一千零一夜-天方夜谭-1001 Nights(英文版)-第68章

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new　him　not　said；　'Harkye；　how　much　a　pound？　e；　sell　to　me。'　And　he　answered；　saying；　'Wait　till　I　e　back　to　thee；'　for　that　he　would　not　vex　any。

Then　he　fared　on　till　he　came　to　the　seashore　and　foregathered　with　his　friend　the　merman；　to　whom　he　delivered　the　fruit；　receiving　jewels　in　return。　As　he　passed　by　the　shop　of　the　baker；　on　his　return；　he　saw　it　closed；　and　thus　he　did　ten　days；　during　which　time　the　shop　abode　shut　and　he　saw　nothing　of　the　baker。　So　he　said　in　himself；　'This　is　a　strange　thing！　I　wonder　what　is　e　of　the　baker！'　Then　he　enquired　of　his　neighbour；　saying；　'O　my　brother；　where　is　thy　neighbour　the　baker　and　what　hath　God　done　with　him？'　'O　my　lord；'　answered　he；　'he　is　sick　and　eth　not　forth　of　his　house。'　'Where　is　his　house？'　asked　Abdallah；　and　the　other　replied；　'In　such　a　quarter。'

So　he　；　but；　when　he　knocked　at　the　door；　the　baker　looked　out　of　window　and　seeing　his　friend　the　fisherman；　with　a　full　basket　on　his　head；　came　down　and　opened　the　door　to　him。　Abdallah　entered　and　throwing　himself　on　the　baker；　embraced　him　and　wept；　saying；　'How　dost　thou；　O　my　friend？　Every　day；　I　pass　by　thy　shop　and　see　it　closed；　so　I　asked　thy　neighbour；　who　told　me　that　thou　wast　sick；　and　I　enquired　for　thy　house；　that　I　might　see　thee。'　'God　requite　thee　for　me　with　all　good！'　answered　the　baker。　'Nothing　ails　me；　but　it　was　told　me　that　the　king　had　taken　thee；　for　that　certain　of　the　folk　had　lied　against　thee　and　accused　thee　of　being　a　thief；　wherefore　I　feared　and　shut　my　shop　and　hid　myself'　'It　is　well；'　said　Abdallah　and　told　him　all　that　had　befallen　him　with　the　king　and　the　Syndic　of　the　jewellers；　adding；　'Moreover；　the　king　hath　given　me　his　daughter　to　wife　and　made　me　his　vizier：　so　do　thou　take　what　is　in　this　basket　to　thy　share　and　fear　nothing。'

Then　he　left　him；　after　having　done　away　his　fear　from　him；　and　returned　with　the　empty　basket　to　the　king；　who　said　to　him；　'O　my　soninlaw；　it　would　seem　thou　hast　not　foregathered　with　thy　friend　the　merman　today。'　'I　went　to　him；'　replied　Abdallah；　'but　that　which　I　got　of　him　I　gave　to　my　friend　the　baker；　to　whom　I　owe　kindness。'　'Who　is　this　baker？'　asked　the　king；　and　the　fisherman　answered；　'He　is　a　benevolent　man；　who　did　with　me　thus　and　thus　in　the　days　of　my　poverty　and　never　neglected　me　a　single　day　nor　vexed　my　spirit。'　Quoth　the　king；　'What　is　his　name？'　'　His　name　is　Abdallah　the　baker；'　replied　the　fisherman；　'and　my　name　is　Abdallah　of　the　land　and　that　of　my　friend　the　merman　Abdallah　of　the　sea。'　'And　my　name；　also；　is　Abdallah；'　rejoined　the　king；　and　the　servants　of　God　（201）　are　all　brethren。　So　send　and　fetch　thy　friend　the　baker　that　I　may　make　him　my　vizier　of　the　left。'

So　he　sent　for　the　baker　and　the　king　invested　him　with　the　vizier's　habit　and　made　him　vizier　of　the　left；　making　Abdallah　of　the　land　his　vizier　of　the　right。　On　this　wise　the　fisherman　abode　a　whole　year；　every　day　carrying　the　merman　the　basket　full　of　fruit　and　receiving　it　back；　full　of　jewels；　and　when　fruit　failed　from　the　gardens；　he　carried　him　raisins　and　almonds　and　hazelnuts　and　walnuts　and　figs　and　so　forth；　and　all　that　he　brought　him　the　merman　accepted　and　returned　him　the　basket　full　of　jewels；　as　of　wont。

