一千零一夜-天方夜谭-1001 Nights(英文版)- 第62部分

'True；'　answered　the　fisherman；　'but　have　you　many　of　these　dendans　in　the　sea？'　And　the　other　said；　'Yes；　there　be　many　of　them　with　us。　None　can　tell　their　tale　save　God　the　Most　High。'　Quoth　Abdallah；　'Verily；　I　fear　lest；　if　I　go　down　with　thee　into　the　sea；　one　of　these　beasts　fall　in　with　me　and　devour　me。'　'Have　no　fear；'　replied　the　merman。　'When　it　sees　thee；　it　will　know　thee　for　a　son　of　Adam　and　will　fear　thee　and　flee。　It　feareth　none　in　the　sea　as　it　feareth　a　son　of　Adam；　for　that；　if　it　eat　him；　it　dieth　forthright；　because　his　flesh　is　a　deadly　poison　to　this　kind　of　creature；　nor　do　we　gather　its　liverfat　save　by　means　of　a　man；　when　he　falleth　into　the　sea　and　is　drowned；　for　that　his　favour　beeth　changed　and　ofttimes　his　flesh　is　torn；　so　the　dendan　eateth　him；　deeming　him　of　the　beasts　of　the　sea；　and　dieth。　Then　we　light　upon　it　dead　and　take　the　fat　of　its　liver。　Moreover；　wherever　there　is　a　son　of　Adam；　though　there　be　in　that　place　a　hundred　or　two　hundred　or　a　thousand　or　more　of　these　beasts；　if　they　but　hear　him　cry　once；　they　all　die　forthwith　and　not　one　of　them　can　avail　to　remove　from　its　place；　wherefore；　whenas　a　son　of　Adam　falleth　into　the　sea；　we　take　him　＇ere　he　can　drown＇　and　anoint　him　with　this　fat　and　go　round　about　the　sea　with　him；　and　whenever　we　see　a　dendan　or　two　or　three　or　more；　we　bid　him　cry　out　and　they　all　die　forthright　for　his　once　crying。'

Quoth　the　fisherman；　'I　put　my　trust　in　God；'　and　putting　off　his　clothes；　buried　them　in　a　hole；　which　he　dug　in　the　beach；　after　which　he　rubbed　his　body　from　top　to　toe　with　the　ointment。　Then　he　descended　into　the　water　and　diving；　opened　his　eyes　and　the　water　did　him　no　hurt。　So　he　walked　right　and　left；　and　if　he　would；　he　rose　＇to　the　surface＇　and　if　he　would；　he　sank　to　the　bottom。　And　he　saw　the　water　of　the　sea　vaulted　over　him；　as　it　were　a　tent；　yet　it　did　him　no　hurt。　Then　said　the　merman　to　him；　'What　seest　thou；　O　my　brother？'　'O　my　brother；'　answered　Abdallah；　'I　see　＇that　which　is＇　good；　and　indeed　thou　spokest　truth　in　that　which　thou　saidst　to　me；　for　the　water　doth　me　no　hurt。'　Quoth　the　merman；　'Follow　me。'

So　he　followed　him　and　they　fared　on　from　place　to　place；　whilst　Abdallah　saw　mountains　of　water　before　him　and　on　his　right　and　left　and　diverted　himself　by　gazing　thereon　and　on　the　various　kinds　of　fish；　some　great　and　some　small；　that　sported　in　the　sea。　Some　of　them　were　like　unto　buffaloes；　others　to　oxen　and　others　to　dogs　and　yet　others　unto　human　beings；　but　all　to　which　they　drew　near　fled；　whenas　they　saw　the　fisherman；　who　said　to　the　merman；　'O　my　brother；　how　is　it　that　I　see　all　the　fish；　to　which　we　draw　near；　flee　from　us？'　'Because　they　fear　thee；'　answered　the　other；　'for　all　things　that　God　hath　made　fear　the　son　of　Adam。'

The　fisherman　ceased　not　to　gaze　upon　the　marvels　of　the　sea；　till　they　came　to　a　high　mountain　and　fared　on　beside　it。　Presently；　he　heard　a　great　cry　and　turning；　saw　some　black　thing；　the　bigness　of　a　camel　or　bigger；　ing　down　upon　him　from　the　mountain　and　crying　out。　So　he　said　to　his　friend；　'What　is　this；　O　my　brother？'　'This　is　the　dendan；'　answered　the　merman。　'It　eth　doe；　seeking　to　devour　me；　so　cry　thou　out　at　it；　O　my　brother；　ere　it　win　to　us；　else　will　it　snatch　me　up　and　devour　me。'　So　Abdallah　cried　out　at　it　and　it　fell　down　dead；　which　when　he　saw；　he　said；　'Extolled　be　the　perfection　of　God　and　His　praise！　I　smote　it　not　with　sword　nor　knife；　how　es　it；　then；　that；　for　all　the　vastness　of　the　creature's　bulk；　it　could　not　endure　my　cry；　but　died？'　'Marvel　not；'　replied　the　merman；　'for；　by　Allah；　O　my　brother；　were　there　a　thousand　or　two　thousand　of　these　creatures；　yet　could　they　not　endure　the　cry　of　a　son　of　Adam。'

