一千零一夜-天方夜谭-1001 Nights(英文版)-第45章

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im。

Thou；　O　king；　art　of　the　fortunate　pious　men　of　whom　it　is　said；　〃The　happiest　of　the　just　is　he　for　whom　God　uniteth　the　goods　of　this　world　and　the　next；　who　is　content　with　that　which　God　allotted　to　him　and　giveth　Him　thanks　for　that　which　He　hath　established。〃　And　indeed　he　who　is　froward　and　seeketh　other　than　that　which　God　hath　decreed　unto　him　and　for　him　resembleth　the　fox　＇and　shall　fare　as　he　did＇　with　the　wild　ass。'　'And　what　is　the　story　of　the　fox　and　the　wild　ass？'　asked　the　king。　'Know；　O　king；'　replied　the　vizier；　'that

　The　Fox　and　the　Wild　Ass。

A　certain　fox　was　wont　every　day　to　leave　his　earth　and　go　forth　in　quest　of　prey。　One　day；　as　he　was　in　a　certain　mountain；　the　night　overtook　him　and　he　set　out　to　return。　On　his　way；　be　fell　in　with　another　fox；　and　each　began　to　tell　the　other　of　the　prey　he　had　gotten。　Quoth　the　newer；　〃The　other　day　I　chanced　upon　a　wild　ass　and　rejoiced　in　this　and　thanked　God　the　Most　High　for　bringing　him　into　my　power；　for　that　I　was　anhungred　and　it　was　three　days　since　I　had　eaten。　So　I　tore　out　his　heart　and　ate　it　and　was　full　and　returned　to　my　earth。　That　was　three　days　ago　and　since　then　I　have　found　nothing　to　eat；　yet　am　I　still　full　of　meat。'　When　the　other　fox　heard　his　fellow's　story；　he　envied　him　his　fulness　and　said　in　himself；　〃Needs　must　I　eat　a　wild　ass's　heart。〃　So　he　left　eating　some　days；　till　he　became　emaciated　and　nigh　upon　death　and　bestirred　not　himself　neither　did　his　endeavour　＇to　get　food＇；　but　lay　coiled　up　in　his　earth。

One　day　there　came　out　two　hunters　in　quest　of　prey　and　started　a　wild　ass。　They　followed　in　his　track　all　day；　till　at　last　one　of　them　shot　at　him　a　barbed　arrow；　which　pierced　his　heart　and　killed　him；　and　he　fell　down　before　the　fox's　hole。　Then　the　hunters　e　up　and　finding　him　dead；　pulled　out　the　arrow　from　his　heart　but　only　the　shaft　came　away　and　the　barbed　head　abode　in　the　wound。　So　they　left　him　where　he　lay；　expecting　that　others　of　the　wild　beasts　would　flock　to　him；　but；　when　it　was　night　and　nothing　fell　to　them；　they　returned　to　their　abidingplaces。　The　fox；　hearing　the　motion　at　the　mouth　of　his　hole；　lay　quiet　till　nightfall；　when　he　came　forth　of　his　earth；　groaning　for　weakness　and　hunger；　and　seeing　the　dead　ass　lying　at　his　door；　was　like　to　fly　for　joy　and　said；　〃Praised　be　God　who　hath　made　my　desire　easy　to　me　without　toil！　Verily；　I　had　lost　hope　of　ing　at　a　wild　ass　or　aught　else；　and　assuredly　God　hath　sent　him　to　me　and　made　him　fall　in　my　place。〃

Then　he　sprang　on　the　dead　ass　and　tearing　open　its　belly；　thrust　in　his　head　and　routed　about　in　its　guts；　till　he　found　the　heart　and　tearing　it　out；　swallowed　it：　but　the　barbed　head　of　the　arrow　stuck　in　his　gullet　and　he　could　neither　get　it　down　into　his　belly　nor　bring　it　forth　of　his　throat。　So　he　made　sure　of　destruction　and　said；　〃Of　a　truth　it　beseemeth　not　the　creature　to　seek　＇aught＇　over　and　above　that　which　God　hath　allotted　to　him。　Had　I　been　content　with　what　He　allotted　me；　I　had　not　e　to　destruction。〃　Wherefore；　O　king；'　added　the　vizier；　'it　behoveth　man　to　be　content　with　that　which　God　hath　allotted　him　and　thank　Him　for　His　bounties　to　him　and　despair　not　of　his　Lord。　And　behold；　O　king；　because　of　the　purity　of　thine　intent　and　the　multitude　of　thy　good　works；　God　hath　blessed　thee　with　a　son；　after　despair：　wherefore　we　pray　the　Most　High　to　vouchsafe　him　long　life　and　abiding　happiness　and　make　him　a　blessed　successor；　faithful　in　the　observance　of　thy　covenant；　after　thy　long　life。'

