Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 5.djvu/379

345 STORY OF THE FOX AND THE FOLK.

A fox once made his way into a city by the wall and entering a currier’s storehouse, played havoc with what was therein and spoiled the skins for the owner. One day, the currier set a trap for him and taking him, beat him with the hides, till he fell down senseless, whereupon the man, deeming him to be dead, cast him out into the road by the city-gate. Presently, an old woman came up and seeing the fox, said, “A fox’s eye, hung about a child’s neck, is salutary against weeping.” So she pulled out his right eye and went away. Then came a boy, who said, “What does this tail on this fox?” and cut off his brush. After awhile, up came a man and saying, “A fox’s gall clears away dimness from the eyes, if they be anointed therewith,” [took out his knife and made to slit the fox’s paunch]; but the latter said in himself; “We bore with the pulling out of the eye and the cutting off of the tail; but, as for the slitting of the paunch, there is no putting up with that.” So saying, he sprang up and made off through the gate of the city.’ Quoth the King, ‘I excuse her, and in my son’s hands be her doom. If he will, let him torture her, and if he will, let him put her to death.’ Quoth the prince, ‘Forgiveness is better than vengeance and it is of the fashion of the noble;’ and the King repeated, ‘It is for thee to decide, O my son.’ So the prince set her free, saying, ‘Depart from our neighbourhood and may God pardon what is past!’

Therewith the King rose from his couch of estate and seating his son thereon, crowned him with his crown and bade the grandees of his realm swear fealty and do homage to him. And he said, ‘O folk, indeed, I am stricken in years and desire to withdraw apart and give myself up to the service of my Lord, and I call you to witness that I VOL. V.