一千零一夜-天方夜谭-1001 Nights(英文版)-第42部分

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ncluded　that　it　contained　something　to　eat　and　sought　every　day　of　their　father　that　he　should　show　them　what　was　in　it；　and　he　still　put　them　off　and　forbade　them　from　asking　this。

On　this　wise　they　abode　awhile；　till　they　agreed　with　their　mother　that　they　would　neither　eat　nor　drink　with　their　father；　till　he　granted　them　their　prayer　and　opened　the　basket　to　them。　One　night；　the　serpentcharmer　came　home　with　great　plenty　of　meat　and　drink　and　called　them　to　eat　with　him；　but　they　refused　and　showed　him　anger；　whereupon　he　began　to　coax　them　with　fair　words；　saying；　〃Tell　me　what　you　would　have；　that　I　may　bring　it　you；　be　it　meat　or　drink　or　clothes。〃　〃O　our　father；〃　answered　they；　〃we　want　nothing　of　thee　but　that　thou　open　this　basket　and　show　us　what　is　therein：　else　we　will　kill　ourselves。〃　〃O　my　children；〃　rejoined　he；　〃there　is　nothing　good　for　you　therein　and　indeed　the　opening　of　it　will　be　hurtful　to　you。〃　They　only　redoubled　in　despite　for　all　he　could　say；　which　when　he　saw；　he　began　to　berate　them　and　threaten　them　with　beating；　except　they　left　this；　but　they　redoubled　in　anger　and　persistence　in　asking；　till　at　last　he　waxed　wroth　and　took　a　stick　to　beat　them；　and　they　fled　from　him　within　the　house。

Now　the　basket　was　present　and　he　had　not　hidden　it　anywhere；　so　his　wife　left　him　occupied　with　the　children　and　opened　the　basket　in　haste；　that　she　might　see　what　was　therein；　whereupon　the　serpents　came　out　and　bit　her　and　killed　her。　Then　they　went　round　about　the　house　and　killed　all；　great　and　small；　who　were　therein；　except　the　serpentcharmer；　who　left　the　place　and　went　away。　If　then；　O　august　king；'　continued　the　vizier；　'thou　consider　this；　thou　wilt　know　that　it　is　not　for　a　man　to　desire　aught　but　that　which　God　the　Most　High　refuseth　not　to　him；　nay；　he　should　be　content　with　what　He　willeth。　And　thou；　O　king；　for　the　abundance　of　thy　wisdom　and　the　excellence　of　thine　understanding；　God　hath　solaced　thine　eyes　with　the　advent　of　this　thy　son；　after　despair；　and　hath　forted　thine　heart；　wherefore　we　pray　God　to　make　him　of　the　just　kings；　acceptable　to　Himself　and　to　his　subjects。'

Then　rose　the　seventh　vizier　and　said；　'O　king；　I　know　and　endorse　all　that　my　brethren；　these　wise　and　learned　viziers；　have　said　of　thy　justice　and　the　goodness　of　thy　policy　and　how　thou　art　distinguished　in　this　from　all　other　kings；　wherefore　they　gave　thee　the　preference　over　them。　Indeed；　this　is　of　that　which　is　incumbent　on　us；　O　king；　and　I　say；　〃Praised　be　God　for　that　He　hath　guerdoned　thee　with　His　bounty　and　vouchsafed　thee；　of　His　mercy；　the　welfare　of　the　realm　and　succoured　us　and　thee；　on　condition　that　we　abound　in　gratitude　to　Him；　and　all　this　no　otherwise　than　by　thine　existence！〃　What　while　thou　remainest　to　us；　we　fear　not　oppression　neither　dread　unright；　nor　can　any　take　advantage　of　our　weakness；　and　indeed　it　is　said；　〃The　greatest　good　of　a　a　people　is　a　just　king　and　their　greatest　evil　an　unjust　one；〃　and　again；　〃Better　dwell　with　devouring　lions　than　with　an　unjust　Sultan。〃　So　praised　be　God　the　Most　High　with　eternal　praise　for　that　He　hath　blessed　us　with　thy　life　and　vouchsafed　thee　this　blessed　child；　whenas　thou　wast　stricken　in　years　and　hadst　despaired　of　issue！　For　the　goodliest　of　the　gifts　of　the　world　is　a　virtuous　child；　and　it　is　said；　〃He　who　hath　no　child；　＇his　life＇　is　without　result　and　he　hath　no　remembrance。〃

