Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 9.djvu/185

161 befell thee? Indeed our hearts have been occupied with thee.” Quoth Saïdeh, “Had ye any bowels for him or had ye loved him, ye had not cast him into the sea; but choose now what death ye will die.”

Then she seized on them and would have slain them; but they cried out, saying, [“We“[We [sic] throw ourselves] on thy mercy, O our brother!” And I said to her, “I beseech thee, kill not my brothers.” Quoth she, “Needs must I slay them, for they are traitors.” But I ceased not to speak her fair and intercede with her, till she said, “To content thee, I will not kill them, but I will enchant them.” So saying, she brought out a cup and filling it with sea-water, pronounced over it words that might not be understood; then she sprinkled them with the water, saying, “Quit this human shape for that of a dog;” and immediately they became dogs, as thou seest them, O Vicar of God.’ Then he turned to the dogs and said to them, ‘Have I spoken the truth, O my brothers?’ And they bowed their heads, as who should say, ‘Thou hast spoken truly.’

‘Then,’ continued he, ‘she said to those who were in the galleon, “Know ye that Abdallah ben Fazil here present is become my brother and I shall visit him once or twice every day: so, whoso of you thwarteth him or gainsayeth his commandment or doth him hurt with hand or tongue, I will do with him like as I have done with these two traitors and turn him into a dog, and he shall end his days in that shape, nor shall he find deliverance.” And they all said to her, “O our lady, we are all his slaves and his servants and will not gainsay him in aught.” Moreover, she said to me, “When thou comest to Bassora, examine all thy property and if there lack aught thereof, tell me and I will bring it thee, in whose hands and wheresoever it may be, and will change him who took it into a dog. When thou hast laid up thy goods, clap a collar VOL. IX.