He perceived that there was something extraordinary in his fall,
which must otherwise have cost him his life; but he neither saw nor
felt anything.
[Footnote 17: The word peri, in the Persian language, signifies that
beautiful race of creatures which constitutes the link between angels
and men.]
He soon heard a voice, however, which said, "Do you know what honest
man this is, to whom we have done this service?"
Another voice answered, "No." To which the first replied, "Then I
will tell you. This man, out of charity, left the town he lived in,
and has established himself in this place, in hopes to cure one of his
neighbors of the envy he had conceived against him; he had acquired
such a general esteem that the envious man, not able to endure it,
came hither on purpose to ruin him; and he would have accomplished his
design had it not been for the assistance we have given this honest
man, whose reputation is so great that the sultan, who keeps his
residence in the neighboring city, was to pay him a visit to-morrow,
to recommend the princess his daughter to his prayers."
Another voice asked, "What need had the princess of the dervish's
prayers?" To which the first answered, "You do not know, it seems,
that she is possessed by a genie. But I well know how this good
dervish may cure her. He has a black cat in his convent, with a white
spot at the end of her tail, about the bigness of a small piece of
Arabian money; let him only pull seven hairs out of the white spot,
burn them, and smoke the princess's head with the fumes.
Pages:
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75