Then　they　fared　on；　till　they　came　to　a　city；　whose　inhabitants　the　fisherman　saw　to　be　all　women；　there　being　no　male　among　them；　so　he　said　to　his　panion；　'O　my　brother；　what　city　is　this　and　what　are　these　women？'　'This　is　the　city　of　women；'　answered　the　merman；　'for　its　inhabitants　are　of　the　women　of　the　sea。'　'Are　there　any　males　among　them？'　asked　the　fisherman；　and　the　merman　said；　'No。'　'Then　how；'　said　Abdallah；　'do　they　conceive　and　bear　young；　without　males？'　Quoth　the　other；　'The　king　of　the　sea　banishes　them　hither　and　they　conceive　not　neither　bear　children。　All　the　women　of　the　sea；　with　whom　he　is　wroth；　he　sends　to　this　city　and　they　cannot　leave　it；　for；　should　one　of　them　e　forth　therefrom；　any　of　the　beasts　of　the　sea　that　saw　her　would　devour　her。　But　in　the　other　cities　of　the　sea　there　are　both　males　and　females。'

'Are　there　then　other　cities　than　this　in　the　sea？'　asked　the　fisherman；　and　the　merman　said；　'There　are　many。'　'And　is　there　a　Sultan　over　you　in　the　sea？'　asked　the　fisherman。　'Yes；'　answered　the　merman。　Then　said　Abdallah；　'O　my　brother；　I　have　indeed　seen　many　marvels　in　the　sea！'　'And　what　hast　thou　seen　of　the　marvels　＇of　the　sea＇？'　quoth　the　merman。　'Hast　thou　not　heard　the　saying；　〃The　marvels　of　the　sea　are　more　in　number　than　the　marvels　of　the　land？〃'　'True；'　answered　the　fisherman　and　fell　to　gazing　upon　the　women；　whom　he　saw　having　faces　like　moons　and　hair　like　women's　hair；　but　their　hands　and　feet　were　in　their　bellies　and　they　had　tails　like　fishes'　tails。

When　the　merman　had　shown　him　the　people　of　the　city；　he　carried　him　forth　therefrom　and　forewent　him　to　another　city；　which　he　found　full　of　folk；　both　males　and　females；　after　the　fashion　of　the　women　aforesaid　and　having　tails；　but　there　was　neither　selling　nor　buying　amongst　them；　as　with　the　people　of　the　land；　nor　were　they　clothed；　but　went　all　naked　and　with　their　privities　uncovered。　'O　my　brother；'　said　Abdallah；　'I　see　males　and　females　alike　with　their　privities　exposed。'　And　the　other　said；　'This　is　because　the　folk　of　the　sea　have　no　clothes。'　'And　how　do　they；　when　they　marry？'　asked　the　fisherman。　'They　do　not　marry；'　answered　the　merman；　'but　every　one　who　hath　a　mind　to　a　female　doth　his　will　of　her。'　Quoth　Abdallah；　'This　is　unlawful。　Why　doth　he　not　ask　her　in　marriage　and　dower　her　and　make　her　a　weddingfestival　and　marry　her；　in　accordance　with　that　which　is　pleasing　to　God　and　His　Apostle？'　'We　are　not　all　of　one　religion；'　answered　his　paniom　'Some　of　us　are　Muslims；　believers　in　the　unity　of　God；　others　Jews　and　Christians　and　what　not　else；　and　each　marries　in　accordance　with　the　ordinances　of　his　religion；　but　those　of　us　who　marry　are　mostly　Muslims。'

