一千零一夜-天方夜谭-1001 Nights(英文版)-第78部分

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s　pleasing　to　God　and　His　Apostle？'　'We　are　not　all　of　one　religion；'　answered　his　paniom　'Some　of　us　are　Muslims；　believers　in　the　unity　of　God；　others　Jews　and　Christians　and　what　not　else；　and　each　marries　in　accordance　with　the　ordinances　of　his　religion；　but　those　of　us　who　marry　are　mostly　Muslims。'

Quoth　the　fisherman；　'Ye　are　naked　and　have　neither　buying　nor　selling　among　you：　of　what　then　is　your　wives'　dowry？　Do　ye　give　them　jewels　and　precious　stones？'　'Jewels　with　us　are　but　stones　without　value；'　answered　the　merman：　'but　upon　him　who　is　minded　to　marry　they　impose　a　dowry　of　a　certain　number　of　fish　of　various　kinds；　that　he　must　catch；　a　thousand　or　two　thousand；　more　or　less；　according　to　the　agreement　between　himself　and　the　bride's　father。　As　soon　as　he　brings　the　required　amount；　the　families　of　the　bride　and　bridegroom　assemble　and　eat　the　marriagebanquet；　after　which　they　bring　him　in　to　his　bride；　and　he　catches　fish　and　feeds　her；　or；　if　he　be　unable；　she　catches　fish　and　feeds　him。'　'And　how　if　a　woman　mit　adultery？'　asked　the　fisherman。　'If　a　woman　be　convicted　of　this　case；'　answered　the　merman；　'they　banish　her　to　the　City　of　Women；　and　if　she　be　with　child；　they　leave　her　till　she　be　delivered；　when；　if　she　give　birth　to　a　girl；　they　banish　her　with　her；　naming　her　adulteress；　daughter　of　adulteress；　and　she　abideth　a　maid　till　she　die；　but；　if　she　give　birth　to　a　male　child；　they　carry　it　to　the　Sultan　of　the　Sea；　who　puts　it　to　death。'

Abdallah　marvelled　at　this　and　the　merman　carried　him　to　another　city　and　thence　to　another　and　another；　till　he　had　shown　him　fourscore　cities；　and　he　saw　the　people　of　each　city　to　be　different　from　those　of　every　other。　Then　said　he　to　the　merman；　'O　my　brother；　are　there　yet　other　cities　in　the　sea？'　'And　what　hast　thou　seen　of　the　cities　of　the　sea　and　its　wonders？'　replied　the　other　'By　the　virtue　of　the　noble　prophet；　the　benign；　the　passionate；　were　I　to　show　thee　a　thousand　cities　a　day　for　a　thousand　years；　and　in　each　city　a　thousand　marvels；　I　should　not　have　shown　thee　one　carat　of　the　fourandtwenty　carats　of　the　cities　of　the　sea　and　its　wonders！　I　have　but　shown　thee　our　own　province　and　country；　nothing　more。'

'O　my　brother；'　said　the　fisherman；　'since　this　is　the　case；　what　I　have　seen　sufficeth　me；　for　I　am　sick　of　eating　fish；　and　these　fourscore　days　I　have　been　in　thy　pany；　thou　hast　fed　me　morning　and　night　upon　nothing　but　raw　fish；　neither　broiled　nor　boiled。'　'And　what　is　broiled　and　boiled？'　asked　the　merman。　Quoth　Abdallah；　'we　broil　fish　with　fire　and　boil　it　＇in　water＇　and　dress　it　in　various　ways　and　make　many　dishes　of　it。'　'And　how　should　we　e　by　fire　in　the　sea？'　rejoined　the　other；　'we　know　not　broiled　nor　boiled　nor　aught　else　of　the　kind。'　Quoth　the　fisherman；　'We　also　fry　it　in　oliveoil　and　oil　of　sesame；'　and　the　merman　said；　'How　should　we　e　by　oliveoil　and　oil　of　sesame　in　the　sea？　Verily　we　know　nothing　of　that　thou　names。'

'True；'　said　Abdallah；　'but；　O　my　brother；　thou　hast　shown　me　many　cities；　yet　hast　thou　not　shown　me　thine　oan　'As　for　mine　own　city；　we　passed　it　long　since；　for　it　is　near　the　land　whence　we　came；　and　I　only　left　it　and　came　with　thee　hither；　thinking　to　divert　thee　with　the　sight　of　the　＇greater＇　cities　of　the　sea。'　'That　which　I　have　seen　of　them　sufficeth　me；'　replied　Abdallah；　'and　now　I　would　have　thee　show　me　thine　own　city。'　'So　be　it；'　answered　the　other　and　returning　on　his　traces；　carried　him　back　thither　and　said　to　him；　'This　is　my　city。'

Abdallah　looked　and　saw　a　city　small　by　parison　with　those　he　had　seen；　then　he　entered　with　his　panion　and　they　fared　on　till　they　came　to　a　cavern。　Quoth　the　merman；　'This　is　my　house　and　all　the　houses　in　the　city　are　on　this　wise；　caverns；　great　and　small；　in　the　mountains；　as　likewise　are　those　of　all　the　other　cities　of　the　sea。　For　every　one　who　is　minded　to　make　him　a　house　repairs　to　the　king　and　says　to　him；　'I　wish　to　make　me　a　house　in　such　a　place。'　Whereupon　the　king　sends　with　him　a　band　of　the　fish　called　peckers；　which　have　beaks　that　crumble　the　hardest　rock；　appointing　a　certain　dole　of　fish　to　their　wage。　They　betake　themselves　to　the　mountain　chosen　by　the　owner　of　the　house　and　hew　therein　the　house。　whilst　the　owner　catches　fish　for　them　and　feeds　them；　till　the　cavern　is　finished；　when　they　depart　and　the　owner　of　the　house　takes　up　his　abode　therein。　After　this　wise　do　all　the　people　of　the　sea；　they　traffic　not　with　one　another　nor　serve　each　other　save　by　means　of　fish；　and　their　food　is　fish　and　they　themselves　are　a　kind　of　fish。'

