Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 2.djvu/60
to ſhow him the ſame Favour ſhe had vouchſafed the firſt Callender, and went and ſat down by him: But, Sir, ſaid Scheherazade, as ſhe ſpoke theſe Words, ’Tis Day, and I muſt go no further. I dare however aſſure you, that how agreeable ſoever the Story of the ſecond Callender may ſeem to you, that of the third will be no leſs Worthy of your hearing, if your Majeſty will be pleas’d to have the Patience. The Sullan being deſirous to know whether it would appear ſo wonderful as the laſt, got out of Bed with a Reſolution to prolong Scheherazade’s Life further, tho’ the Delay he had granted was determined ſeveral Days before.
ABOUT the latter end of the following Night, Dinarzade addreſs’d her Speech to the Sultaneſs thus: Dear Siſter, I pray, until Day appear, which will be very ſoon, be pleas’d to relate ſome of the fine Stories you have read: I would willingly, ſaid Schahriar, hear the Story of the third Callender, Sir, replied Scheherazade, you ſhall be obey’d. The third Callender, perceiving it was his Turn to ſpeak, addreſs’d his Speech as the reſt had done to Zobeide, and began in this manner.
- Moſt Honourable Lady.
THAT which I am going to tell you, very much differs from what you have heard already. The two Princes that ſpoke before me, have each loſt an Eye by the pure Effects of their Deſtiny, but mine I loſt through my own fault, and by haſtning to ſeek my own Misfortune, as you ſhall hear by the Sequel of my Story.
My Name is Agib, and I am the Son of a King who was called Caffib: After his Death I took Poſſeſſion of his Dominions, and reſided in the ſame City where he had live’d before, This City is ſituated on the Sea-Coaſt, has one of the fineſt and ſafeſt Harbours in the World, an Arſenal large enough for fitting out 50 Men of War to Sea, that are always ready on Occaſion, and alſo to fit out 50 Merchant Ships, with as many light Frigats, and Pleaſure Boats for Recreation. My Kingdom is compoſed of ſeveral fine Provinces upon Terra firma, beſides a number of ſpacious I-