Quoth　the　fisherman；　'Ye　are　naked　and　have　neither　buying　nor　selling　among　you：　of　what　then　is　your　wives'　dowry？　Do　ye　give　them　jewels　and　precious　stones？'　'Jewels　with　us　are　but　stones　without　value；'　answered　the　merman：　'but　upon　him　who　is　minded　to　marry　they　impose　a　dowry　of　a　certain　number　of　fish　of　various　kinds；　that　he　must　catch；　a　thousand　or　two　thousand；　more　or　less；　according　to　the　agreement　between　himself　and　the　bride's　father。　As　soon　as　he　brings　the　required　amount；　the　families　of　the　bride　and　bridegroom　assemble　and　eat　the　marriagebanquet；　after　which　they　bring　him　in　to　his　bride；　and　he　catches　fish　and　feeds　her；　or；　if　he　be　unable；　she　catches　fish　and　feeds　him。'　'And　how　if　a　woman　mit　adultery？'　asked　the　fisherman。　'If　a　woman　be　convicted　of　this　case；'　answered　the　merman；　'they　banish　her　to　the　City　of　Women；　and　if　she　be　with　child；　they　leave　her　till　she　be　delivered；　when；　if　she　give　birth　to　a　girl；　they　banish　her　with　her；　naming　her　adulteress；　daughter　of　adulteress；　and　she　abideth　a　maid　till　she　die；　but；　if　she　give　birth　to　a　male　child；　they　carry　it　to　the　Sultan　of　the　Sea；　who　puts　it　to　death。'

Abdallah　marvelled　at　this　and　the　merman　carried　him　to　another　city　and　thence　to　another　and　another；　till　he　had　shown　him　fourscore　cities；　and　he　saw　the　people　of　each　city　to　be　different　from　those　of　every　other。　Then　said　he　to　the　merman；　'O　my　brother；　are　there　yet　other　cities　in　the　sea？'　'And　what　hast　thou　seen　of　the　cities　of　the　sea　and　its　wonders？'　replied　the　other　'By　the　virtue　of　the　noble　prophet；　the　benign；　the　passionate；　were　I　to　show　thee　a　thousand　cities　a　day　for　a　thousand　years；　and　in　each　city　a　thousand　marvels；　I　should　not　have　shown　thee　one　carat　of　the　fourandtwenty　carats　of　the　cities　of　the　sea　and　its　wonders！　I　have　but　shown　thee　our　own　province　and　country；　nothing　more。'

'O　my　brother；'　said　the　fisherman；　'since　this　is　the　case；　what　I　have　seen　sufficeth　me；　for　I　am　sick　of　eating　fish；　and　these　fourscore　days　I　have　been　in　thy　pany；　thou　hast　fed　me　morning　and　night　upon　nothing　but　raw　fish；　neither　broiled　nor　boiled。'　'And　what　is　broiled　and　boiled？'　asked　the　merman。　Quoth　Abdallah；　'we　broil　fish　with　fire　and　boil　it　＇in　water＇　and　dress　it　in　various　ways　and　make　many　dishes　of　it。'　'And　how　should　we　e　by　fire　in　the　sea？'　rejoined　the　other；　'we　know　not　broiled　nor　boiled　nor　aught　else　of　the　kind。'　Quoth　the　fisherman；　'We　also　fry　it　in　oliveoil　and　oil　of　sesame；'　and　the　merman　said；　'How　should　we　e　by　oliveoil　and　oil　of　sesame　in　the　sea？　Verily　we　know　nothing　of　that　thou　names。'

'True；'　said　Abdallah；　'but；　O　my　brother；　thou　hast　shown　me　many　cities；　yet　hast　thou　not　shown　me　thine　oan　'As　for　mine　own　city；　we　passed　it　long　since；　for　it　is　near　the　land　whence　we　came；　and　I　only　left　it　and　came　with　thee　hither；　thinking　to　divert　thee　with　the　sight　of　the　＇greater＇　cities　of　the　sea。'　'That　which　I　have　seen　of　them　sufficeth　me；'　replied　Abdallah；　'and　now　I　would　have　thee　show　me　thine　own　city。'　'So　be　it；'　answered　the　other　and　returning　on　his　traces；　carried　him　back　thither　and　said　to　him；　'This　is　my　city。'

Abdallah　looked　and　saw　a　city　small　by　parison　with　those　he　had　seen；　then　he　entered　with　his　panion　and　they　fared　on　till　they　came　to　a　cavern。　Quoth　the　merman；　'This　is　my　house　and　all　the　houses　in　the　city　are　on　this　wise；　caverns；　great　and　small；　in　the　mountains；　as　likewise　are　those　of　all　the　other　cities　of　the　sea。　For　every　one　who　is　minded　to　make　him　a　house　repairs　to　the　king　and　says　to　him；　'I　wish　to　make　me　a　house　in　such　a　place。'　Whereupon　the　king　sends　with　him　a　band　of　the　fish　called　peckers；　which　have　beaks　that　crumble　the　hardest