صفحة 782 من 1116

Would that I were in thy service a whole year that thou mightest

do me justice; and I would ask thee no wage for all this." When I

heard his flow of words, I said to him, "Doubtless thou wilt be

my death this day!"-And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and

ceased saying her permitted say.

When it was the Thirtieth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the young

man said to the Barber, "Thou certainly wilt be the death of me

this very day!" "O master mine," replied he, "I am he, The Silent

Man hight, by reason of the fewness of my words, to distinguish

me from my six brothers. For the eldest is called Al-Bakbuk, the

prattler; the second Al-Haddar, the babbler; the third Al-Fakik,

the gabbler; the fourth, his name is Al-Kuz al-aswani, the long

necked Gugglet, from his eternal chattering; the fifth is

Al-Nashshar, the tattler and tale teller; the sixth Shakashik, or

many clamours; and the seventh is famous as Al-Samit, The Silent

Man, and this is my noble self!" Whilst he redoubled his talk, I

thought my gall bladder would have burst; so I said to the

servant, "Give him a quarter dinar and dismiss him and let him go

from me in the name of God who made him. I won't have my head

shaved to day." "What words be these, O my lord?" cried he. "By

Allah!