Zgodba o slepcu in dečku

Besedilo

Zgodba o slepcu in dečku

The king’s son said to them, “I have heard that there was once a merchant of great wealth who traveled to every land. Wishing to journey to a certain country, he questioned some people who had come from there, asking, ‘What merchandise brings the greatest profit there?’ They answered, ‘Sandalwood, for it sells at a high price.’ So the merchant spent all his money on sandalwood and set out for that city. He reached it toward the end of the day and came upon an old woman driving a flock of sheep. When she saw him, she asked, ‘Who are you, sir?’ He answered, ‘I am a merchant, a stranger here.’ She said, ‘Beware of the people of this town, for they are cunning thieves. They deceive strangers so as to get them into their clutches and devour whatever they possess. I have given you fair warning.’ Then she left him. The next morning, a townsman met him, greeted him, and asked, ‘Sir, where have you come from?’ ‘From such-and-such a country,’ he replied. ‘And what goods have you brought?’ ‘Sandalwood, for I heard it fetches a good price here.’ The man said, ‘Whoever advised you to bring it was mistaken. We burn nothing but sandalwood beneath our cooking pots, and here it is worth no more than ordinary firewood.’

“When the merchant heard this, he was filled with regret and remorse, not knowing whether to believe it or not. He then took lodgings at one of the city’s inns and began burning sandalwood beneath his pot. When that same man saw him, he asked, ‘Will you sell this sandalwood, each measure for a measure of whatever you please?’ ‘I will,’ said the merchant. The man carried all the sandalwood away to his house, while the seller intended to take an equal measure of gold in return. The next morning the merchant went walking through the city and met a blue-eyed townsman who had only one eye. The fellow seized him and said, ‘You are the man who destroyed my eye, and I shall never let you go!’ The merchant denied it, saying, ‘This claim cannot stand.’ A crowd gathered around them and asked the one-eyed man to allow him until the next day to pay compensation for his eye. The merchant found someone to stand surety for him, and they let him go. He went on his way, but his sandal had broken in his struggle with the one-eyed man. Stopping at a cobbler’s shop, he handed it over and said, ‘Mend this, and I shall give you what will satisfy you.’ Then he walked away and came upon some men sitting at a game. In his sorrow and distress, he sat down with them. They invited him to play, and he joined them, but they contrived to defeat him. Having won, they gave him a choice: either drink up the sea or surrender all his wealth. The merchant rose and said, ‘Give me until tomorrow.’ Then he went away, grieving over what he had done and not knowing what would become of him. He sat down somewhere, sunk in anxious thought, and just then the old woman passed by. Looking at him, she said, ‘The townspeople must have got you into their clutches, for I can see how troubled you are by what has happened.’ He told her everything from beginning to end. She asked, ‘Who cheated you over the sandalwood? Here it is worth ten dinars a pound. But I shall devise a plan for you by which I hope you may save yourself. Go to such-and-such a gate. There you will find a blind old man who cannot walk, a man of great learning, knowledge, and experience. People come to ask his advice about whatever they wish, and he tells them what will best serve their purpose. He is versed in trickery, sorcery, and fraud, and is himself a master rogue. The rogues gather around him at night. Go there and hide from your adversaries where you can hear their words without their seeing you. He will tell them how they may win or lose, and perhaps you will hear an argument that will free you from their claims.’” And dawn overtook Shahrazad, and she fell silent, leaving her tale untold.

When it was the six hundred and fourth night

She said, “I have heard, O fortunate king, that the old woman said to the merchant, ‘Go tonight to the learned man around whom the townspeople gather, and hide yourself. Perhaps you will hear an argument that will free you from your adversaries.’ The merchant left her and went to the place she had described, where he concealed himself. He caught sight of the old man and sat down nearby. Before long, the company who brought their disputes before him arrived. They greeted the old man and one another, then sat around him. The merchant saw that all four of his adversaries were among them. The old man set some food before them, and they ate. Then each began to tell him what had happened that day. The sandalwood buyer came forward and told the old man how he had bought sandalwood from a man for less than its value, agreeing to pay a measureful of whatever the seller wished. The old man said, ‘Your opponent has defeated you.’ ‘How can he defeat me?’ he asked. The old man said, ‘If he tells you, “I will take a measureful of gold or silver,” will you give it to him?’ ‘Yes,’ he replied, ‘and I shall still make a profit.’ ‘But suppose he says, “I will take a measureful of fleas, half male and half female.” What will you do then?’ And the man knew he was beaten.

