Payne: The Fox and the Folk

[Go back to The Stolen Purse]

A fox once made his way into a city by the wall and entering a currier's storehouse, played havoc with what was therein and spoiled the skins for the owner. One day, the currier set a trap for him and taking him, beat him with the hides, till he fell down senseless, whereupon the man, deeming him to be dead, cast him out into the road by the city-gate. Presently, an old woman came up and seeing the fox, said, "A fox's eye, hung about a child's neck, is salutary against weeping." So she pulled out his right eye and went away. Then came a boy, who said, "What does this tail on this fox?" and cut off his brush. After awhile, up came a man and saying, "A fox's gall clears away dimness from the eyes, if they be anointed therewith," [took out his knife and made to slit the fox's paunch]; but the latter said in himself; "We bore with the pulling out of the eye and the cutting off of the tail; but, as for the slitting of the paunch, there is no putting up with that." So saying, he sprang up and made off through the gate of the city.'

Quoth the King, 'I excuse her, and in my son's hands be her doom. If he will, let him torture her, and if he will, let him put her to death.' Quoth the prince, 'Forgiveness is better than vengeance and it is of the fashion of the noble;' and the King repeated, 'It is for thee to decide, O my son.' So the prince set her free, saying, 'Depart from our neighbourhood and may God pardon what is past!'

Therewith the King rose from his couch of estate and seating his son thereon, crowned him with his crown and bade the grandees of his realm swear fealty and do homage to him. And he said, 'O folk, indeed, I am stricken in years and desire to withdraw apart and give myself up to the service of my Lord, and I call you to witness that divest myself of the royal dignity, even as I have divested myself of my crown, and set it on my son's head.' So the troops and officers swore fealty to the prince, and his father gave himself up to the worship of his Lord nor stinted from this, whilst his son abode in his kingship, doing justice and righteousness; and his power was magnified and his dominion strengthened and he abode in all delight and solace of life, till there came to him the Destroyer of Delights and the Sunderer of Companies.

[Go to Jouder and His Brothers]

Payne, John (1842-1916). The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night. London. 1901. Gutenberg Vol. I. Gutenberg Vol. II. Gutenberg Vol. III. Gutenberg Vol. IV. Please consult the Gutenberg edition for footnotes; the footnotes have not been included in this web version. Wollamshram Vol. V. Wollamshram Vol. VI. Wollamshram Vol. VII. Wollamshram Vol. VIII. Wollamshram Vol. IX. Please consult the Wollamshram edition for footnotes; the footnotes have not been included in this web version.