I will tell you the
history of my life, and of the bitch you see; and if you think it
more wonderful and surprising than the adventure of the merchant
you are going to kill, I hope you will pardon the poor
unfortunate man the third of his crime. The genie took some time
to consult upon it, but answered at last, Well, then; I agree to
it.
THE HISTORY OF THE FIRST OLD MAN AND THE
BITCH.
I shall begin then, says the old man; listen to me I pray you,
with attention. This bitch you see is my cousin, nay, what is
more, my wife: she was only twelve years of age when I married
her, so that I may justly say, she ought as much to regard me as
her father, as her kinsman and husband.
We lived together twenty years without any children, yet her
barrenness did hot hinder my haying a great deal of complaisance
and friendship for her. The desire of having children only made
me to buy a slave, by whom I had a son, who was extremely
promising. My wife being jealous, conceived a hatred both for
mother and child, but concealed it so well, that I did not know
it till it was too late.
Mean time my son grew up, and was ten years old, when I was
obliged to undertake a journey: before I went, I recommended to
my wife, of whom I had no mistrust, the slave and her son, and
prayed her to take care of them during my absence, which was for
a whole year.
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