As　for　thee；　because　of　the　righteousness　of　thy　justice　and　thy　pious　confidence　in　God　the　Most　High；　thou　hast　been　vouchsafed　this　happy　son；　yea；　this　blessed　child　eth　as　a　gift　from　the　Most　High　God　to　us　and　to　thee；　for　the　excellence　of　thy　governance　and　the　goodliness　of　thy　patience；　and　in　this　thou　hast　fared　even　as　fared　the　spider　with　the　wind。'　'And　what　is　the　story　of　the　spider　and　the　wind？'　asked　the　king。　'Know；　O　king；'　answered　the　vizier；　'that　

　The　Spider　and　the　Wind。

A　spider　once　took　up　her　abode　on　a　high　retired　gate　and　span　her　web　there　and　dwelt　therein　in　peace；　giving　thanks　to　God　the　Most　High；　who　had　made　this　dwellingplace　easy　to　her　and　had　set　her　in　safety　from　noxious　reptiles。　On　this　wise　she　abode　awhile；　still　giving　thanks　to　God　for　her　ease　and　sustenance；　till　the　Creator　bethought　Him　to　try　her　and　make　essay　of　her　gratitude　and　patience。　So　he　sent　upon　her　a　strong　northeast　wind；　which　carried　her　away；　web　and　all；　and　cast　her　into　the　sea。　The　waves　bore　her　ashore　and　she　thanked　God　for　safety　and　began　to　upbraid　the　wind；　saying；　〃O　wind；　why　hast　thou　dealt　thus　with　me　and　what　good　hast　thou　gotten　by　carrying　me　hither　from　my　abidingplace；　where　indeed　I　was　in　safety；　secure　in　my　house　on　the　top　of　the　gate？'　'Leave　thy　chiding；〃　replied　the　wind；　〃for　I　will　carry　thee　back　and　restore　thee　to　thy　place；　as　thou　wast　aforetime。〃

So　the　spider　waited　patiently；　till　the　northeast　wind　left　blowing　and　there　arose　a　southwest　wind；　which　caught　her　up　and　flew　with　her　towards　her　dwelling　place；　and　when　she　came　to　her　abode；　she　knew　it　and　clung　to　it。　And　we；'　continued　the　vizier；　'beseech　God　（who　hath　rewarded　the　king　for　his　singleness　of　heart　and　patience　and　hath　taken　pity　on　his　subjects　and　blessed　them　with　His　favour　and　hath　vouchsafed　the　king　this　son　in　his　old　age；　after　he　had　despaired　＇of　issue＇　and　removed　him　not　from　the　world；　till　He　had　granted　him　the　solace　of　his　eyes　and　bestowed　on　him　what　he　hath　bestowed　of　kingship　and　empire）；　to　vouchsafe　unto　thy　son　that　which　He　hath　vouchsafed　unto　thee　of　kingship　and　dominion　and　glory！　Amen。'

