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Schacabac judged by this that the Bermecide lord loved to be merry; and he himself understanding raillery, and knowing that the poor must be complaisant to the rich, if they would have any thing, came forward, and did as he did. Come on, said the Bermecide, bring us something to eat, and do not let us stay for it.

Having spoken thus, he stretched out his hand as if he had a piece of lamb in it, and putting it to my brother's mouth, There, said he, swallow that, and you will know whether I had not reason to boast of this dish. My brother thrust out his head, opened his mouth, and made as if he took the piece of lamb, and ate it with extreme pleasure. I knew you would like it, said the Bermecide.

He went on till he came into a hall richly furnished, and adorned with paintings of gold and azure foliage, where he saw a venerable man with a long white beard, sitting at the upper end of an alcove, whence he concluded him to be the master of the house; and in effect it was the Bermecide himself, who said to my brother, in a very civil manner, that he was welcome, and asked him what he wanted.

O! it is wonderful! replied Schacabac, for here we taste all at once, amber, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, pepper, and the most odoriferous herbs; and all these tastes are so well mixed, that one does not hinder us from perceiving the other: O how pleasant it is. Honour this ragoo, said the Bermecide, by eating heartily of it, Ho, boy! cried he; bring us a new ragoo.

After this, the Bermecide invited my brother to eat something else. Look you, said he, there are all sorts of fruits, cakes, dry sweatmeats, and conserves; take what you like. Then stretching out his hand as if he had reached my brother something, Look, said he, there is a lozenge very good for digestion. Schacabac made as if he ate it, and said, My lord, there is no want of musk here.

The Bermecide seemed to be astonished at my brother's answer; and, putting both his hands to his stomach, as if he would rend his clothes for grief, Is it possible, cried he, that I am at Bagdad, and that such a man as you is so poor as you say? This is what must never be.

He actually called for several other dishes, of which my brother, who was ready to die of hunger, pretended to eat; but what he boasted of more than all the rest, was a lamb fed with pistacho nuts, which he ordered to be brought up in the same manner that the rest were. Here is a dish, said the Bermecide, that you will see at nobody's table but my own; I would have you eat unsparingly of it.

If you would have stronger, said the Bermecide, you need only speak, for I have several sorts in my cellar; try how you like this; upon which he made as if he poured out another glass to himself, and then to my brother; and did this so often, that Schacabac, feigning to be drunk with the wine, took up his hand, and gave the Bermecide such a box on the ear as made him fall down; he lifted up his hand to give him another blow; but the Bermecide, holding up his hand to ward it off, cried to him, What! are you mad?

My brother made as if he took the glass, and looked as if the colour was good, and put it to his nose to try if it had a good flavour; he then made a low bow to the Bermecide, to signify that he took the liberty to drink his health, making all the signs of a man who drinks with pleasure: My lord, said he, this is very excellent wine; but I think it is not strong enough.

The goose is very fat, said the Bermecide; eat only a leg and a wing; we must save our stomachs, for we have abundance of other dishes to come.