Prevod

It is also told that one of the sultans had a daughter whose heart became enamored of a black slave. He took her virginity, and she grew so addicted to intercourse that she could not endure an hour without it. She confided her trouble to one of the women who managed the household, who told her that no creature copulated more than a monkey. Now it happened that a monkey trainer passed beneath her window with a large monkey. She unveiled her face, looked at the monkey, and beckoned to it with her eyes. The monkey broke its tether and chains and climbed up to her. She hid it in her rooms, and thereafter its days and nights were spent eating, drinking, and coupling with her. Her father discovered this and resolved to kill her. But morning overtook Shahrazad, and she fell silent, ceasing her permitted tale.

When it was the three hundred and fifty-sixth night

She said: It has reached me, O fortunate King, that when the sultan discovered his daughter’s affair and resolved to kill her, she learned of his intention. She disguised herself as a mamluk, mounted a horse, and took a mule, which she loaded with an indescribable quantity of gold, precious metals, and cloth. Taking the monkey with her, she journeyed until she reached Egypt, where she lodged in a house in the desert. Every day she bought meat from a young butcher, but she never came to him until after midday, when her complexion was yellow and her face drawn. The young man said to himself, “There must be some strange reason for this mamluk’s condition.” So when she came as usual and bought her meat, he followed her without being seen. He said: “I kept following her unseen from place to place until she reached her dwelling in the desert and went inside. I peered in through an opening and saw her settle herself, light a fire, cook the meat, and eat her fill. Then she gave the rest to the monkey she had with her, and it too ate its fill. After that she took off her clothes and put on the finest women’s garments she possessed, and I knew she was a woman. She brought out wine, drank some, and gave the monkey some to drink. Then the monkey coupled with her some ten times, until she fainted. Afterward it spread a silken sheet over her and went back to its place. I climbed down into the middle of the dwelling, but the monkey sensed my presence and tried to tear me to pieces. I forestalled it with a knife I had with me, striking it in the belly. The young woman awoke in terror and alarm, and when she saw the monkey in that state, she gave so terrible a scream that she nearly died, then fell unconscious. When she came to, she said to me, ‘What made you do this? Now, by God, I beg you to send me after him!’ I went on soothing her and promising that I would satisfy her as often as the monkey had done, until her fear subsided, and I married her. But I proved unequal to the task and could not endure it. I complained of my plight to an old woman and told her my wife’s story. She undertook to remedy the matter and said, ‘You must bring me a pot filled with pure vinegar, and about a ratl of pellitory root.’ I brought her what she asked for. She put the root in the pot, set the pot on the fire, and brought it to a fierce boil. Then she told me to have intercourse with the young woman. I did so until she fainted, whereupon the old woman lifted her, unconscious, and held her private parts over the mouth of the pot. The steam rose and entered her, and something fell from her privates. I examined it and found two worms, one black and the other yellow. The old woman said, ‘The first was bred by intercourse with the slave, and the second by intercourse with the monkey.’ When my wife recovered from her swoon, she remained with me without asking for intercourse, for God had relieved her of that condition, and she marveled at it.” But morning overtook Shahrazad, and she fell silent, ceasing her permitted tale.

When it was the three hundred and fifty-seventh night

She said: It has reached me, O fortunate King, that the young man said, “God had relieved her of that condition, and she marveled at it, so I told her what had happened.” She continued to live with him in the greatest ease and delight, and treated the old woman as her own mother. She, her husband, and the old woman lived on in happiness and joy until there came to them the Destroyer of Delights and the Sunderer of Companions. Glory be to the Ever-Living One who never dies, in whose hand are sovereignty and dominion.