The Sultan and Scheherazade
Lond ago there lived a Sultan called Shahriyar. he was rich and powerful. He had everything he wished for except a faithful wife. He married again and again, but not one of his wives was true and faithful. at last, he said, "All women are bad. I will kill them all, one by one". He married a beautiful girl everyda, but on the day after each marriage, he ordered his men to put her to death.
The people hid theri daughters for fear of the Sultan. No father wanted his daughter to marry the Sultan and die the next day. The Sultan grew angry. "Bring me a good wife", he shouted to his vizier, "or you shall die". The poor vizier did not know what to do. He could neither eat nor sleep. His two daughters saw how worried he was.
Scheherazade was the elder of the vizier's two daughters. She was very beautiful and very clever. She spent her days reading, and also she had read thousands of old stories. "What is the matter, father?" she asked the vizier. "Have you forgotten what the poet says? 'Unhappiness, like Happiness, will soon pass' ". "That is true, my daughter, but i am in great trouble. If i do not fond a good wife for the Sultan, I shall be killed". "Let me marry the Sultan", begged Scheherazade. No, the Sultan is a cruel man. He will kill you, as he has killed the others, the day after he marries you. I don't think that he will, said scheherazade with a secret smile. I have a plan.
Scheherazade would not tell her father about her plan. She begged him to go to the palace at once. He went and the Sultan agreed to amrry Scheherazade. She was dressed in her richest clothes for her wedding. In a fine carriages, she set out for the palace. Her sisiter Dinarzade was going there with her. On the way, Scheherazade whishpered to her sister.
Dinarzade, listen to me. When i am with the Sultan, ask me to tell you a story. My story may interest him. It will, I hope, amke him forget his faithless wives. He will want to know the end of the story, so he will let me live until the story is ended. Then, i hope he will want me to tell other stories. In this way, i may live a long time, till i have no more stories to tell him.
The Sultan amrried Scheherazade. The wedding was like a funeral. Everybody was sad. Poor Scheherazade, they thought, Tomorrow she must die. Indeed, early the next morning, the Sultan was restless and angry. He was always like that early in the morning. Everyone was afraid of him at that time. That morning, everyone expected his order. Cut off the head of Scheherazade. When Dinarzade saw how restless the Sultan was, she said to her sister,oh! Scheherazade, please tell us a story to pass the hours before the dawn. I will do so gladly, if the Sultan wishes, said Scheherazade.
The Sultan said he was willing to listen and so on that first night before the dawn, Scheherazade began her story.....
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