Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 7.djvu/60

42 With this, she embraced him and kissed him and made a show of love to him; then she lay down to sleep and he by her side. Presently she rose from the bed, and Bedr was awake; but he feigned sleep and watched stealthily, to see what she would do. She took out of a red bag somewhat red, which she planted in the midst of the chamber, and it became a stream, running like the sea; after which she took a handful of barley and strewing it on the ground, watered it with water from the stream, whereupon it became corn in the ear, and she gathered it and ground it into meal. Then she laid it by and returning to bed, lay down by Bedr till morning, when he arose and washed his face and asked her leave to visit his uncle. She gave him leave and he repaired to Abdallah and told him what had passed. The old man laughed and said, ‘By Allah, the misbelieving witch plotteth mischief against thee; but reck thou never of her.’

Then he gave him a pound of parched barley and said to him, ‘Take this with thee and know that, when she sees it, she will say to thee, “What is this and what wilt thou do with it?” Do thou answer, “Abundance of good things is good;” and eat of it. Then will she bring forth to thee parched grain of her own and bid thee eat of it; and do thou feign to her that thou eatest thereof, but eat of this instead and have a care lest thou eat of hers; for, if thou eat so much as a grain thereof, her spells will have power over thee and she will enchant thee and say to thee, “Leave this form of a man.” Whereupon thou wilt quit thine own shape for what shape she will. But, if thou eat not thereof, her enchantments will be avoided and no harm will betide thee therefrom; whereat she will be abashed to the utmost and say to thee, “I did but jest with thee.” Then will she make a show of love and affection to thee; but this will all be but hypocrisy and