The Thousand and One Nights, Vol. I.: Commonly Called the Arabian Nights' Entertainments

[108] Manṭiḳ eṭ-ṭeyr. [109] Of the family _Pteroclidæ_. (Pr. Bon.) ED. [110] Ibn-'Arab-Sháh, however, has given an account of a man called the sheykh El-'Oryán, an inhabitant of Samarḳand, and a devotee, who was said to have attained the age of 350 [lunar] years [or nearly 340 solar years], and yet preserved an erect stature, a comely appearance, and such strength that it seemed as if he had not attained to mature years. The old men of the place asserted that they remembered him to have had the same appearance when they were children, and that their fathers and grandfathers had said the same.--History of Teemoor, p. 470, Calcutta edition. CHAPTER I. COMMENCING WITH THE FIRST NIGHT, AND ENDING WITH PART OF THE THIRD. THE STORY OF THE MERCHANT AND THE JINNEE. It has been related to me, O happy King, said Shahrazád, that there was a certain merchant who had great wealth, and traded extensively with surrounding countries; and one day he mounted his horse, and journeyed to a neighbouring country to collect what was due to him, and, the heat oppressing him, he sat under a tree, in a garden,[I_1] and put his hand into his saddle-bag,[I_2] and ate a morsel of bread and a date which were among his provisions. Having eaten the date, he threw aside the stone,[I_3] and immediately there appeared before him an 'Efreet, of enormous height, who, holding a drawn sword in his hand, approached him, and said, Rise, that I may kill thee, as thou hast killed my son. The merchant asked him, How have I killed thy son? He answered, When thou atest the date, and threwest aside the stone, it struck my son upon the chest,[I_4] and, as fate had decreed against him, he instantly died.[I_5] [Illustration]