一千零一夜-天方夜谭-1001 Nights(英文版)-第47章

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　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　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