Then　said　the　king；　'Praised　be　God　over　all　praise　and　thanks　be　to　Him　over　all　thanks！　There　is　no　god　but　He；　the　Creator　of　all　things；　by　the　light　of　whose　signs　we　know　the　glory　of　His　greatness　and　who　giveth　kingship　and　dominion　over　his　own　country　to　whom　He　willeth　of　His　servants！　He　chooseth　of　them　whom　He　will　to　make　him　His　vicegerent　and　steward　over　His　creatures　and　mandeth　him　to　just　and　equal　dealing　with　them　and　the　maintenance　of　laws　and　observances　and　the　practice　of　right　and　constancy　in　ordering　their　affairs　to　that　which　is　most　acceptable　to　Him　and　to　them。　He　who　doth　thus　and　obeyeth　the　mandment　of　his　Lord；　attaih　his　desire；　and　God　preserveth　him　from　the　perils　of　this　world　and　maketh　fair　his　repense　in　the　world　to　e；　for　indeed　He　neglecteth　not　the　reward　of　the　just：　and　whoso　doth　otherwise　than　as　God　bidders　him　sinh　grievously　and　disobeyeth　his　Lord；　preferring　his　temporal　above　his　spiritual　weal。　He　hath　no　trace　in　this　world　and　no　part　in　the　next：　for　God　spareth　not　the　unjust　and　the　corrupt；　nor　doth　He　forsake　any　of　His　servants。

These　our　viziers　have　set　forth　how；　by　reason　of　our　just　dealing　with　our　subjects　and　our　wise　governance　of　their　affairs；　God　hath　vouchsafed　us　and　them　His　grace；　for　which　it　behoveth　us　to　thank　Him；　because　of　the　abundance　of　His　mercies。　Moreover；　each　of　them　hath　spoken　that　wherewith　God　inspired　him　concerning　this　matter；　and　they　have　vied　with　each　other　in　rendering　thanks　to　God　the　Most　High　and　praising　Him　for　His　favours　and　bounties。　I　also　render　thanks　to　God；　for　that　I　am　but　a　slave　manded；　my　heart　is　in　His　hand　and　my　tongue　obedient　to　Him；　accepting　that　which　He　adjudgeth　to　me　and　to　them；　e　what　may。

Each　one　of　them　hath　said　what　came　to　his　thought　on　the　subject　of　this　boy　and　hath　set　forth　that　which　was　of　the　renewal　of　＇God's＇　favour　to　us；　after　I　had　reached　the　age　when　despair　is　uppermost　and　hope　faileth。　So　praised　be　God　who　hath　saved　us　from　disappointment　and　from　the　alternation　of　rulers；　like　to　the　alternation　of　night　and　day！　For　verily；　this　was　a　great　boon　both　to　us　and　to　them；　wherefore　we　praise　God　the　Most　High　who　hath　given　a　ready　answer　to　our　prayer　and　hath　blessed　us　with　this　boy　and　set　him　in　high　place；　as　the　inheritor　of　the　kingship。　And　we　entreat　Him；　of　His　bounty　and　clemency；　to　make　him　happy　in　his　actions；　apt　to　good　works；　so　he　may　bee　a　king　and　a　sultan　governing　his　people　　from　the　perils　of　error　and　frowardness　of　His　bounty　and　grace　and　goodness！'

When　the　king　had　made　an　end　of　his　speech；　the　sages　and　learned　men　rose　and　prostrated　themselves　before　God　and　thanked　the　king；　after　which　they　kissed　his　hands　and　departed；　each　to　his　own　house；　whilst　the　king　withdrew　into　his　palace；　where　he　looked　upon　the　newborn　child　and　offered　up　prayers　for　him　and　named　him　Wird　Khan。　The　boy　grew　up　till　he　attained　the　age　of　twelve；　（153）　when　the　king；　being　minded　to　have　him　taught　the　various　branches　of　knowledge；　built　him　a　palace　amiddleward　the　city；　wherein　were　three　hundred　and　threescore　rooms；　and　lodged　him　therein。　Then　he　assigned　him　three　learned　men　and　bade　them　relax　not　from　teaching　him　day　and　night　and　look　that　there　was　no　kind　of　knowledge　but　they　instructed　him　therein；　so　he　might　bee　versed　in　all　sciences。　Moreover；　he　manded　them　to　sit　with　him　one　day　in　each　of　the　rooms　in　turn　and　write　on　the　door　thereof　that　which　they　had　aught　him　therein　of　various　kinds　of　knowledge　and　report　to　himself　every　seven　days　what　he　had　learnt。　So　they　went　in　to　th