Prevod

It has also reached me, O King, that a man of wit once entered the market and found a slave boy being offered for sale. He bought him, brought him home, and said to his wife, “Take good care of him.” The boy remained with them for some time. Then one day the man said to his wife, “Go out to the garden tomorrow, enjoy the sights, stroll about, and take your ease.” “With pleasure and all my heart,” she replied. When the boy heard this, he prepared some food that very night, along with drink, nuts, and fruit. Then he went to the garden and placed the food beneath one tree, the drink beneath another, and the fruit and nuts beneath a third, all along the path his mistress would take. When morning came, the man ordered the boy to accompany his mistress to the garden and had everything they would need made ready: food, drink, and fruit. The young woman came out, mounted a horse, and set off with the boy beside her until they reached the garden. As they entered, a crow cawed, and the boy said to it, “You speak the truth.” His mistress asked, “Do you understand what the crow is saying?” “Yes, my lady,” he replied. “Then what does it say?” “My lady, it says, ‘There is food beneath this tree. Come and eat it.’” “I see you know the language of birds,” she said. “Indeed I do,” he answered. The young woman went over to the tree and found a meal laid ready. When they had eaten, she marvelled greatly at the boy and became convinced that he understood the language of birds.

After their meal they wandered through the garden. The crow cawed again, and the boy said to it, “You speak the truth.” “What is it saying?” his mistress asked. “My lady, it says there is a jug of musk-scented water and some aged wine beneath such-and-such a tree.” She went there with him, and they found it just as he had said. Her wonder grew, and the boy rose still higher in her esteem. She sat down with him, and they drank together. When they had finished drinking, they strolled into another part of the garden. The crow cawed, and the boy said, “You speak the truth.” “What is this crow saying?” his mistress asked. “It says there are fruit and nuts beneath such-and-such a tree.” They went to the tree and found them there, and ate some of the fruit and nuts. Then they walked on through the garden, and the crow cawed once more. This time the boy picked up a stone and threw it at the bird. “Why are you throwing stones at it?” she asked. “What did it say?” “My lady, it is saying something I cannot repeat to you.” “Tell me, and do not be shy. There need be no reserve between us.” But he kept saying, “No,” while she insisted, “Tell me.” At last she made him swear to tell her, and he said, “It tells me, ‘Do to your mistress what her husband does to her.’” When she heard this, she laughed until she fell flat on her back. Then she said, “That is a simple request, and I cannot refuse you.” She went over to one of the trees, spread out the bedding beneath it, and called him to come and satisfy her desire. But suddenly his master was behind him, watching him. He called out, “Boy, why is your mistress lying here weeping?” “Master,” he replied, “she fell from a tree and died, and none but God, glorified and exalted be He, restored her to you. She has lain down here for a little while to rest.” When the young woman saw her husband standing over her, she rose, feigning illness and groaning, “Oh, my back! Oh, my side! Come to me, my dear ones! I have not long to live!” Her husband was bewildered. Then he called to the boy, “Bring your mistress her horse and help her mount.” Once she was mounted, her husband took hold of one stirrup and the boy the other, while he said to her, “May God restore you to health and heal you.” “This, O King, is but one example of men’s tricks and deceit. So do not let your viziers turn you aside from defending me and securing me justice.” Then she wept, and when the king saw her tears—for she was the dearest of all his slave girls—he ordered his son to be put to death. Thereupon the sixth vizier entered, kissed the ground before him, and said, “May Almighty God exalt the king! I am your faithful counsellor, and I urge you to proceed slowly in the matter of your son.” But morning overtook Shahrazad, and she fell silent, leaving her tale untold.

When it was the five hundred and ninety-third night

She said: It has reached me, O fortunate King, that the sixth vizier said to him, “O King, proceed slowly in the matter of your son, for falsehood is like smoke, while truth stands on firm foundations, and the light of truth dispels the darkness of falsehood. Know that women’s guile is great, as God has said in His glorious Book: ‘Truly, your guile is great.’ I have heard a tale of a woman who played such a trick upon the officers of state as no one had ever played before.” “And how was that?” asked the king.