“Then the one-eyed man came forward and said, ‘Master, today I saw a blue-eyed stranger. I bullied him and seized hold of him, saying, “You are the man who destroyed my eye.” I would not let him go until some people stood surety that he would return and satisfy my claim for my eye.’ The old man said, ‘If he wished to defeat you, he could.’ ‘How could he defeat me?’ ‘He could say, “Pluck out your eye, and I shall pluck out mine, and we shall weigh them both. If my eye weighs the same as yours, then your claim is true.” You would then have to pay compensation for his eye, and you would be blind, while he could still see with his other eye.’ The man realized that this argument would defeat him.

“Then the cobbler came forward and said, ‘Master, I saw a man who gave me his sandal and said, “Mend it.” I asked him, “Will you not pay me?” He replied, “Mend it, and I shall give you what will satisfy you.” Now nothing will satisfy me but all his wealth.’ The old man said, ‘If he wishes to take his sandal from you without giving you anything, he can.’ ‘How is that?’ he asked. The old man replied, ‘He can say to you, “The sultan’s enemies have been defeated, his foes weakened, and his sons and supporters have multiplied. Are you satisfied or not?” If you say, “I am satisfied,” he will take his sandal and leave. If you say, “No,” he will take his sandal and strike you across the face and the back of the neck with it.’ And the cobbler knew he was beaten.

“Then the man who had played against the merchant for a wager came forward and said, ‘Master, I met a man today, made a wager with him, and defeated him. I told him, “If you drink up this sea, I shall surrender all my wealth to you; but if you do not drink it, you must surrender all your wealth to me.”’ The old man said, ‘If he wished to defeat you, he could.’ ‘How is that?’ he asked. ‘He could say, “Hold the mouth of the sea in your hand and bring it to me, and I shall drink it.” You would be unable to do so, and he would defeat you with that argument.’

“When the merchant heard all this, he knew what arguments to use against his adversaries. The men rose and left the old man, and the merchant returned to his lodgings. The next morning, the man who had wagered with him over drinking the sea came to him. The merchant said, ‘Bring me the mouth of the sea, and I shall drink it.’ The man could not, and the merchant defeated him. He paid a hundred dinars to free himself from the wager and went away. Then the cobbler came and demanded what would satisfy him. The merchant said, ‘The sultan has defeated his enemies, destroyed his foes, and been blessed with many sons. Are you satisfied or not?’ ‘Yes, I am satisfied,’ he replied. So the merchant took his sandal without paying a fee and went away. Then the one-eyed man came and demanded compensation for his eye. The merchant said, ‘Pluck out your eye, and I shall pluck out mine, and we shall weigh them. If they are equal, your claim is true, and you may take compensation for your eye.’ The one-eyed man said, ‘Give me time.’ Then he settled with the merchant for a hundred dinars and went away. Next came the sandalwood buyer, who said, ‘Take the price of your sandalwood.’ The merchant asked, ‘What will you give me?’ He replied, ‘We agreed on a measure of something else for each measure of sandalwood. If you wish, take a measureful of gold or silver.’ The merchant said, ‘I will take nothing but a measureful of fleas, half male and half female.’ ‘I can do nothing of the kind,’ the man replied. Thus the merchant defeated him, and the buyer paid a hundred dinars to free himself, after returning the sandalwood. The merchant sold it on his own terms, collected its price, and left that city for his own country.” And dawn overtook Shahrazad, and she fell silent, leaving her tale untold.

When it was the six hundred and fifth night

She said, “I have heard, O fortunate king, that when the merchant had sold his sandalwood and collected its price, he left that city and returned to his own. Then the king’s son continued, ‘As for the three-year-old boy, there was once a dissolute man much given to women. He heard of a beautiful woman who lived in another city, and he traveled there, taking a gift with him. He wrote her a letter describing the anguish he suffered from longing and passion, and saying that his love for her had driven him to leave his home and come to her. She gave him permission to visit her. When he reached her house and entered, she rose to welcome him with honor and respect, kissed his hands, and entertained him with the finest food and drink. She had a little son of three, whom she left while she busied herself with the cooking. The man said to her, “Come, let us lie down together.” She replied, “My son is sitting there watching us.” He said, “He is only a little boy. He understands nothing and does not know how to speak.” She answered, “If you knew how much he understood, you would not say that.” When the boy realized that the rice was cooked, he began to cry loudly. His mother asked, “Why are you crying, my son?” He said, “Serve me some rice and put clarified butter on it.” She served him some and added the butter, and the boy ate. Then he cried again, and his mother asked, “Why are you crying, my son?” He said, “Mother, put some sugar on it for me.” The man, annoyed with him, said, “What a wretched child you are!” The boy replied, “By God, you are the wretched one! You have wearied yourself traveling from one country to another in pursuit of fornication. As for me, I cried because there was something in my eye, and I washed it out with my tears. Then I ate rice with butter and sugar, and now I have had my fill. Which of us is the wretched one?” When the man heard this, he was ashamed at the little boy’s words. He took the lesson to heart, mended his ways that very hour, and returned to his own country without making any further advances to the woman. He remained repentant until he died.