Then　arose　the　fourth　vizier　and　said；　'Verily；　if　the　king　be　a　man　of　understanding；　versed　in　the　canons　of　science　and　government　and　policy；　upright　in　purpose　and　just　to　his　subjects；　honouring　and　revering　those　to　whom　honour　and　veneration　are　due；　using　clemency；　whenas　it　behoveth；　in　the　exercise　of　his　power　and　protecting　both　governors　and　governed；　lightening　their　burdens　and　bestowing　largesse　on　them；　sparing　their　blood　and　covering　their　nakedness　and　fulfilling　his　covenant　with　them；　he　is　worthy　of　felicity　both　in　this　world　and　the　next：　and　this　is　of　that　which　protecteth　him　from　them　（148）　and　helpeth　him　to　the　stablishing　of　his　kingdom　and　the　victory　over　his　enemies　and　the　acplishment　of　his　desire；　together　with　increase　of　God's　bounty　to　him　and　His　favouring　him　for　his　praise　of　Him　and　the　attainment　of　His　protection。　But　the　king　who　is　the　contrary　of　this　ceaseth　never　from　misfortunes　and　calamities；　he　and　the　people　of　his　realm；　for　that　his　oppression　embraceth　both　stranger　and　kinsman；　and　there　eth　to　pass　with　him　that　which　befell　the　unjust　king　with　the　pilgrim　prince。'　'And　how　was　that？'　asked　King　Jelyaad。　'Know；　O　king；'　answered　the　vizier；　'that

　The　Unjust　King　and　the　Pilgrim　Prince

There　was　once；　in　the　land　of　the　West；　（149）　a　king　who　was　unjust　in　his　rule；　tyrannous；　violent　and　capricious；　having　no　regard　to　the　welfare　or　protection　of　his　subjects　nor　of　those　who　entered　his　kingdom；　and　from　every　one　who　came　within　his　realm　his　officers　took　fourfifths　of　his　good　and　left　him　onefifth；　and　no　more。　God　the　Most　High　decreed　that　he　should　have　a　son；　who　was　fortunate　（150）　and　favoured　（151）　and　seeing　the　things　of　the　world　to　be　unrighteous；　renounced　them　in　his　youth　and　put　away　from　him　the　world　and　that　which　is　therein　and　went　forth；　a　pilgrim；　serving　God　the　Most　High；　wandering　over　deserts　and　wastes　and　＇bytimes＇　entering　cities。

One　day；　he　came　to　his　father's　capital　and　the　guards　laid　hands　on　him　and　searched　him；　but　found　nothing　upon　him　but　two　gowns；　one　old　and　the　other　new。　So　they　stripped　the　new　one　from　him　and　left　him　the　old；　after　they　had　passing　scurvily　entreated　him；　whereat　he　plained　and　said；　〃Out　on　you；　O　oppressors！　I　am　a　poor　man　and　a　pilgrim；　and　what　shall　this　gown　profit　you？　Except　ye　restore　it　to　me；　I　will　go　to　the　king　and　plain　to　him　of　you。〃　〃We　do　this　by　the　king's　mandment；〃　answered　they。　〃So　do　what　seemeth　good　to　thee。〃

So　he　betook　himself　to　the　king's　palace；　but　the　chamberlains　denied　him　admittance；　and　he　turned　away；　saying　in　himself；　〃There　is　nothing　for　me　but　to　watch　for　his　ing　out　and　plain　to　him　of　my　case　and　that　which　hath　betided　me。〃　Accordingly；　he　waited　till　he　heard　one　of　the　guards　announce　the　king's　ing　forth；　whereupon　he　crept　up；　little　by　little；　till　he　stood　before　the　gate；　and　when　the　king　e　out；　he　threw　himself　in　his　way　and　made　his　plaint　to　him；　giving　him　to　know　that　he　was　a　man　of　the　people　of　God；　（152）　who　had　renounced　the　world　and　went　wandering　over　the　earth；　seeking　acceptance　of　God　and　entering　every　city　and　hamlet；　whilst　all　the　folk　he　met　gave　him　alms　according　to　their　power。　〃I　entered　this　thy　city；'　continued　he；　〃hoping　that　the　folk　would　deal　with　me　as　with　others　of　my　condition；　but　thy　men　stopped　me　and　stripped　me　of　one　of　my　gowns　and　loaded　me　with　blows。　Wherefore　do　thou　look　into　my　case　and　take　me　by　the　hand　and　get　me　back　my　gown　and　I　will　not　abide　in　thy　city　an　hour。〃　Quoth　the　unjust　king；　〃Who　counselled　thee　to　enter　this　city；　unknowing　the　custom　of　its　king？〃　And　the　pilgrim　answered；　〃Give　me　back　my　gown　and　do　with　me　what　thou　wilt。〃

When　the　king　heard　this；　he　fell　into　a　rage　and　said；　〃O　fool；　we　stripped　thee　of　thy　gown；　so　thou　mightest　humble　thyself　＇to　us＇；　but　since　thou　troublest　us　with　this　clamour；　we　will　strip　thy　soul　from　thee。〃　Then　he　manded　to　cast　him　into　prison；　where　he　began　to　repent　of　having　answered　the　king　and　reproached　himself　for　not　having　left　him　the　gown　and　made　off　with　his　life。　When　it　was　the　middle　of　the　night；　he　rose　to　his　feet　and　prayed　long　and　fervently；　saying；　〃O　God；　Thou　art　the　Righteous　Judge；　Thou　knowest　my　case　and　that　which　hath　befallen　me　with　this　unjust　king；　and　I；　Thine　oppressed　servant；　beseech　Thee；　of　the　fulness　of　Thy　mercy；　to　deliver　me　from　the　hand　of　this　unjust　king　and　send　down　on　him　Thy　vengeance；　for　Thou　art　not　unmindful　of　the　upright　of　every　oppressor。　Wherefore；　if　Thou　know　that　he　hath　oppressed　me；　loose　on　him　Thy　vengeance　this　night　and　send　down　on　him　Thy　punishment