Supplemental Nights to the Book of the Thousand and One Nights — Volume 2 (of 6)

Volume 2 — SHAHRAZAD AND SHAHRYAR.[443]

Richard Francis Burton translation · Edition 2

SHAHRAZAD AND SHAHRYAR.^[443]

King Shahryar marvelled at this history^[444] and said, “By Allah, verily, injustice slayeth its folk!”^[445] And he was edified by that wherewith Shahrazad bespoke him and sought help of Allah the Most High. Then said he to her, “Tell me another of thy tales, O Shahrazad; supply me with a pleasant story and this shall be the completion of the story-telling.” Shahrazad replied, “With love and gladness! It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that a man once declared to his mates, I will set forth to you a means of security against annoy. A friend of mine once related to me and said:—We attained to security against annoy, and the origin of it was other than this; that is, it was the following^[446]:—

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Notes in this chapter

Note 1 · Bresl. Edit., vol. xii. p. 383 (Night mi). The king is called as usual “Shahrbán,” which is nearly synonymous with Shahryár.Note 2 · i.e. the old Sindibad-Námeh (see vol. vi. 122), or “The Malice of Women” which the Bresl. Edit. entitles, “Tale of the King and his Son and Note 3 · i.e. Those who commit it.Note 4 · The connection between this pompous introduction and the story which follows is not apparent. The “Tale of the Two Kings and the Wazir’s Dau