The Arabian NightsTABLE OF
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Sindbad The Seaman And Sindbad The LandsmanTHERE lived in the city of Baghdad during the reign of the Commander of the Faithful, Harun al-Rashid, a man named Sindbad the Hammal, one in poor case who bore burdens on his head for hire. It happened to him one day of great heat that whilst he was carrying a heavy load, he became exceeding weary and sweated profusely, the heat and the weight alike oppressing him. Presently, as he was passing the gate of a merchant's house before which the ground was swept and watered, and there the air was temperate, he sighted a broad bench beside the door, so he set his load thereon, to take rest and smell the air. He sat down on the edge of the bench, and at once heard from within the melodious sound of lutes and other stringed instruments, and mirth-exciting voices singing and reciting, together with the song of birds warbling and glorifying Almighty Allah in various tunes and tonguess- turtles, mocking birds, merles, nightingales, cushats, and stone curlews- whereat he marveled in himself and was moved to mighty joy and solace.Then he went up to the gate and saw within a great flower garden wherein were pages and black slaves and such a train of servants and attendants and so forth as is found only with kings and sultans. And his nostrils were greeted with the savory odours of an manner meats rich and delicate, and delicious and generous wines. So he raised his eyes heavenward and said, "Glory to Thee, O Lord, O Creator and Provider, Who providest whomso Thou wilt without count or stint! O mine Holy One, I cry Thee pardon for an sins and turn to Thee repenting of all offenses!
"How many by my labors, that evermore endure, When Sindbad the Porter had made an end of reciting his verses, he bore
up his burden and was about to fare on when there came forth to him from
the gate a little foot page, fair of face and shapely of shape and dainty
of dress, who caught him by the hand saying, "Come in and speak with
my lord, for he calleth for thee." The porter would have excused
himself to the page, but the lad would take no refusal, so he left his
load with the doorkeeper in the vestibule and followed the boy into the
house, which he found to be a goodly mansion, radiant and full of majesty,
till he brought him to a grand sitting room wherein he saw a company of
nobles and great lords seated at tables garnished with all manner of
flowers and sweet-scented herbs, besides great plenty of dainty viands and
fruits dried and fresh and confections and wines of the choicest vintages.
There also were instruments of music and mirth and lovely slave girls
playing and singing. All the company was ranged according to rank, and in
the highest place sat a man of worshipful and noble aspect whose beard
sides hoariness had stricken, and he was stately of stature and fair of
favor, agreeable of aspect and full of gravity and dignity and majesty. So
Sindbad the Porter was confounded at that which he beheld and said in
himself, "By Allah, this must be either a piece of Paradise or some
king's palace!"
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