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Updated: August 5, 2024
"You do not tell me truth," returned Agib; "he is your father, and none of mine. But whose son am I?" At this question, the lady of beauty calling to mind her wedding night, which had been succeeded by a long widowhood, began to shed tears, repining bitterly at the loss of so handsome a husband as Buddir ad Deen.
After some days were past, the vizier's daughter perceived herself pregnant, and after nine months was brought to bed of a son. A nurse was provided for the child, besides other women and slaves to wait upon him; and his grandfather called him Agib.
Presently after, Buddir ad Deen set before them a cream-tart, that was full as good as what they had eaten before; "Come," said Agib, "sit down by me, and eat with us." Buddir ad Deen sat down, and attempted to embrace Agib, as a testimony of the joy he conceived upon sitting by him. But Agib pushed him away, desiring him not to be too familiar.
Indeed, I keep off the folk with this stick, lest they look too closely on thee, and I dare not let thee enter a shop." When Bedreddin heard these words, he wondered and turned to the eunuch, with the tears running down his cheeks, and Agib said to the latter, "Indeed, my heart yearns for him." But he answered, "Leave this talk; indeed, thou shalt not go in."
Next day when they were gathered together, they failed not to follow their master's instructions. They placed themselves round Agib, and one of them called out, "Let us begin a play, but on condition that he who cannot tell his own name, and that of his father and mother, shall not play at all." They all cried out, and so did Agib, "We consent."
If you give me your promise, and prove a man of your word, I will visit you again to-morrow, as the vizier my grand-father is still employed in buying up things for a present to the sultan of Egypt. My little lord, replied Bedreddin, I will do whatever you desire me. Accordingly Agib and the eunuch went into the shop.
For my own part I am sanguine in my hopes, and cannot believe that prince Agib will seek for me in a place under ground, in the midst of a desert island."
Now the tie of blood drew Agib to his father, so he said to the eunuch, "O Laic, I have a mind to go a-walking; so come, let us go down into the streets of Damascus and see what is become of the cook whose victuals we ate and whose head we broke, for indeed he was kind to us and we used him scurvily." The eunuch replied, "I hear and obey."
It is this: when he comes to-morrow, sit down round him and let one of you say to the others, 'By Allah, none shall play at this game except he tell us the names of his father and mother; for he who knows not his parents' names is a bastard and shall not play with us." So next day, when Agib came to the school, they all assembled round him, and one of them said, "We will play a game, in which no one shall join except he tell us the names of his father and mother."
Buddir ad Deen obeyed, and repeated some extempore verses in praise of Agib: he did not eat, but made it his business to serve his guests. When they had done, he brought them water to wash, and a very white napkin to wipe their hands.
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