A Plain and Literal Translation of the Arabian Nights Entertainments, Vol. 4 of 10: The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night (Classic Reprint)

Tlte Book 0/ the Tltousand Nights and a Nigltt. I NI'AMAH BIN AL·RABI'A AND NAOMI HIS SLA VE·GIRL. THERE lived once in the city of Cufa I a man called Al..;Rab{'a bin Hatim, who was one of the chief men of the town, a wealthy and a healthy, and Heaven had vouchsafed him a son, whom he named Ni'amat Allah.2 One day, being in the slave-brokers' mart, he saw a woman exposed for sale with a little maid of wonderful beauty and grace on her arm. So he beckoned to the broker and asked him, " How much for this woman and her daughter?" He answered" Fifty dinars." Quoth AI-Rabi'a " Write the contract of sale and take the money and give it to her owner." Then he gave the broker the price and his brokerage and taking the woman and her child, carried them to his house. Now when the daughter of his uncle who was his wife saw the slave, she said to her husband, HOrny cousin, what is this damsel?" He replied, "Of a truth, I bought her for the sake of the little one on her


Table of Contents

CONTENTS OF THE FOURTH VOLUME; CONTINUATION OF THE TALE OF KAMAR AL·ZAMAN:NI'AMAH; BIN AL-RABI'A AND NAOMI UtS SLAVE-GIRL; 4 CONCLUSION OF ThE TALE OF KAMAR AL·ZAMAN 2)"; (Lam II, Chapt X Story 0/ Neamek a,ld Noam : p 186); 13 ALA AL·DlN ABU AL-SHAMAT 2C); (lAM Chapt XI Stor), 0/ Ala ttl-Dmz Abus/z·Sltdmat p %50 ); 14 HATIM·OF THE TRIBE OF TAYY ; (Latlt, Notes 10 Chapt XI Libtralily of Hatim d· Ute after his Death:; p 333 ); IS MA'AN THE SO~ OF ZAWAH AND THE THREE GIRLS; (lane, Noles to Chapt XI Anecdote of Maan Ille Sqn (1/ Ztildeh : p 335 ); 16 MA'AN SON OF ZAIDAH AND THE BADAWl; 17 THE CITY OF LABTAYT; 18 THE CALIPH HISHAM AND TaE ARAB YOUTH •; 19 IBRAHIM BIN AL·MAHDI AND THE BARBER·SURGEON •; (Lam, Noles 1o Clla/l XI Advenlufw of IlmHletf/l the Sm of EI·/l1all(/U:; P·336); 20 THE CITY OF MANY· COLUMNED lRAM AND ABDULLAH; 99; JOl; 103; SON OF ABI KALABAH II}; (lAne, Notes to Chapl XI The Disc()vny and Histof')' oflrem zll cl-'