“Then the king’s son said, ‘As for the five-year-old boy, I have heard, O king, that four merchants once pooled a thousand dinars, mixing their money together and putting it in a single purse. They set out to buy merchandise, but on their way they came upon a beautiful garden. They entered it, leaving the purse with the woman who kept the garden. Once inside, they strolled about, ate, drank, and enjoyed themselves. One of them said, “I have some perfume with me. Let us wash our hair in this running water and perfume ourselves.” Another said, “We need a comb.” A third said, “Let us ask the keeper; perhaps she has one.” One of them rose, went to the woman, and said, “Give me the purse.” She replied, “Not until you are all here, or your companions tell me to give it to you.” His companions were sitting where the woman could see them and hear their voices, so he called out to them, “She will not give me anything!” They said to her, “Give it to him.” Hearing this, she handed him the purse. He took it and fled. When he had been gone too long, his companions came to the woman and asked, “Why did you not give him the comb?” She replied, “He asked me only for the purse, and I gave it to him only with your permission. He left here and went on his way.” When they heard this, they struck their faces in dismay, seized her, and said, “We only gave you permission to hand him the comb!” She replied, “He never mentioned a comb to me.” They took her before the judge and told him the story. He ruled that the keeper must make good the purse and bound her over to a number of those who had claims against her.’” And dawn overtook Shahrazad, and she fell silent, leaving her tale untold.

When it was the six hundred and sixth night

She said, “I have heard, O fortunate king, that when the judge ruled that the garden keeper must make good the purse and bound her over to those who had claims against her, she went out bewildered, not knowing which way to turn. A boy of five met her and, seeing her distress, asked, ‘What is the matter, mother?’ She did not answer him, thinking little of him because of his tender age. But he asked her again and again, until at last she said, ‘Some men came into my garden and left a purse containing a thousand dinars in my keeping. They stipulated that I must not give it to any one of them unless they were all present. Then they went into the garden to stroll about and enjoy themselves. One of them came out and said, “Give me the purse.” I replied, “Not until your companions are here.” He said, “I have their permission.” Still I refused to give him the purse, so he called out to his companions, “She will not give me anything!” They were close by and said to me, “Give it to him.” So I handed him the purse, and he took it and went away. His companions grew tired of waiting and came out to ask me, “Why did you not give him the comb?” I said, “He never mentioned a comb to me; he spoke only of the purse.” So they seized me and took me before the judge, who ordered me to make good the purse.’ The boy said, ‘Give me a dirham to buy sweets, and I shall tell you something that will save you.’ The keeper gave him a dirham and asked, ‘What have you to say?’ The boy replied, ‘Go back to the judge and tell him, “Our agreement was that I should not hand over the purse unless all four of them were present.”’ So the keeper returned to the judge and repeated the boy’s words. The judge asked the men, ‘Was that your agreement with her?’ ‘Yes,’ they replied. He said, ‘Then bring me your companion and take the purse.’ Thus the keeper escaped unharmed and went on her way.

“When the king, the viziers, and all those present at the gathering had heard his son’s words, they said to the king, ‘Our lord, your son is the most gifted man of his age.’ They prayed for him and for the king. The king clasped his son to his breast, kissed him between the eyes, and questioned him about the affair with the slave girl. The prince swore by Almighty God and His noble Prophet that it was she who had sought to seduce him. The king believed him and said, ‘I give you judgment over her. Kill her if you wish, or do with her whatever you please.’ The son said to his father, ‘Banish her from the city.’ Thereafter the king’s son lived with his father in the greatest ease and happiness, until there came to them the Destroyer of Delights and the Sunderer of Companies. This is the end of what has come down to us of the tale of the king, his son, the slave girl, and the seven viziers.”