一千零一夜-天方夜谭-1001 Nights(英文版)-第44部分

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　this　exceeding　happiness；　and　we　are　under　thy　safeguard　and　in　the　shadow　of　thy　wings；　may　God　make　fair　thy　reward　and　prolong　thy　life！

Indeed；　we　have　long　been　diligent　in　supplication　to　God　the　Most　High　that　He　would　vouchsafe　an　answer　to　our　prayers　and　continue　thee　to　us　and　grant　thee　a　virtuous　son；　to　be　the　solace　of　thine　eyes：　and　now　God　（blessed　and　exalted　be　He！）　hath　accepted　of　us　and　answered　our　prayer　and　brought　us　speedy　relief；　even　as　He　did　to　the　fishes　in　the　pond　of　water。'　'And　how　was　that？'　asked　the　king。　'Know；　O　king；'　answered　Shimas；　'that

　The　Fishes　and　the　Crab。

There　was　once　a　pond　of　water；　wherein　dwelt　a　number　of　fish；　and　it　befell　that　the　water　of　the　pond　dwindled　and　shrank　away；　till　there　remained　barely　enough　to　suffice　them　and　they　were　nigh　upon　death　and　said；　〃What　will　bee　of　us？　How　shall　we　do　and　of　whom　shall　we　seek　counsel　for　our　deliverance？〃　Quoth　one　of　them；　who　was　the　chiefest　of　them　in　wit　and　age；　〃There　is　nothing　will　serve　us　but　that　we　seek　deliverance　of　God；　but；　e；　let　us　go　to　the　crab　and　seek　his　counsel；　for　indeed　he　is　the　chiefest　and　wisest　of　us　all。〃　They　all　approved　of　the　fish's　advice　and　betook　themselves　to　the　crab；　whom　they　found　squatted　in　his　hole；　without　news　or　knowledge　of　their　strait。　So　they　saluted　him　and　said　to　him；　〃O　our　lord；　doth　not　our　affair　concern　thee；　who　art　our　ruler　and　our　chief？〃　The　crab　returned　their　salutation；　saying；　〃And　on　you　be　peace！　What　aileth　you　and　what　is　your　want？〃　So　they　told　him　the　strait　in　which　they　were　by　reason　of　the　shrinking　of　the　water；　and　that；　when　it　should　be　altogether　dried　up；　destruction　would　betide　them。　〃Wherefore；〃　added　they；　〃we　e　to　thee；　expecting　thy　counsel；　so　haply　deliverance　may　be　therein；　for　thou　art　the　chiefest　and　most　experienced　of　us。〃

The　crab　bowed　his　head　awhile　and　said；　〃Doubtless　ye　lack　understanding；　in　that　ye　despair　of　the　mercy　of　God　the　Most　High　and　His　care　for　the　provision　of　all　His　creatures。　Know　ye　not　that　God　（blessed　and　exalted　be　He！）　provideth　all　his　creatures　without　stint　and　that　He　foreordained　their　means　of　livelihood　ere　He　created　aught　and　appointed　to　each　of　His　creatures　a　fixed　term　of　life　and　an　allotted　provision；　of　His　divine　providence？　How　then　shall　we　burden　ourselves　with　concern　for　a　thing　that　is　written　in　His　secret　purpose？　Wherefore；　it　is　my　judgment　that　ye　can　do　no　better　than　to　seek　aid　of　God　the　Most　High；　and　it　behoveth　each　of　us　to　make　clean　his　conscience　with　his　Lord；　both　in　public　and　private；　and　pray　Him　to　succour　us　and　deliver　us　from　our　strait；　for　God　the　Most　High　disappointeth　not　the　expectation　of　those　who　put　their　trust　in　Him　and　rejecteth　not　the　suit　of　those　who　supplicate　Him。　When　we　have　mended　our　ways；　our　affairs　will　prosper　and　all　will　be　well　with　us；　and　when　the　winter　eth　and　our　land　is　deluged；　by　means　of　our　effectual　prayer；　He　will　not　undo　the　good　He　hath　built　up。　So　it　is　my　counsel　that　we　take　patience　and　await　what　God　shall　do　with　us。　If　death　e　to　us；　we　shall　be　at　rest；　and　if　there　befall　us　aught　that　calleth　for　fight；　we　will　flee　and　depart　our　land　whither　God　will。〃

〃Thou　sayst　sooth；　O　our　lord；〃　answered　all　the　fish　with　one　voice。　〃May　God　requite　thee　for　us　with　good！〃　Then　each　returned　to　his　place；　and　in　a　few　days；　God　sent　them　a　violent　rain　and　the　place　of　the　pond　was　filled　fuller　than　before。　On　like　wise；　O　king；'　continued　Shimas；　'we　despaired　of　a　child　being　born　to　thee；　and　now　that　God　hath　vouchsafed　unto　us　and　unto　thee　this　blessed　son；　we　implore　Him　to　make　him　indeed　blessed　and　render　him　the　solace　of　thine　eyes　and　a　worthy　successor　to　thee　and　grant　us　of　him　the　like　of　that　which　He　hath　granted　us　of　thee；　for　God　the　Most　High　disappointeth　not　those　that　seek　Him　and　it　behoveth　none　to　despair　of　His　mercy。'

