Part 13 (2/2)

[Ill.u.s.tration: Seven sons]

Those daughters of the Wazir had no mother; their mother had died, and they were very poor.

The sons of the Sultan used to laugh at the daughters of the Wazir, saying, ”You poor people, what do you eat? It is our father who pays your father his wages, and how do they suffice for you seven people who are in one house? You poor creatures, you have not even a brother to help you.”

Now those girls used to plait baskets and sell them. They lived for many days like that, their work being to cry every day, and when they came out of school they used to plait and sell their baskets. Till one day the youngest daughter, who was called Binti Ali, was sitting with her father, and she said to him, ”What advice have you to give us, father?”

Her father asked her, ”Why, my child?”

She said to him, ”We are only seven girls; we have neither husbands nor brothers. Should anything happen to you, who will be our headman?

Father, you must arrange to have a s.h.i.+p built for me, and it must be ready in the s.p.a.ce of three years.”

Her father said, ”All this wealth, where shall I get it from, that I may build a s.h.i.+p?”

She answered him, ”G.o.d, the merciful, will provide.”

In the morning the Wazir arose and went to the Sultan and said to him, ”Give me help, for my youngest child wants a vessel built for her.”

The Sultan brought out nine lakhs of rupees and gave them to his Wazir.

Then the Wazir sought for workmen, and told them to build a s.h.i.+p and have it ready in three years' time.

Now that child, Binti Ali, was very beautiful, more beautiful than all her sisters. Many men had come to seek her in marriage, but she had refused them, saying, ”I am poor; my father has not wealth to suffice for my wedding.”

At the end of three years the s.h.i.+p was ready, and her father called her, ”Eh, my child, Binti Ali.” And she answered him, ”Lebeka, father,” which means ”Here I am” in the language of to-day; but long, long ago, Lebek was the name of the G.o.d wors.h.i.+pped by the Phoenicians at the temple of Baal-lebek (Bal bek).

Her father said to her, ”Your s.h.i.+p is finished and ready for you.”

So she went to see it, and found that it was built in a wondrously fine way. When she returned she said to her father, ”Now you must find me a captain and sailors, and you must put on the vessel enough food to last three years.”

So he found a crew for her, and provisioned the s.h.i.+p and returned. Then she said, ”Father, now you must buy for me fine raiment, a sultan's turban, a s.h.i.+rt and coat, and a sword and dagger. Also you must get for me sandals of gold braid and two men's gold rings.”

So her father searched for one hour and half a second, and then returned and said, ”My child, the things you want are ready.”

Then he asked her, ”My child, where are you going to? Tell me.”

She said, ”Father, have you no understanding? I am going to the country of the Sultan Makami.”

Her father said to her, ”My child, you are already lost. Do you not know that a woman may not go to the country of Sultan Makami? Any other than a male who enters the country is put to death.”

Binti Ali said to him, ”Father, have you no wits, you, a full-grown man, who rule all this land? Do you not see that all these clothes which you have bought for me are men's clothes? I want to go and see Makami's country.”

Her father said, ”I do not approve of this journey you are setting out upon.”

His daughter replied, ”What becomes of me is in the hands of G.o.d.”

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