Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 3.djvu/61

up to Madneſs and Jealouſy, I drew my Knife from my Girdle, and thruſt it into the unfortunate Creature’s Throat. I afterwards cut off her Head and divided her Body, into four Quarters, which I pack’d up in a Bundle, and hiding it in a Basket, ſewed it up with a Thread of red Yarn, put altogether in a Trunk, and when Night came, I carried it on my Shoulder down to the Tigris, where I ſunk it.

The two youngeſt of my Children were already put to Bed, and aſleep, the Third was gone abroad; but at my return I found him ſitting by my Gate weeping very ſore. I ask’d him the Reaſon? Father, ſaid he, I took this Morning from my Mother, without her Knowledge, one of thoſe three Apples you brought her, and I kept it a long while; but as I was playing ſome time ago with my little Brothers in the Street, a tall Slave that went by, ſnatch’d it out of my Hands, and carried it with him. I run after him, demanding it back, and beſides told him that it belonged to my Mother, who was ſick, and that you had made a Fortnight’s Journey to fetch it; but all to no purpoſe, he would not reſtore it. And whereas I ſtill followed him, crying out, he turned about and beat me, and then run away as faſt as ever he could from one Lane to another, till at length I loſt ſight of him. I have ſince been walking without the Town, expecting your Return, to pray you, dear Father, not to tell my Mother of it, leſt it ſhould make her worſe. And when he had ſaid thoſe Words, he fell a weeping again more bitterly than before.

My Son’s Diſcourſe afflicted me beyond all meaſure. I then found my ſelf guilty of an enormous Crime, and repented too late of having ſo eaſily believed the Calumnies of a wretched Slave, who from what he had learn’d of my Son, invented that fatal Lie.

My Uncle here preſent, came juſt at the time to ſee his Daughter, but inſtead of finding her alive, underſtood from me that ſhe was dead, for I did not conceal nothing from him; and, without ſtaying for his Cenſure, declared my ſelf the greateſt Criminal of the World.

Upon this, inſtead of reproaching me, he joined his Tears with mine, and we wept three Days together without intermiſſion, he for the Loſs of a Daughter whom he always loved tenderly; and I for the Loſs of a