Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 8.djvu/120

108 They gave not over drinking till drunkenness got the mastery of Noureddin and he slept; whereupon she rose and fell to work upon a girdle, according to her wont. When she had wrought it to end, she wrapped it in paper and putting off her clothes, lay down by his side, and they passed the night in dalliance and delight.

On the morrow, she gave him the girdle and bade him carry it to the market and sell it for twenty dinars, like as he had sold its fellow the day before. So he went to the market and sold the girdle for twenty dinars, after which he repaired to the druggist and paid him back the four-score dirhems, thanking him for his bounties and calling down blessings upon him. ‘O my son,’ said he, ‘hast thou sold the damsel?’ ‘Wouldst thou have me sell the soul out of my body?’ answered Noureddin and told him all that had passed, whereat the druggist was mightily pleased and said to him, ‘By Allah, O my son, thou rejoicest me! So God please, mayst thou still abide in prosperity! Indeed I wish thee well by reason of my affection for thy father and the continuance of our friendship.’ Then he took leave of him and going to the market, bought meat and fruit and wine and all that he needed, as of wont, and returned therewith to Meryem.

They abode thus a whole year in eating and drinking and sport and merriment and love and good cheer, and every night she made a girdle and he sold it on the morrow for twenty dinars, wherewith he bought what they needed and gave the rest to her, to keep against a time of need. After this, she said to him one day, ‘O my lord, when thou sellest the girdle to-morrow, buy me silk of six colours with its price, for I have a mind to make thee a kerchief, to wear on thy shoulders, such as never son of merchant, no, nor king’s son, ever rejoiced in its fellow.’ So next day he brought her what she sought and she wrought at the kerchief a whole week;