一千零一夜-天方夜谭-1001 Nights(英文版)-第58部分

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So　Shimas　went　in　to　him　and　said；　'O　king；　that　wallowest　in　thy　lusts　and　thy　pleasures；　what　is　this　thou　dost　with　thyself　and　who　promptest　thee　thereunto？　Indeed；　thou　sinnest　against　thyself　and　there　hath　ceased　from　thee　that　which　we　knew　in　thee　aforetime　of　integrity　and　wisdom　and　eloquence。　Would　I　knew　who　hath　thus　changed　thee　and　turned　thee　from　wisdom　to　folly　and　from　fidelity　to　iniquity　and　from　plaisance　to　stiffneckedness　and　from　acceptance　of　me　to　aversion　from　me！　How　es　it　that　I　admonish　thee　thrice　and　thou　neglectest　my　admonition　and　that　I　counsel　thee　justly　and　thou　still　gainsayest　my　counsel？　Tell　me；　what　is　this　heedlessness　and　folly　and　who　is　it　prompteth　thee　thereunto？　Know　that　the　people　of　thy　kingdom　have　agreed　together　to　e　in　to　thee　and　slay　thee　and　give　thy　kingdom　to　another。　Art　thou　able　to　cope　with　them　all　and　save　thyself　from　their　hands　or　canst　thou　quicken　thyself　after　slaughter？　If；　indeed；　thou　availest　to　do　all　this；　thou　art　safe　and　hast　no　occasion　for　my　rede；　but；　if　thou　have　any　concern　for　thy　life　and　thy　kingship；　return　to　thy　senses　and　hold　fast　thy　kingdom　and　show　forth　to　the　people　the　power　of　thy　prowess　and　acquaint　the　folk　with　thine　excuse；　for　they　are　minded　to　tear　away　that　which　is　in　thy　hand　and　mit　it　unto　another；　being　resolved　upon　revolt　and　rebellion；　impelled　thereto　by　that　which　they　know　of　thy　youth　and　thy　surrender　of　thyself　to　lusts　and　voluptuousness；　for　that　stones；　albeit　they　lie　long　in　water；　if　thou　take　them　out　therefrom　and　smite　one　upon　another；　fire　will　be　struck　from　them。　Now　thy　subjects　are　many　in　number　and　they　have　taken　counsel　together　against　thee；　to　transfer　the　kingship　from　thee　to　another　and　acplish　upon　thee　that　which　they　desire　of　thy　destruction。　So　shalt　thou　fare　as　did　the　wolf　with　the　foxes　and　the　lion。'　'How　was　that？'　asked　the　king；　and　the　vizier　answered；　'They　say　that

　The　Foxes　and　the　Wolf。

A　troop　of　foxes　went　out　one　day　to　seek　food；　and　as　they　coasted　about　in　quest　of　this；　they　happened　upon　a　dead　camel　and　said　to　each　other；　〃Verily　we　have　found　wherewithal　we　may　live　a　great　while；　but　we　fear　lest　one　of　us　oppress　other　and　the　strong　overbear　the　weak　with　his　strength；　and　so　the　weak　of　us　perish；　wherefore　it　behoveth　us　seek　one　who　shall　judge　between　us　and　appoint　unto　each　his　part；　so　the　strong　may　not　lord　it　over　the　weak。〃　As　they　consulted　together；　up　came　a　wolf；　and　some　of　the　foxes　said　to　the　others；　〃Your　counsel　is　just；　let　us　make　this　wolf　judge　between　us；　for　he　is　the　strongest　of　beasts　and　his　father　was　sultan　over　us　aforetime；　wherefore　we　hope　in　God　that　he　will　do　justice　between　us。〃　So　they　accosted　the　　with　their　determination；　said　to　him；　〃We　make　thee　judge　between　us；　so　thou　mayst　allot　unto　each　of　us　his　day's　meat；　after　the　measure　of　his　need；　lest　the　strong　of　us　overbear　the　weak　and　some　of　us　destroy　other　some。〃

The　wolf　consented　to　take　the　governance　of　their　affairs　and　allotted　unto　each　of　them　what　sufficed　him　that　day；　but　on　the　morrow　he　said　in　himself；　〃If　I　divide　this　camel　amongst　these　weaklings；　no　part　thereof　will　e　to　me；　save　that　which　they　assign　to　me；　and　if　I　eat　it　alone；　they　can　do　me　no　hurt；　seeing　that　they　are　a　prey　to　me　and　to　the　people　of　my　house。　Who　shall　hinder　me　from　taking　it　for　myself？　Surely；　it　is　God　who　hath　bestowed　it　on　me；　by　way　of　provision；　and　no　thanks　to　them。　It　were　best　that　I　keep　it　for　myself；　and　henceforth　I　will　give　them　nought。〃　Accordingly；　when　the　foxes　came　to　him；　as　of　wont；　and　sought　of　him　their　food；　saying；　〃O　Abou　Sirhan；　（180）　give　us　our　day's　provender；〃　he　answered；　〃I　have　nothing　left　to　give　you。〃　Whereupon　they　went　away　in　the　sorriest　case；　saying；　〃Verily；　God　hath　cast　us　into　grievous　trouble　with　this　vile　traitor；　that　feareth　not　God　neither　respecteth　Him；　but　we　have　neither　power　nor　resource。〃　But　one　of　them　said；　〃Belike　it　was　but　stress　of　hunger　that　moved　him　to　this；　so　let　him　eat　his　fill　today；　and　tomorrow　we　will　go　to　him　again。〃

