Know, O King that a certain profligate man, who was addicted to
the sex, once heard of a beautiful and lovely woman who dwelt in
a city other than his own. So he journeyed thither, taking with
him a present, and wrote her a note, setting forth all that he
suffered of love-longing and desire for her and how his passion
for her had driven him to forsake his native land and come to
her; and he ended by praying for an assignation. She gave him
leave to visit her and, as he entered her abode, she stood up and
received him with all honour and worship, kissing his hands and
entertaining him with the best entertainment of meat and drink.
Now she had a little son, but three years old, whom she left and
busied herself in cooking rice.
[FN#253] Presently the man said to
her, "Come, let us go and lie together;" but she replied, "My son
is sitting looking at us." Quoth the man, "He is a little child,
understanding not neither knowing how to speak." Quoth the woman,
"Thou wouldst not say thus, and thou knew his intelligence." When
the boy saw that the rice was done, he wept with bitter weeping
and his mother said to him, "What gars thee weep, O my son?"
"Ladle me out some rice," answered he, "and put clarified butter
in it." So she ladled him out somewhat of rice and put butter
therein; and the child ate a little, then began to weep again.
Quoth she, "What ails thee now, O my son?"; and quoth he, "O
mother mine, I want some sugar with my rice." At this said the
man, who was an-angered, "Thou art none other than a curst
child." "Curst thyself, by Allah," answered the boy, "seeing thou
weariest thyself and journeyest from city to city, in quest of
adultery. As for me, I wept because I had somewhat in my eye, and
my tears brought it out; and now I have eaten rice with butter
and sugar and am content; so which is the curst of us twain?" The
man was confounded at this rebuke from a little child and
forthright grace entered him and he was reclaimed. Wherefor he
laid not a finger on the woman, but went out from her and
returned to his own country, where he lived a contrite life till
he died. "As for the story of the five-year-old child" (continued
the Prince), "I have heard tell, O King, the following anent
The Stolen Purse."
