The grand vizir brought this news to Shaikeza, who received it with as much joy as if it had been the most pleasant in the world.
She thanked her father for obliging her so sensibly, and seeing that he was overwhelmed with sorrow, she said to him, to console him, that she hoped he would not repent of having married her to the sultan, and that on the contrary he would have reason to rejoice for the rest of his life.
As she finished speaking, she returned to the house and spent the night crying in a corner with all her might.
Her husband slept alone, and the next day, seeing that she did not stop crying, he said to her: "You are not wise to grieve in this way. It is not worth it, and it is just as unimportant for you to know it as it is important for me to keep it a secret.
Do not think about it anymore, I beg you." "I am thinking about it so much," the woman replied, "that I will not stop crying until you satisfy my curiosity." "I am telling you very seriously," he replied, "that it will cost me my life if I give in to your indiscreet requests." "Let whatever God wills happen," she replied. "I will not back down."
The grand vizier led Shaikeza to the palace, and after introducing her to the sultan, he retired. As soon as the prince was alone with her, he ordered her to uncover her face. He was charmed by her beauty, but noticed that she was in tears.
He asked her the reason, to which she replied, "Your majesty, I have a sister whom I love as dearly as she loves me. I would like to have her spend the night in this room, so that I can see her and say goodbye one last time.
Would you allow me the comfort of showing her this final expression of my love?" The sultan agreed, and Dinarzade was fetched.
The sultan and Shaikeza lay down together on a high platform, in the manner of Eastern monarchs, while Dinarzade was given a bed at the base of the platform.
As the night began to wane and the first hints of dawn approached, Dinarzade, awake and alert, remembered her sister's request.
"My dear sister," she called out, "if you are not asleep, I beg you to pass the time with me by telling one of those delightful stories that you know. Alas, it may be the last time I will have this pleasure."
The great vizier led Shaikeza to the palace and retired after introducing her to the sultan's chambers. Upon seeing her, the prince ordered her to unveil her face.
He was charmed by her beauty, but upon noticing that she was crying, he asked her the reason for her tears. "Your majesty," replied Shaikeza, "I have a sister whom I love as tenderly as she loves me. I would wish for her to spend the night in this chamber so that I may see her and bid her farewell one last time.
Would you allow me the consolation of giving her this final expression of my love?" The sultan agreed, and Dinarzade was promptly brought in. The sultan and Shaikeza lay on a raised platform in the manner of eastern monarchs, while Dinarzade was given a bed at the base of the platform.
An hour before dawn, Dinarzade woke up and did as her sister had instructed. "Dear sister," she exclaimed, "if you are not asleep, I beg you, in the time before the dawn breaks, to tell me one of those pleasing tales you know.
Alas, it may be the last time I have this pleasure." Shaikeza, instead of responding to her sister, addressed the sultan. "Your majesty," she said, "will you allow me to give my sister this pleasure?" "Very willingly," replied the sultan. Shaikeza then told her sister to listen and, addressing the sultan, began the following story:
Sire, the merchant had fifty chickens and a rooster, with a dog guarding them. As he sat, as I have said, and dreamed deeply about the course of action he should take, he saw the dog run towards the rooster who had attacked a hen, and he heard the dog speak to the rooster in these words:
"Oh rooster! God will not allow you to live much longer! Don't you feel ashamed of what you are doing today?" The rooster perched on his spurs and, turning towards the dog said proudly: "Why, why should it be forbidden today more than any other day?" "Since you do not know," replied the dog, "learn that our master is in deep mourning today.
His wife wants him to reveal a secret to her that is of such a nature that he will lose his life if he reveals it to her. Things are in this state; and it is to be feared that he will not have enough strength to resist his wife's obstinacy; for he loves her and is moved by the tears she constantly sheds. He may perhaps perish; we are all alarmed in this house.
Only you, insulting our sadness, have the audacity to amuse yourself with your hens."
In a land far, far away, there was once a merchant who was wealthy in lands, goods, and money. He had many clerks, agents, and slaves, and would occasionally have to travel to meet with his business associates.
One day, he set out on horseback to attend to some important matters in a distant land. Along the way, he brought with him a small supply of biscuit and dates, as he knew he would be passing through a barren wasteland where he would not find anything to eat.
The merchant arrived safely at his destination and, when he had finished his business, he set off for home again.
On the fourth day of his journey, the merchant felt greatly discomforted by the heat of the sun and the scorched earth. He veered off his path to seek refuge under some trees he saw in the countryside.
There, at the foot of a large walnut tree, he found a fountain of clear, flowing water. He dismounted, tied his horse to a branch, and sat down by the fountain to eat some dates and biscuit.
As he ate, he tossed the date pits to the right and left. When he had finished his simple meal, he washed his hands, face, and feet according to Muslim custom, and said his prayers.