Then　the　second　vizier　rose　and　saluting　the　king；　spoke　as　follows：　'Verily；　a　king　is　not　called　a　king；　save　he　give　gifts　and　do　justice　and　rule　unificence　and　govern　his　subjects　wisely；　maintaining　the　established　law　and　usages　among　them　and　justifying　them；　one　against　another；　and　sparing　their　blood　and　warding　off　hurt　from　them；　and　of　his　qualities　should　be　that　he　be　never　unmindful　of　the　poor　and　that　he　succour　the　highest　and　lowest　of　them　and　give　them　each　his　due；　so　that　they　all　bless　him　and　are　obedient　to　his　mandment。　Without　doubt；　a　king　who　is　after　this　wise　is　beloved　of　his　people　and　gaih　of　this　world　eminence　and　of　the　next　glory　and　the　favour　of　the　Creator　of　both　worlds。　And　we　thy　subjects　acknowledge　in　thee；　O　king；　all　the　attributes　of　kingship　I　have　set　out；　even　as　it　is　said；　〃The　best　of　things　is　that　the　king　of　a　people　be　just　and　their　physician　skilful　and　their　teacher　experienced；　doing　according　to　his　knowledge。〃　Now　we　enjoy　this　happiness；　after　we　had　despaired　of　the　birth　of　a　son　to　thee；　to　inherit　thy　crown；　but　God　（magnified　be　His　name！）　hath　not　disappointed　thine　expectation；　but　hath　granted　thy　prayer；　by　reason　of　the　goodliness　of　thy　trust　in　Him　and　thy　submission　of　thine　affairs　to　Him；　and　there　hath　betided　thee　that　which　betided　the　crow　with　the　serpent。'　'What　was　that？'　asked　the　king。　'Know；　O　king；'　replied　the　vizier；　'that

　The　Crow　and　the　Serpent。

A　crow　and　his　wife　once　dwelt　in　a　tree；　in　all　delight　of　life；　till　they　came　to　the　time　of　the　hatching　of　their　young；　to　wit；　the　season　of　midsummer；　when　a　serpent　issued　from　his　hole　and　crawled　up　the　tree；　till　it　came　to　the　crows'　nest；　where　it　coiled　itself　up　and　there　abode　all　the　days　of　the　summer；　whilst　the　crow　was　driven　away　and　found　no　place　wherein　to　lie。　When　the　days　of　heat　were　past；　the　serpent　went　away　to　its　own　place　and　the　crow　said　to　his　wife；　〃Let　us　thank　God　the　Most　High；　who　hath　preserved　us　and　delivered　us　from　this　serpent；　albeit　we　are　forbidden　from　increase　this　year。　Yet　God　will　not　cut　off　our　hope；　so　let　us　thank　Him　for　having　vouchsafed　us　safety　and　bodily　weal；　for　we　have　none　other　in　whom　to　trust；　and　if　He　will　and　we　live　till　next　year；　He　will　give　us　other　young　in　the　stead　of　those　we　have　lost　this　year。〃

Next　year　the　serpent　again　sallied　forth　from　its　place　at　the　same　time　and　made　for　the　crows'　nest：　but；　as　it　climbed　up　the　tree；　a　kite　swooped　down　on　it　and　struck　his　claws　into　its　head　and　tore　it；　whereupon　it　fell　to　the　ground；　senseless；　and　the　ants　came　out　upon　it　and　devoured　it。　So　the　crow　and　his　wife　abode　in　peace　and　quiet　and　reared　a　numerous　brood　and　thanked　God　for　their　safety　and　for　the　young　that　were　born　to　them。　In　like　manner；　O　king；'　continued　the　vizier；　'it　behoveth　us　to　thank　God　for　that　wherewith　He　hath　favoured　us　and　thee　in　vouchsafing　us　this　happy　and　blessed　child；　after　despair　and　hope　cut　off。　May　He　make　fair　thy　reward　and　the　issue　of　thine　affair！'

Then　rose　the　third　vizier　and　said；　'Rejoice；　O　just　king；　in　the　assurance　of　present　prosperity　and　future　felicity；　（147）　for　him；　whom　the　people　of　the　earth　love；　the　people　of　heaven　love　also；　and　indeed　God　the　Most　High　hath　made　love　to　be　thy　portion　and　hath　stablished　it　in　the　hearts　of　the　people　of　thy　kingdom；　wherefore　to　Him　be　thanks　and　praise　from　us　and　from　thee；　so　He　may　redouble　in　His　bounty　to　thee　and　to　us　in　thee！　For　know；　O　king；　that　man　can　nought　but　by　mandment　of　God　the　Most　High　and　that　He　is　the　Giver　and　all　good　that　befalleth　a　creature　hath　its　＇origin　and＇　issue　in　Him。　He　allotteth　His　favours　to　His　creatures；　as　it　liketh　Him；　to　some　He　giveth　store　of　gifts　and　others　may　hardly　get　their　daily　bread。　Some　He　maketh　lords　and　captains；　and　others　recluses；　who　abstain　from　the　world　and　aspire　but　to　Him；　for　He　it　is　who　saith；　〃I　am　He　who　harmeth　and　who　advantageth；　I　make　whole　and　make　sick；　I　enrich　and　impoverish；　I　slay　and　quicken；　in　my　hand　is　everything　and　all　things　have　their　issue　in　Me。〃　Wherefore　it　behoveth　all　folk　to　praise　Him。

Thou；　O　king；　art　of　the　fortunate　pious　men　of　whom　it　is　said；　〃The　happiest　of　the　just　is