Then　he　said　to　him；　'Enter。'　So　Abdallah　entered　and　the　merman　cried　out；　saying；　'Ho；　daughter　mine！'　whereupon　there　came　to　him　a　damsel　with　a　face　like　the　round　of　the　moon　and　long　hair；　heavy　buttocks；　languishing　black　eyes　and　slender　waist；　but　she　was　naked　and　had　a　tail。　When　she　saw　the　fisherman；　she　said　to　her　father；　'O　my　father；　what　is　this　lacktail　thou　hast　brought　with　thee？'　'O　my　daughter；'　answered　he；　'this　is　my　friend　of　the　land；　from　whom　I　use　to　bring　thee　the　fruits　of　the　earth。　e　hither　and　salute　him。'　So　she　came　forward　and　saluted　the　fisherman　with　eloquent　tongue　and　fluent　speech；　and　her　father　said　to　her；　'Bring　victual　for　our　guest；　by　whose　ing　a　blessing　hath　betided　us；'　whereupon　she　brought　him　two　great　fishes；　each　the　bigness　of　a　lamb；　and　the　merman　said　to　him；　'Eat。'　So　he　ate；　in　his　own　despite；　for　stress　of　hunger；　because　he　was　weary　of　eating　fish　and　they　had　nothing　else。

Before　long；　in　came　the　merman's　wife；　who　was　fair　to　look　upon；　and　with　her　two　children；　each　having　in　his　hand　a　young　fish；　which　he　munched　as　a　man　would　munch　a　cucumber。　When　she　saw　the　fisherman　with　her　husband；　she　said；　'What　is　this　lacktail？'　And　she　and　her　sons　and　daughter　came　up　to　him　and　fell　to　examining　his　breech　and　saying；　'Yea；　by　Allah；　he　is　tailless！'　And　they　laughed　at　him。　So　he　said　to　the　merman；　'O　my　brother；　hast　thou　brought　me　hither　to　make　me　a　laughingstock　for　thy　wife　and　children？'　'Pardon；　O　my　brother；'　answered　the　merman。　'Those　who　have　no　tails　are　rare　among　us；　and　whenever　one　such　is　found；　the　Sultan　taketh　him；　to　make　him　sport；　and　he　abideth　a　marvel　amongst　us；　and　all　Who　see　him　laugh　at　him。　But；　O　my　brother；　excuse　these　young　children　and　this　woman；　for　they　lack　understanding。'　Then　he　cried　out　to　his　family；　saying；　'Hold　your　peace！'　So　they　were　afraid　and　kept　silence；　whilst　he　went　on　to　soothe　Abdallah's　mind。

Presently；　as　they　were　talking；　in　came　half　a　score　mermen；　tall　and　strong　and　stout；　and　said　to　him；　'O　Abdallah；　it　hath　reached　the　king　that　thou　hast　with　thee　a　lacktail。'　'Yes；'　answered　the　merman；　'and　this　is　he；　but　he　is　not　of　us　nor　of　the　children　of　the　sea。　He　is　my　friend　of　the　land　and　hath　e　to　me　as　a　guest　and　I　purpose　to　carry　him　back　to　the　land。'　Quoth　they；　'We　cannot　depart　without　him；　so；　if　thou　have　aught　to　say；　arise　and　e　with　him　to　the　king；　and　whatsoever　thou　wouldst　say　to　us；　that　say　thou　to　the　king。'　Then　said　the　merman　to　the　fisherman；　'O　my　brother；　my　excuse　is　manifest；　and　we　may　not　gainsay　the　king；　but　go　thou　with　me　to　him　and　I　will　do　my　endeavour　to　deliver　thee　from　him；　if　it　please　God。　Fear　not；　for　he　deemeth　thee　of　the　children　of　the　sea；　but；　when　he　seeth　thee；　he　will　know　thee　to　be　of　the　children　of　the　land；　whereupon　he　will　surely　entreat　thee　with　honour　and　restore　thee　to　the　land。'　'It　is　thine　to　decide；'　replied　Abdallah。　'I　will　put　my　trust　in　God　and　go　with　thee。'

So　he　took　him　and　carried　him　to　the　king；　who；　when　he　saw　him；　laughed　at　him　and　said；　'Wele　to　the　lacktail！'　And　all　who　were　about　the　king　fell　to　laughing　at　him　and　saying；　'Yea；　by　Allah；　he　is　tailless！'　Then　Abdallah　of　the　sea　came　forward　and　acquainted　the　king　with　the　fisherman's　case；　saying；　'This　man　is　of　the　children　of　the　land　and　he　is　my　friend　and　cannot　live　amongst　us；　for　that　he　loves　not　the　eating　of　fish；　except　it　be　fried　or　boiled；　wherefore　l　desire　that　thou　give　me　leave　to　restore　him　to　the　land。'　'Since　the　case　is　so；'　answered　the　king；　'I　give　thee　leave　to　re