So；　on　the　morrow；　they　again　betook　themselves　to　the　wolf　and　said　to　him；　〃O　Abou　Sirhan；　we　set　thee　in　authority　over　us；　that　thou　mightest　allot　unto　each　of　us　his　day's　meat　and　do　the　weak　justice　against　the　strong　of　us　and　that；　when　this　（181）　is　finished；　thou　shouldst　do　thine　endeavour　to　get　us　other　and　so　we　be　still　under　thy　safeguard　and　protection。　Now　hunger　is　sore　upon　us；　for　that　we　have　not　eaten　these　two　days；　so　do　thou　give　us　our　day's　meat　and　thou　shalt　be　free　to　dispose　of　the　rest　as　thou　wilt。〃　But　the　wolf　returned　them　no　answer　and　redoubled　in　his　stiffneckedness。　So　they　strove　to　turn　him　from　his　purpose；　but　he　would　not　be　turned。　Then　said　one　of　the　foxes　to　the　rest；　〃Nothing　will　serve　us　but　that　we　go　to　the　lion　and　cast　ourselves　on　his　protection　and　assign　the　camel　unto　him。　If　he　vouchsafe　us　aught　thereof　it　will　be　of　his　bounty；　and　if　not；　he　is　worthier　of　it　than　this　filthy　fellow。〃

So　they　betook　themselves　to　the　lion　and　acquainted　him　with　that　which　had　betided　them　with　the　wolf；　saying；　〃We　are　thy　servants　and　e　to　thee；　imploring　thy　protection；　so　thou　mayst　deliver　us　from　this　wolf；　and　we　will　be　thy　slaves。〃　When　the　lion　heard　their　story；　he　was　jealous　for　God　the　Most　High　and　went　with　them　in　quest　of　the　wolf；　who；　seeing　him　making　for　him；　addressed　himself　to　flight；　but　the　lion　ran　after　him　and　seizing　him；　rent　him　in　pieces　and　restored　their　prey　to　the　foxes。　This　shows；'　added　Shimas；　'that　it　behoveth　no　king　to　neglect　the　affairs　of　his　subjects；　wherefore　do　thou　hearken　to　my　counsel　and　give　credit　to　that　which　I　say　to　thee；　for　thou　knowest　that　thy　father；　before　his　decease；　charged　thee　give　ear　unto　loyal　counsel。　This　is　the　last　of　my　speech　with　thee　and　peace　be　on　thee。'　Quoth　the　king；　'I　will　hearken　to　thee　and　tomorrow；　God　willing；　I　will　go　forth　to　them。'

So　Shimas　went　forth　from　him　and　returning　to　the　Folk；　told　them　that　the　king　had　accepted　his　counsel　and　promised　to　e　out　unto　them　on　the　morrow。　But；　when　the　favourite　heard　this　saying　reported　of　Shimas　and　knew　that　needs　must　the　king　go　forth　to　his　subjects；　she　betook　herself　to　him　and　said　to　him；　'How　great　is　my　wonderment　at　thy　submissiveness　and　obedience　to　thy　slaves！　Knowst　thou　not　that　these　viziers　are　thy　servants？　Why　then　dost　thou　exalt　them　to　such　a　pitch　of　importance　that　they　conceit　them　it　was　they　gave　thee　this　kingship　and　advanced　thee　to　this　height　and　that　it　is　they　who　confer　favours　on　thee；　albeit　they　have　no　power　to　do　thee　the　least　hurt？　Indeed；　it　is　they　who　owe　thee　submission；　not　thou　who　owest　it　unto　them；　and　it　is　their　duty　to　carry　out　thine　orders；　so　how　eth　it　that　thou　art　so　mightily　affrighted　at　them？　It　is　said；　〃Except　thy　heart　be　like　iron；　thou　art　not　fit　to　be　a　king。〃　But　thy　mildness　hath　deluded　these　men；　so　that　they　presume　upon　thee　and　cast　off　their　allegiance　to　thee；　albeit　it　behoveth　that　they　be　constrained　unto　obedience　and　enforced　to　submissiveness　unto　thee。　If　therefore；　thou　hasten　to　accept　their　words　and　leave　them　in　their　present　case　and　fulfil　to　them　the　least　thing　against　thy　will；　they　will　importune　thee　and　presume　upon　thee；　and　this　will　bee　their　wont。　But；　if　thou　hearken　to　me；　thou　wilt　not　advance　any　one　of　them　to　power　neither　wilt　thou　accept　his　word　nor　encourage　him　to　presume　upon　thee；　else　wilt　thou　fare　with　them　as　did　the　shepherd　with　the　robber。'　'How　was　that？'　asked　the　king；　and　she　answered；　'They　say　that

　The　Shepherd　and　the　Thief。

There　was　once　a　shepherd；　who　fed　a　flock　of　sheep　in　the　desert　and　kept　strait　watch　over　them。　One　night；　there　came　to　him　a　thief　thinking　to　steal　some　of　his　flock　and　finding　him　assiduous　in　guarding　them；　sleeping　
not　by　night　neither　relaxing　in　his　vigilance　by　day；　prowled　about　him　all　night；　but　could　get　nothing　of　him。　So；　when　he　was　weary　of　striving；　he　betook　himself　to　＇another　part　of＇　the　desert　and　trapping　a　lion；　skinned　him　and　stuffed　his　hide　with　straw；