第7章 THE BOOK OF THE THOUSAND NIGHTS AND ONE NIGHT(5)

Then he went to his manger wearywhilst the ox thanked him and blessed him. 'And thouO my daughter，'said the Vizier'like the asswilt perish through thy lack of senseso do thou oft quiet and cast not thyself into perdition；indeed I give thee good counsel and am affectionately solicitous for thee.'O my father，'answered she'nothing will serve me but I must go up to this king and become his wife.'Quoth he'An thou hold not thy peace and bide stillI will do with thee even as the merchant did with his wife.'And what was that？'asked she. 'Know，'answered he'that the merchant and his wife and children came out on the terraceit being a moonlit night and the moon at its full. Now the terrace overlooked the byre；and presentlyas he satwith his children playing before himthe merchant heard the ass say to the ox'Tell meO Father Stupidwhat dost thou mean to do tomorrow？'What but that thou advisest me？'answered the ox. 'Thine advice was as good as could be and has gotten me complete restand I will not depart from it in the least；so when they bring me my fodderI will refuse it and feign sickness and swell out my belly.'The ass shook his head and said'Beware of doing that I'Why？'asked the oxand the ass answered'Know that I heard our master say to the labourer'If the ox do not rise and eat his fodder todaysend for the butcher to slaughter himand give his flesh to the poor and make a rug of his skin.'

And I fear for thee on account of this. So take my adviceere ill-hap betide theeand when they bring thee the foddereat it and arise and bellow and paw the ground with thy feetor our master will assuredly slaughter thee.'Whereupon the ox arose and bellowed and thanked the assand said'TomorrowI will go with them readily.'Then he ate up all his foddereven to licking the manger with his tongue.

When the merchant heard thishe was amused at the ass's trick，and laughedtill he fell backward. 'Why dost thou laugh？'asked his wife；and he said'I laughed at something that I saw and heardbut it is a secret and I cannot disclose itor I shall die.'Quoth she'There is no help for it but thou must tell me the reason of thy laughterthough thou die for it.'I cannot reveal it，'answered he'for fear of death.'It was at me thou didst laugh，'said sheand ceased not to importune him till he was worn out and distracted. So he assembled all his family and kinsfolk and summoned the Cadi and the witnessesbeing minded to make his last dispositions and impart to her the secret and die，for indeed he loved her with a great loveand she was the daughter of his father's brother and the mother of his children.

Moreoverhe sent for all her family and the neighboursand when they were all assembledhe told them the state of the case and announced to them the approach of his last hour. Then he gave his wife her portion and appointed guardians of his children and freed his slave girls and took leave of his people. They all weptand the Cadi and the witnesses wept also and went up to the wife and said to her'We conjure theeby Allahgive up this matterlest thy husband and the father of thy children die. Did he not know that if he revealed the secrethe would surely die，he would have told thee.'But she replied'By AllahI will not desist from himtill he tell methough he die for it.'So they forbore to press her. And all who were present wept soreand there was a general mourning in the house. Then the merchant rose and went to the cow-houseto make his ablutions and pray，intending after to return and disclose his secret and die.

Now he had a cock and fifty hens and a dogand he heard the latter say in his lingo to the cock'How mean is thy witO cock！May he be disappointed who reared thee！Our master is in extremity and thou clappest thy wings and crowest and fliest from one hen's back to another's！God confound thee！Is this a time for sport and diversion？ Art thou not ashamed of thyself？'And what ails our masterO dog？'asked the cock. The dog told him what had happened and how the merchant's wife had importuned him，till he was about to tell her his secret and dieand the cock said'Then is our master little of wit and lacking in sense；if he cannot manage his affairs with a single wifehis life is not worth prolonging. SeeI have fifty wives. I content this one and anger thatstint one and feed anotherand through my good governance they are all under my control. Nowour master pretends to sense and accomplishmentsand he has but one wife and yet knows not how to manage her.'Quoth the dog'Whatthen，should our master do？'He should take a stick，'replied the cock'and beat her soundlytill she says'I repentO my lord！

I will never again ask a question as long as I live.'And when once he has done thishe will be free from care and enjoy life.

But he has neither sense nor judgment.'

When the merchant heard what the cock saidhe went to his wife（after he had hidden a rattan in an empty store-room） and said to her'Come with me into this roomthat I may tell thee my secret and die and none see me.'So she entered gladlythinking that he was about to tell her his secretand he locked the door；then he took the rattan and brought it down on her back and ribs and shoulderssaying'Wilt thou ask questions about what is none of thy business？'He beat her till she was well-nigh senselessand she cried out'By AllahI will ask thee no more questionsand indeed I repent sincerely！'And she kissed his hands and feet.

Then he unlocked the door and went out and told the company what had happenedwhereat they rejoicedand mourning was changed into joy and gladness. So the merchant learnt good management from a cockand he and his wife lived happily until death.

And thouO my daughter，'added the Vizier'except thou desist from this thingI will do with thee even as the merchant did with his wife.'I will never desist，'answered she'nor is it this story that can turn me from my purpose；and an thou yield not to meI will go up myself to the King and complain to him of theein that thou grudges the like of me to the like of him.'