It　chanced　one　day　that　he　carried　him　the　basket；　full　of　dry　（202）　fruits；　according　to　custom；　and　his　friend　took　them　from　him。　Then　they　sat　down　to　converse；　the　fisherman　on　the　beach　and　the　merman　in　the　water；　near　the　shore；　and　conversed；　and　the　talk　went　round　between　them；　till　it　fell　upon　the　subject　of　tombs；　y　brother；　they　say　that　the　Prophet　（whom　God　bless　and　preserve！）　is　buried　with　you　on　the　land。　Knowest　thou　his　tomb？'　'Yes；'　answered　Abdallah。　'It　lies　in　a　city　called　Yethrib。'　（203）　'And　do　the　people　of　the　land　visit　it？'　asked　the　merman。　'Yes；'　replied　the　fisherman；　and　the　other　said；　'I　give　you　joy；　O　people　of　the　land；　of　visiting　＇the　tomb　of＇　that　noble　and　passionate　prophet；　which　whoso　visits　merits　his　intercession！　Hast　thou　visited　it；　O　my　brother？'　'No；'　answered　the　fisherman；　'for　I　was　poor　and　had　not　what　to　spend　by　the　way；　nor　have　I　been　at　my　ease　but　since　I　knew　thee　and　thou　bestowedst　on　me　this　good　fortune。　But　it　behoves　me　to　visit　it；　after　I　have　made　the　pilgrimage　to　the　Holy　House　of　God；　（204）　and　nought　withholds　me　therefrom　but　my　love　for　thee；　for　I　cannot　leave　thee　for　one　day。'

'And　dost　thou　set　the　love　of　me；'　rejoined　the　merman；　'before　the　visitation　of　the　tomb　of　Mohammed　（whom　God　bless　and　preserve！）；　who　shall　intercede　for　thee　on　the　day　of　appearance　before　God　and　shall　save　thee　from　the　fire　and　through　whose　intercession　thou　shalt　enter　Paradise？　And　dost　thou；　for　the　love　of　the　world；　leave　to　visit　the　tomb　of　thy　Prophet　Mohammed；　whom　God　bless　and　preserve？'　'No；　by　Allah；'　replied　Abdallah。　'I　set　the　visitation　of　the　Prophet's　tomb　above　all　else；　and　I　crave　thy　leave　to　visit　it　this　year。'　'I　grant　thee　leave；'　answered　the　merman；　'but　I　have　a　trust　to　give　thee；　so　e　thou　with　me　into　the　sea；　that　I　may　carry　thee　to　my　city　and　my　house　and　entertain　thee　there　and　give　thee　a　deposit；　and　when　thou　standest　by　the　Prophet's　tomb；　do　thou　lay　it　thereon；　saying；　〃O　apostle　of　God；　Ahdallah　the　merman　salutes　thee　and　sends　thee　this　present；　imploring　thine　intercession　to　save　him　from　the　fire。〃'　'O　my　brother；'　said　the　fisherman；　'thou　wast　created　in　the　water　and　it　is　thine　abidingplace　and　doth　thee　no　hurt；　but；　if　thou　shouldst　e　forth　to　the　land；　would　any　harm　betide　thee？'　'　Yes；'　answered　the　merman；　'my　body　would　dry　up　and　the　breezes　of　the　land　would　blow　upon　me　and　I　should　die。'　'And　I；　in　like　manner；'　rejoined　the　fisherman；　'was　created　on　the　land　and　it　is　my　abidingplace；　but；　if　I　went　down　into　the　sea；　the　water　would　enter　my　belly　and　choke　me　and　I　should　die。'　'Have　no　fear　for　that；　replied　the　other；　'for　I　will　bring　thee　an　ointment；　wherewith　when　thou　hast　anointed　thy　body；　the　water　will　do　thee　no　hurt；　though　thou　shouldst　pass　the　rest　of　thy　life　going　about　in　the　sea；　and　thou　shalt　lie　down　and　rise　up　in　the　sea　and　nought　shall　harm　thee。'　'If　the　case　be　so；'　said　the　fisherman；　'well　and　good；　but　bring　me　the　ointment；　so　I　may　make　proof　of　it。'　'So　be　it；'　answered　the　merman　and　taking　the　basket；　disappeared　in　the　sea。

