Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 3.djvu/92

chamber was furniſh’d, and other Circumſtances. He likewiſe made the Turban, the Bag, and the reſt of Bedreddin’s Things into a Bundle, and lock’d them up———

The Sultaneſs ſtopp’d here, and next Night purſued her Diſcourſe thus.

SIR, after ſome Days were paſt, the Vizier’s Daughter perceiy’d herſelf with Child, and was brought to Bed of a Son after Nine Months. A Nurſe was provided for the Child, beſides other Women and Slaves to wait upon him; and his Grandfather call’d him Agib.^[1]

When young Agib had attain’d the Age of Seven, the Vizier inſtead of learning him to read at home, put him to School with a Maſter who was in great Eſteem; and two Slaves were order’d to wait upon him. Agib us’d to play with his School-fellows, and as they were inferior to him in Quality, they ſhewed him great Reſpect, according to the Example of their Maſter, who many times would paſs by Faults in him, that he would not paſs by in the reſt. This Complaiſance ſpoiled Agib, ſo that he became proud and inſolent, would have his Play-fellows bear all of him, and would bear nothing from them, but be Maſter every where, and if any one took the Liberty to thwart him, he would call them a thouſand Names and many times beat them,

In ſhort, all the Scholars were weary of his Company and complained of him to their Maſter, He anſwered, That they muſt have Patience. But when he ſaw that Agib ſtill grew more and more inſolent, and occaſion’d him a great deal of Trouble, Children ſaid he to his Scholars, I find Agib is a little infolent Gentleman; I will ſhew you a way how to mortify him, ſo as he ſhall never torment you any more. Nay, I believe, it will make him leave the School. When he comes again to Morrow, and that you have a mind to play together, ſet your ſelves round him, and do one of you call out, Come let us play, but upon Condition, That they who defire to play ſhall tell his own Name, and the Names of his Father and Mother; and they who refuſe it, ſhall be eſteem’d baſtards, and not ſuffer’d to play in our Company.