The Arabian Nights Entertainments, vol 1 | Page 8

you lost your senses, daughter, that you make such a
dangerous request? You know the sultan has sworn, that he will never
lie above one night with the same woman, and to command her to be
killed the next morning; would you then have me propose you to him?
Consider well to what your indiscreet zeal will expose you." "Yes, dear
father," replied the virtuous daughter, "I know the risk I run; but that
does not alarm me. If I perish, my death will be glorious; and if I
succeed, I shall do my country an important service." "No, no," said the
vizier "whatever you may offer to induce me to let you throw yourself
into such imminent danger, do not imagine that I will ever consent.
When the sultan shall command me to strike my poniard into your heart,
alas! I must obey; and what an employment will that be for a father! Ah!
if you do not dread death, at least cherish some fears of afflicting me
with the mortal grief of imbuing my hands in your blood." "Once more
father," replied Scheherazade, "grant me the favour I solicit." "Your
stubbornness," resumed the vizier "will rouse my anger; why will you
run headlong to your ruin? They who do not foresee the end of a
dangerous enterprise can never conduct it to a happy issue. I am afraid
the same thing will happen to you as befell the ass, which was well off,
but could not remain so." "What misfortune befell the ass?" demanded
Scheherazade. "I will tell you," replied the vizier, "if you will hear me."

The Ass, the Ox, and the Labourer.

A very wealthy merchant possessed several country-houses, where he
kept a large number of cattle of every kind. He retired with his wife and
family to one of these estates, in order to improve it under his own
direction. He had the gift of understanding the language of beasts, but
with this condition, that he should not, on pain of death, interpret it to
any one else. And this hindered him from communicating to others

what he learned by means of this faculty.
He kept in the same stall an ox and an ass. One day as he sat near them,
and was amusing himself in looking at his children who were playing
about him, he heard the ox say to the ass, "Sprightly, O! how happy do
I think you, when I consider the ease you enjoy, and the little labour
that is required of you. You are carefully rubbed down and washed, you
have well-dressed corn, and fresh clean water. Your greatest business is
to carry the merchant, our master, when he has any little journey to
make, and were it not for that you would be perfectly idle. I am treated
in a very different manner, and my condition is as deplorable as yours
is fortunate. Daylight no sooner appears than I am fastened to a plough,
and made to work till night, which so fatigues me, that sometimes my
strength entirely fails. Besides, the labourer, who is always behind me,
beats me continually. By drawing the plough, my tail is all flayed; and
in short, after having laboured from morning to night, when I am
brought in they give me nothing to eat but sorry dry beans, not so much
as cleansed from dirt, or other food equally bad; and to heighten my
misery, when I have filled my belly with such ordinary stuff, I am
forced to lie all night in my own dung: so that you see I have reason to
envy your lot."
The ass did not interrupt the ox; but when he had concluded, answered,
"They that called you a foolish beast did not lie. You are too simple;
you suffer them to conduct you whither they please, and shew no
manner of resolution. In the mean time, what advantage do you reap
from all the indignities you suffer." You kill yourself for the ease,
pleasure, and profit of those who give you no thanks for your service.
But they would not treat you so, if you had as much courage as strength.
When they come to fasten you to the stall, why do you not resist? why
do you not gore them with your horns, and shew that you arc angry, by
striking your foot against the ground? And, in short, why do not you
frighten them by bellowing aloud? Nature has furnished you with
means to command respect; but you do not use them. They bring you
sorry beans and bad straw; eat none of them, only smell and then leave
them. If you follow my advice, you will soon experience a change, for
which you will thank me."

The ox took the ass's