noble, beautiful, and rich. The ceremonies of marriage being over, I dwelt with my wife, and for some time we lived together in perfect harmony. I was not, however, content with my banishment, but wished to return to Bagdad, which my present life, how advantageous soever, could not make me forget.
At this time the wife of one of my neighbors, with whom I had contracted a friendship, fell sick and died. I went to see and comfort him in his affliction, and finding him absorbed in sorrow, I said to him as soon as I saw him, “God preserve you and grant you a long life.” “Alas!” replied he, “how do you think that could happen? I have not above an hour to live, for I must be buried this day with my wife. This is the law. The living husband is interred with the dead wife, and the living wife with the dead husband.”
While he was giving me an account of this barbarous custom, the very relation of which chilled my blood, his kindred, friends, and neighbors came to assist at the funeral. They dressed the corpse of the woman in her richest apparel and all her jewels, as if it had been her wedding-day; then they placed her on an open bier, and began their march to the place of burial. The husband walked first, next to the dead body. They went to a high mountain, and when they reached it, they took up a large stone which formed the mouth of a deep pit, and let down the body with all its apparel and jewels. Then the husband, embracing his kindred
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