Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night - Volume 5.djvu/299

 longer, for stress of hunger; and, while she refuseth time after time, thou canst not forbear from disobedience to the Lord!' And I said, 'O my God, I repent to Thee of that which my flesh purposed!' Then I took the food and carrying it to her, said, 'Eat, for no harm shall betide thee: this is for the love of Allah, to whom belong Honour and Glory!' Then she raised her eyes to heaven and said, 'O my God, if this man say sooth, I pray Thee forbid fire to harm him in this world and the next, for Thou over all things art Omnipotent and Prevalent in answering the prayer of the penitent!' Then I left her and went to put out the fire in the brasier. [FN#483] Now the season was winter and the weather cold, and a live coal fell on my body: but by the decree of Allah (to whom be Honour and Glory!) I felt no pain and it became my conviction that her prayer had been answered. So I took the coal in my hand, and it burnt me not; and going in to her, I said, 'Be of good cheer, for Allah hath granted thy prayer!'"--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

When it was the Four Hundred and Seventy-third Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the blacksmith continued: "So I went in to her and said, 'Be of good cheer, for Allah hath granted thy prayer!' Then she dropped the morsel from her hand and said, 'O my God, now that Thou hast shown me my desire of him and hast granted me my prayer for him, take Thou my soul, for Thou over all things art Almighty!' And straightway He took her soul to Him, the mercy of Allah be upon her!" And the tongue of the case extemporised and spake on this theme,

"She prayed: the Lord of grace her prayer obeyed; * And spared the sinner, who for sin had prayed: He showed her all she prayed Him to grant; * And Death (as prayed she) her portion made: