Read Patrañas; or, Spanish Stories, Legendary and Traditional Page 45

  MOORISH REMNANTS.

  II.

  MOSTAFA ALVILA.

  Mostafa Alvila was califf of a conquered province in Spain, where hereigned with oriental state. The tributary people were ground downwith hard work to minister to his treasury, and the vast sums heamassed were spent in beautifying his Alcazar, and filling it withcostly productions from all parts. Merchants from every climate underheaven were encouraged to come and offer him their choicest wares.

  One day, a merchant of Persia brought a large pack of shawls andcarpets, all woven in gold and pearls, and wools and silks of brilliantcolours, but among them all the most beautiful was one carpet of greatprice, on which Mostafa Alvila's choice was immediately set; but in allhis treasury there was not found the price of it. Nothing would do,he must possess it: then Ali Baba his vizier came forward and said,"Let ten thousand dogs of Christians be sold, and with the price ofthem you shall purchase the carpet."

  Mostafa Alvila answered and said, "The advice is good!" So they sentand sold ten thousand Christians, and with the price of them thecarpet was bought.

  Mostafa Alvila sat contemplating the curious devices, and tracingthe wonderful arabesque patterns with which the carpet was covered;and there was one pattern, all shining with gold and pearls, quiteprominent in the centre, which had a likeness to the characters ofan inscription; and when Mostafa Alvila saw it, he was very curiousto know if it was an inscription, and what it meant, so he sent torecall the merchant; but he was gone from the Alcazar. Then he senthis servants after him, and though they travelled three days' journeyby every road, they could neither find him nor obtain any tidingsof whither he had passed. Then Mostafa Alvila was more curious, andsent and gathered all the learned men in his califate, and inquiredof them what the inscription might mean. They all looked troubled,and said they could not tell, they had never seen such letters. Butone there was who concealed the difficulty he was in so ill, thatMostafa Alvila saw he knew what the writing meant, so he looked veryseverely upon him and threatened him with instant death if he didnot tell him exactly what the writing was.

  Then the interpreter, when he found there was no other way to savehis life, with great fear and trembling said, this is the meaningthereof:--

  "Shiroes, son of Chosroes, killed his father; and he died six months after."

  Mostafa Alvila was greatly troubled when he heard the sentence;for he had ascended the califate by killing his father, and he hadreigned six months all but one day. So he sent and commanded that theinterpreter and all who had heard the sentence should be put to death,that no one might know the omen.

  But that night, in the middle of the dark hours, when Mostafa Alvilawas alone in his chamber, a horrible vision came to him. He thoughthe saw the body of his father whom he had murdered rise up to convicthim. He sunk down in his bed, and covered his face in fear and horror.

  In the morning, when they came to call him, they found only hislifeless corpse.