Fairy Tales from the Arabian Nights | Page 3

speak, but to grant you a long life. Had it never been my
fortune to have borne a child, I was resolved (I beg your majesty to
pardon the sincerity of my intention) never to have loved you, as well
as to have kept an eternal silence; but now I love you as I ought to do.'
The King of Persia, ravished to hear the fair slave speak, embraced her
tenderly. 'Shining light of my eyes,' said he, 'it is impossible for me to
receive a greater joy than what you have now given me.'
The King of Persia, in the transport of his joy, said no more to the fair
slave. He left her, but in such a manner as made her perceive that his
intention was speedily to return: and being willing that his joy should
be made public, he sent in all haste for the grand vizier. As soon as he
came, he ordered him to distribute a thousand pieces of gold among the
holy men of his religion, who had made vows of poverty; as also
among the hospitals and the poor, by way of returning thanks to
Heaven: and his will was obeyed by the direction of that minister.
After the King of Persia had given this order, he returned to the fair
slave again. 'Madam,' said he, 'pardon me for leaving you so abruptly,
but I hope you will indulge me with some conversation, since I am
desirous to know several things of great consequence. Tell me, my
dearest soul, what were the powerful reasons that induced you to persist
in that obstinate silence for a whole year together, though you saw me,
heard me talk to you, and ate and drank with me every day.'
To satisfy the King of Persia's curiosity, 'Think,' replied the queen,
'whether or no to be a slave, far from my own country, without any
hopes of ever seeing it again,--to have a heart torn with grief at being
separated for ever from my mother, my brother, my friends, and my
acquaintance,--are not these sufficient reasons for my keeping a silence

your majesty has thought so strange and unaccountable? The love of
our native country is as natural to us as that of our parents; and the loss
of liberty is insupportable to every one who is not wholly destitute of
common sense, and knows how to set a value on it.'
'Madam,' replied the king, 'I am convinced of the truth of what you say;
but till this moment I was of opinion that a person beautiful like
yourself, whom her evil destiny had condemned to be a slave, ought to
think herself very happy in meeting with a king for her master.'
'Sire,' replied the fair slave, 'whatever the slave is, there is no king on
earth who can tyrannise over her will. But when this very slave is in
nothing inferior to the king that bought her, your majesty shall then
judge yourself of her misery, and her sorrow, and to what desperate
attempts the anguish of despair may drive her.'
The King of Persia, in great astonishment, said 'Madam, can it be
possible that you are of royal blood? Explain the whole secret to me, I
beseech you, and no longer increase my impatience. Let me instantly
know who are your parents, your brothers, your sisters, and your
relations; but, above all, what your name is.'
'Sire,' said the fair slave, 'my name is Gulnare, Rose of the Sea; and my
father, who is now dead, was one of the most potent monarchs of the
ocean. When he died, he left his kingdom to a brother of mine, named
Saleh, and to the queen, my mother, who is also a princess, the
daughter of another powerful monarch of the sea. We enjoyed a
profound peace and tranquillity through the whole kingdom, till a
neighbouring prince, envious of our happiness, invaded our dominions
with a mighty army; and penetrating as far as our capital, made himself
master of it; and we had but just time enough to save ourselves in an
impenetrable and inaccessible place, with a few trusty officers who did
not forsake us in our distress.
'In this retreat my brother contrived all manner of ways to drive the
unjust invader from our dominions. One day "Sister," said he, "I may
fail in the attempt I intend to make to recover my kingdom; and I shall
be less concerned for my own disgrace than for what may possibly

happen to you. To prevent it, and to secure you from all accident, I
would fain see you married first: but in the miserable condition of our
affairs at present, I see no probability of matching you to any of the
princes of the sea; and therefore