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Burton, Richard Francis

"The Arabian Nights"


Its beauties seem to beautify its sons
And as in Heaven its happy folk appear.
I was glad of my arrival, for I was wearied with the way, and yellow
of face for weakness and want, but my plight was pitiable and I knew
not whither to betake me. So I accosted a tailor sitting in his little
shop and saluted him. He returned my salaam, and bade me kindly
welcome and wished me well and entreated me gently and asked me of the
cause of my strangerhood. I told him all my past from first to last,
and he was concerned on my account and said: "O youth, disclose not
thy secret to any. The King of this city is the greatest enemy thy
father hath, and there is blood wite between them and thou hast
cause to fear for thy life." Then he set meat and drink before me, and
I ate and drank and he with me, and we conversed freely till
nightfall, when he cleared me a place in a corner of his shop and
brought me a carpet and a coverlet. I tarried with him three days,
at the end of which time he said to me, "Knowest thou no calling
whereby to will thy living, O my son?" "I am learned in the law," I
replied, "and a doctor of doctrine, an adept in art and science, a
mathematician, and a notable pen-man.


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