Whilst he was
saying this, the second calender began, addressing himself to
Zobeide.
THE STORY OF THE SECOND CALENDER, A KING'S
SON.
Madam, said he, to obey your command, and to show you by what
strange accident I became blind of the right eye, I must of
necessity give you the whole account of my life.
I was scarcely past my infancy, when the king my father (for you
must know, madam, I am a prince by birth) perceived that I was
endowed with a great deal of sense, and spared nothing to improve
it. He employed all the men in his dominions, who excelled in
sciences and arts, to be constantly about me.
No sooner had I learned to read and write, than I learned the
alcoran from the beginning to the end by heart; that admirable
book, which contains the foundation, the precepts, and the rules
of our religion; and, that I might be thoroughly instructed in
it, I read the works of the most approved authors by whose
commentaries it had been explained. I added to this study that of
all the traditions collected from the mouth of our prophet by the
great men that were contemporary with him. I was not satisfied
with the knowledge alone of all that had any relation to our
religion, but made also a particular search into our histories. I
made myself perfect in polite learning, in the works of the
poets, and in versification.
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