After　awhile；　he　returned　with　an　ointment；　as　it　were　the　fat　of　oxen；　yellow　as　gold　and　sweet　of　savour。　'What　is　this；　O　my　brother？'　asked　the　fisherman。　'It　is　the　liverfat　of　a　kind　of　fish　called　the　dendan；'　（205）　answered　the　merman；　'which　is　the　biggest　of　all　fish　and　the　fiercest　of　our　foes。　Its　bulk　is　greater　than　that　of　any　beast　of　the　land；　and　were　it　to　meet　a　camel　or　an　elephant；　it　would　swallow　it　at　one　mouthful。'　'O　my　brother；'　asked　Abdallah；　'what　eateth　this　baleful　＇beast＇？'　'It　eateth　of　the　beasts　of　the　sea；'　replied　the　merman。　'Hast　thou　not　heard　the　byword；　〃Like　the　fishes　of　the　sea：　the　strong　eateth　the　weak？〃'

'True；'　answered　the　fisherman；　'but　have　you　many　of　these　dendans　in　the　sea？'　And　the　other　said；　'Yes；　there　be　many　of　them　with　us。　None　can　tell　their　tale　save　God　the　Most　High。'　Quoth　Abdallah；　'Verily；　I　fear　lest；　if　I　go　down　with　thee　into　the　sea；　one　of　these　beasts　fall　in　with　me　and　devour　me。'　'Have　no　fear；'　replied　the　merman。　'When　it　sees　thee；　it　will　know　thee　for　a　son　of　Adam　and　will　fear　thee　and　flee。　It　feareth　none　in　the　sea　as　it　feareth　a　son　of　Adam；　for　that；　if　it　eat　him；　it　dieth　forthright；　because　his　flesh　is　a　deadly　poison　to　this　kind　of　creature；　nor　do　we　gather　its　liverfat　save　by　means　of　a　man；　when　he　falleth　into　the　sea　and　is　drowned；　for　that　his　favour　beeth　changed　and　ofttimes　his　flesh　is　torn；　so　the　dendan　eateth　him；　deeming　him　of　the　beasts　of　the　sea；　and　dieth。　Then　we　light　upon　it　dead　and　take　the　fat　of　its　liver。　Moreover；　wherever　there　is　a　son　of　Adam；　though　there　be　in　that　place　a　hundred　or　two　hundred　or　a　thousand　or　more　of　these　beasts；　if　they　but　hear　him　cry　once；　they　all　die　forthwith　and　not　one　of　them　can　avail　to　remove　from　its　place；　wherefore；　whenas　a　son　of　Adam　falleth　into　the　sea；　we　take　him　＇ere　he　can　drown＇　and　anoint　him　with　this　fat　and　go　round　about　the　sea　with　him；　and　whenever　we　see　a　dendan　or　two　or　three　or　more；　we　bid　him　cry　out　and　they　all　die　forthright　for　his　once　crying。'

Quoth　the　fisherman；　'I　put　my　trust　in　God；'　and　putting　off　his　clothes；　buried　them　in　a　hole；　which　he　dug　in　the　beach；　after　which　he　rubbed　his　body　from　top　to　toe　with　the　ointment。　Then　he　descended　into　the　water　and　diving；　opened　his　eyes　and　the　water　did　him　no　hurt。　So　he　walked　right　and　left；　and　if　he　would；　he　rose　＇to　the　surface＇　and　if　he　would；　he　sank　to　the　bottom。　And　he　saw　the　water　of　the　sea　vaulted　over　him；　as　it　were　a　tent；　yet　it　did　him　no　hurt。　Then　said　the　merman　to　him；　'What　seest　thou；　O　my　brother？'　'O　my　brother；'　answered　Abdallah；　'I　see　＇that　which　is＇　good；　and　indeed　thou　spokest　truth　in　that　which　thou　saidst　to　me；　for　the　water　doth　me　no　hurt。'　Quoth　the　merman；　'Follow　me。'

So　he　followed　him　and　they　fared　on　from　pla