The Book Of The Thousand Nights And A Night, Vol 1 Page-290

The Book Of The Thousand Nights And A Night, Vol 1

A plain and literal translation of the arabian nights entertainments

‘O Keener,[FN#623] 0 sweetheart, thou fallest not short’ and he leaves no one’s vitals sound for laughing at him. But the scavenger sings so that the birds stop to listen to him and dances and sings, ‘News my wife wots is not locked in a box!’[FN#624] And he hath privilege, for ‘tis a shrewd rogue[FN#625] and a witty; and speaking of his excellence I am wont to say, My life for the scavenger! right well I love him, Like a waving bough he is sweet to my sight: Fate joined us one night, when to him quoth I (The while I grew weak and love gained more might) ‘Thy love burns my heart!’ ‘And no wonder,’ quoth he * ‘When the drawer of dung turns a stoker wight.’[FN#626] And indeed each is perfect in whatso can charm the wit with joy and jollity;” adding presently, “But hearing is not seeing; and indeed if thou make up thy mind to join us and put off going to thy friends, ‘twill be better for us and for thee. The traces of illness are yet upon thee and haply thou art going among folk who be mighty talkers, men who commune together of what concerneth them not; or there may be amongst them some forward fellow who will split thy head, and thou half thy size from sickness.” “This shall be for some other day,” answered I, and laughed with heart angered: “finish thy work and go, in Allah Almighty’s guard, to thy friends, for they will be expecting thy coming.” “O my lord,” replied he, “I seek only to introduce thee to these fellows of infinite mirth, the sons of men of worth, amongst whom there is neither procacity nor dicacity nor loquacity; for never, since I grew to years of discretion, could I endure to consort with one who asketh questions concerning what concerneth him not, nor have I ever frequented any save those who are, like myself, men of few words. In sooth