DEALING OF YAHYA BIN KHALID THE BARMECIDE WITH MANSUR | [179] | |
| (Lane, Notes to Chapt. XIV. Anecdote of Yahya the Son of Khalid el-Barmakee: p. 427.) | |||
| 30. | GENEROUS DEALING OF YAHYA SON OF KHALID WITH A MAN WHO FORGED A LETTER IN HIS NAME | [181] | |
| (Lane, Notes to Chapt. XIV. Another Anecdote of the Same: p. 429.) | |||
| 31. | CALIPH AL-MAAMUN AND THE STRANGE SCHOLAR | [185] | |
| (Lane, Notes to Chapt. XIV. Anecdote of El-Ma-moon and a Learned Man: p. 432.) | |||
| 32. | ALI SHAR AND ZUMURRUD | [187] | |
| (Lane, Chapt. XV. Story of ‘Ale Shér and Zumurrud: p. 434.) | |||
| 33. | THE LOVES OF JUBAYR BIN UMAYR AND THE LADY BUDUR | [228] | |
| (Lane, Chapt. XVI. Story of Ibn Mansoor and the Lady Budur and Jubeyr the Son of ‘Omeyr esh-Sheybánee: p. 477.) | |||
| 34. | THE MAN OF AL-YAMAN AND HIS SIX SLAVE GIRLS | [245] | |
| 35. | HARUN AL-RASHID AND THE DAMSEL AND ABU NOWAS | [261] | |
| 36. | THE MAN WHO STOLE THE DISH OF GOLD WHEREIN THE DOG ATE | [265] | |
| (Lane, Notes to Chapt. XVI. Instances of the Vicissitudes of Fortune: p. 497.) | |||
| 37. | THE SHARPER OF ALEXANDRIA AND THE CHIEF OF POLICE | [269] | |
| (Lane, Notes to Chapt. XVI. Hosám ed-Deen the Wálee, and a Sharper: p. 501.) | |||
| 38. | AL-MALIK AL-NASIR AND THE THREE CHIEFS OF POLICE | [271] | |
| (Lane, Notes to Chapt. XVI. The Three Wálees: p. 502.) | |||
| a. | Story of the Chief of the New Cairo Police | [ib.] | |
| b. | Story of the Chief of the Bulak Police | [273] | |
| c. | Story of the Chief of the Old Cairo Police | [274] | |
| 39. | THE THIEF AND THE SHROFF | [275] | |
| (Lane, Notes to Chapt. XVI. The Money Changer and the Sharper: p. 505.) | |||
| 40. | THE CHIEF OF THE KUS POLICE AND THE SHARPER | [276] | |
| 41. | IBRAHIM BIN AL-MAHDI AND THE MERCHANT’S SISTER | [278] | |
| (Lane, Notes to Chapt. XVI. Anecdote of Ibráheem the Son of el-Mahdee: p. 506.) | |||
| 42. | THE WOMAN WHOSE HANDS WERE CUT OFF FOR ALMS-GIVING | [281] | |
| (Lane, Notes to Chapt. XVI. Anecdote of a Charitable Woman: p. 508.) | |||
| 43. | THE DEVOUT ISRAELITE | [283] | |
| (Lane, Notes to Chapt. XVI. Anecdote of a Charitable Israelite: p. 510.) | |||
| 44. | ABU HASSAN AL-ZIYADI AND THE KHORASAN MAN | [285] | |
| (Lane, Notes to Chapt. XVI. Anecdote of Hassan ez-Ziyádee: p. 511.) | |||
| 45. | THE POOR MAN AND HIS FRIEND IN NEED | [288] | |
| (Lane, Notes to Chapt. XVI. A Friend in Need: p. 513.) | |||
| 46. | THE RUINED MAN WHO BECAME RICH AGAIN THROUGH A DREAM | [289] | |
| (Lane, Notes to Chapt. XVI. A Dream: p. 514.) | |||
| 47. | CALIPH AL-MUTAWAKKIL AND HIS CONCUBINE MAHBUBAH | [291] | |
| (Lane, Notes to Chapt. XVI. El-Mutawekkil and Mahboobeh: p. 515.) | |||
| 48. | WARDAN THE BUTCHER’S ADVENTURE WITH THE LADY AND THE BEAR | [293] | |
| 49. | THE KING’S DAUGHTER AND THE APE | [297] | |
NI’AMAH BIN AL-RABI’A AND NAOMI HIS SLAVE-GIRL.
There lived once in the city of Cufa[[1]] a man called Al-Rabí’a bin Hátim, who was one of the chief men of the town, a wealthy and a healthy, and Heaven had vouchsafed him a son, whom he named Ni’amat Allah.[[2]] One day, being in the slave-brokers’ mart, he saw a woman exposed for sale with a little maid of wonderful beauty and grace on her arm. So he beckoned to the broker and asked him, “How much for this woman and her daughter?” He answered “Fifty dinars.” Quoth Al-Rabi’a “Write the contract of sale and take the money and give it to her owner.” Then he gave the broker the price and his brokerage and taking the woman and her child, carried them to his house. Now when the daughter of his uncle who was his wife saw the slave, she said to her husband, “O my cousin, what is this damsel?” He replied, “Of a truth, I bought her for the sake of the little one on her arm; for know that, when she groweth up, there will not be her like for beauty, either in the land of the Arabs or the Ajams.” His wife remarked, “Right was thy rede”; and said to the woman, “What is thy name?” She replied, “O my lady, my name is Taufík.[[3]]” “And what is thy daughter’s name?” asked she. Answered the slave, “Sa’ad, the happy.” Rejoined her mistress, “Thou sayst sooth, thou art indeed happy, and happy is he who hath bought thee.” Then quoth she to her husband, “O my cousin, what wilt thou call her?”; and quoth he, “Whatso thou choosest”; so she, “Then let us call her Naomi;” and he rejoined, “Good is thy device.” The little Naomi was reared with Al-Rabi’a’s son Ni’amat in one cradle, so to speak, till the twain reached the age of ten and each grew handsomer than the other; and the boy used to address her, “O my sister!” and she, “O my brother!”, till they came to that age when Al-Rabi’a said to Ni’amah, “O my son, Naomi is not thy sister but thy slave. I bought her in thy name whilst thou wast yet in the cradle; so call her no more sister from this day forth.” Quoth Ni’amah, “If that be so, I will take her to wife.” Then he went to his mother and told her of this, and she said to him, “O my son, she is thy handmaid.” So he wedded and went in unto Naomi and loved her; and two[[4]] years passed over them whilst in this condition, nor was there in all Cufa a fairer girl than Naomi, or a sweeter or a more graceful. As she grew up she learnt the Koran and read works of science and excelled in music and playing upon all kinds of instruments; and in the beauty of her singing she surpassed all the folk of her time. Now one day, as she sat with her husband in the wine-chamber, she took the lute, tightened the strings, and sang these two couplets:—
While thou’rt my lord whose bounty’s my estate, ✿ A sword whereby my woes to annihilate,
Recourse I never need to Amru or Zayd,[[5]] ✿ Nor aught save thee if way to me grow strait!
Ni’amah was charmed with these verses and said to her, “By my life, O Naomi, sing to us with the tambourine and other instruments!” So she sang these couplets to a lively measure:—
By His life who holds my guiding-rein, I swear ✿ I’ll meet on love-ground parlous foe nor care:
Good sooth I’ll vex revilers, thee obey ✿ And quit my slumbers and all joy forswear: