Chapter 3 Sultan Haroun Laughs
The great Sultan Haroun couldn't sleep. One night he suddenly said to his
vizir,' The night is long. I want it to be shorter. What can I do ?'
The sultan had a servant, Masrour. Masrour helped the sultan night and day.
Now he began to laugh.
The sultan was angry.'Why are you laughing?' he asked.'Are you laughing
because I can't sleep ?'
'No, sir,' answered Masrour. 'I'm not laughing at you. I'm thinking about
something funny. You see, yesterday I walked down to the River Tigris. There
were a lot of people there. They stood round a big fat man. The fat man told funny
stories and did funny things. Everybody laughed at him.'
' Well, go and find this fat man,' said the sultan,' Bring him to me. I can't
sleep. Perhaps I can laugh at him too.'
Masrour went to the fat man's house. The man's name was Abdurrazak. He
was asleep and he didn't want to get up. But when he heard about Sultan
Haroun, he dressed quickly and came outside.
' Let's go,' he said.' Let's not be late for a great man.'
' Wait,' said Masrour.' The sultan will laugh at you and give you a lot of
money. But think. Who told him about you? It was me, Masrour. So you have to
give me something too. When the sultan gives you your fee, one half is yours. Give
the other half to me.'
Abdurrazak wasn't very happy about this, but in the end he said yes. Then
Masrour took him to the sultan.
When Sultan Haroun saw Abdurrazak, he said,' So people in the street laugh
at you. But I'm a sultan. Will I laugh at you too ?'
Abdurrazak began to say and do funny things. Masrour laughed and
laughed. Then the vizir laughed. But the sultan didn't laugh. Abdurrazak was
very surprised. Then he began to feel afraid.
'Stop!' said Haroun. 'You're a very stupid man and you aren't funny.
So here's your fee. Masrour, hit this man hard ten times.'
So Masrour began to hit the unhappy Abdurrazak. One .. . two ... three ...
four ... five.
Then Abdurrazak cried,' Stop, Masrour! That's one half of my fee. Now take
your half.'
' What's this ?' said the sultan.' What do you mean — " one half of my fee"?'
So Masrour told the sultan about Abdurrazak's fee — one half for
Abdurrazak and the other half for Masrour.
When he finished, the sultan asked Masrour, 'Well, do you want your
half of the fee ?'
' No, sir,' answered Masrour. 'Abdurrazak can take the fee — my half and
his half
'All right, then,' said the sultan. 'Abdurrazak will take Masrour s half.
Masrour, hit him five more times.'
Masrour hit Abdurrazak five more times. After he finished, Abdurrazak
wanted to run away. But the sultan said,' Don't go, Abdurrazak. That was only
4
the first half of your fee. Now you have to take the second half
Abdurrazak's face turned white. He was very afraid. What second half?
What did the sultan mean ?
The sultan turned to his vizir.' This is the second half he said. 'My vizir
will give you a hundred pieces of gold. Now, Abdurrazak, take your fee and
go home.'
The sultan turned to look at Masrour. Masrour's face was very unhappy
but it was also very funny. Now, and for the first time that night — the sultan
laughed.
' I liked that story,' said Sultan Shahriar. 'But it was very short. There's
time for one more story'
So Sheherezade began her next story.