The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 14 by Anonymous
page 225 of 450 (50%)
page 225 of 450 (50%)
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"Haply," responded the Sovran, "there is in his pouch something
he would look at." However when the Sultan's glance happened to fall that way he beheld the Bhang-eater sniffing and smelling at his poke, so he said to the Wazir, "Wallahi! Verily this workman's case is a strange." Hereupon both fixed their eyes upon him and they saw him again hiding somewhat in his pouch and smelling at it. The Wazir cried, "Verily this fellow is a-fizzling and he boweth his head toward his breast in order that he may savour his own farts."[FN#271] The Sultan laughed and said, "By Allah, if he do on this wise 'tis a somewhat curious matter, or perhaps, O Wazir, he have some cause to account for it; at any rate do thou call out to him and ask him." So the Wazir arose and drawing near to him asked him saying, "Ho, this one![FN#272] every time thou fizzlest thou smellest and sniffest at thy fizzlings;" whereto answered the workman, "Wag not thy tongue with these words seeing thou art in the presence of a King glorious of degree." Quoth the Minister, "What is the matter with thee in this case that thou art sniffing at thy pocket?" and quoth the labourer, "Verily my beloved is in my pouch." The Wazir wondered hereat and reported the same to the Sultan who cried, "Return to him and say, 'Is it possible that thou display to us thy beloved who is in thy breast-pocket?'" So he returned to him and said, "Show us what there is in thy pouch." Now the origin of this necklace was that the King had bought it for Kut al-Kulub at the price of a thousand dinars and the damsel had given it to the Bhang-eater with the sole object that the Sultan might look upon it and thereby be directed unto her and might learn the reason of her disappearance and her severance from him. Hereupon the man brought out to them the necklace from his breastpocket and the Sultan on seeing it at once recognised it and wondered how it had |
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