Produced by JC Byers and Cameron Fruit

Editorial Note: Project Gutenberg also has the translation of this work by
Richard F. Burton in 16 volumes.

THE BOOK OF THE THOUSAND NIGHTS AND ONE NIGHT:

Now First Completely Done Into English
Prose and Verse, From The Original Arabic,

                         By John Payne
(Author of "The Masque of Shadows," "Intaglios: Sonnets," "Songs
                      of Life and Death,"
"Lautrec," "The Poems of Master Francis Villon of Paris," "New
                      Poems," Etc, Etc.).

In Nine Volumes:

VOLUME THE SECOND.

1901

Delhi Edition

Contents of The Second Volume.

9. The History of King Omar Ben Ennuman and His Sons Sherkan
     and Zoulmekan
     a. Story of Taj El Mulouk and the Princess Dunya
          aa. Story of Aziz and Azizeh
     b. Bakoun's Story of the Hashish-Eater
     c. Hemmand the Bedouin's Story

THE BOOK OF THE THOUSAND NIGHTS AND ONE NIGHT

THE HISTORY OF KING OMAR BEN ENNUMAN AND HIS SONS SHERKAN AND ZOULMEKAN.

There reigned once in the City of Peace, (Baghdad), before theKhalifate of Abdulmelik ben Merwan,[FN#1] a king called Omar benEnnuman, who was of the mighty giants and had subdued the kingsof Persia and the Emperors of the East, for none could warmhimself at his fire[FN#2] nor cope with him in battle, and whenhe was angry, there came sparks out of his nostrils. He hadgotten him the dominion over all countries, and God had subjectedunto him all creatures; his commands were obeyed in all the greatcities and his armies penetrated the most distant lands: the Eastand West came under his rule, with the regions between them, Hindand Sind and China and Hejaz and Yemen and the islands of Indiaand China, Syria and Mesopotamia and the land of the blacks andthe islands of the ocean and all the famous rivers of the earth,Jaxartes and Bactrus, Nile and Euphrates. He sent his ambassadorsto the farthest parts of the earth, to fetch him true report, andthey returned with tidings of justice and peace, bringing himassurance of loyalty and obedience and invocations of blessingson his head; for he was a right noble king and there came to himgifts and tribute from all parts of the world. He had a soncalled Sherkan, who was one of the prodigies of the age and thelikest of all men to his father, who loved him with an exceedinglove and had appointed him to be king after him. The prince grewup till he reached man's estate and was twenty years old, and Godsubjected all men to him, for he was gifted with great might andprowess in battle, humbling the champions and destroying all whomade head against him. So, before long, this Sherkan becamefamous in all quarters of the world and his father rejoiced inhim: and his might waxed, till he passed all bounds and magnifiedhimself, taking by storm the citadels and strong places.

Now King Omar had four lawful wives, but God had vouchsafed himno son by them, except Sherkan, whom he had gotten of one ofthem, and the rest were barren. Moreover he had three hundred andthreescore concubines, after the number of the days

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