ARABIAN NIGHTS 4– NGÀN LẼ MỘT ĐÊM

Chapter 4 Faisal and the Barber Faisal was a rich young man of Baghdad. He lived in a large house with many servants. But he didn't have a wife. He wasn't interested in love. One day Faisal went for a walk in the streets of the city. He saw a lot of young girls in front of him. He didn't want to meet them, so he turned into a small street. He looked up and saw a beautiful young girl at a window. From that minute, Faisal was in love. Then a man on a horse came into the street. He had many servants with him. He stopped outside the girl's house and went inside. ' Is that her father?' Faisal thought. He went home, but he couldn't eat or sleep. He thought about the girl.Who was she? He had to know. An old woman worked in Faisal's house. She asked,' What's \vrong with you, sir ? Are you ill ?' ' No,' answered Faisal.' But I'm in love.' He told the old woman about the girl at the window. ' I know that girl,' said the old woman.' She's the daughter of a judge. Her father is a very important man.' ' How can I meet her ?' asked Faisal. ' Listen,' said the old woman.' I know the people in the girl's house. I'll speak to the girl about you. She'll listen to me.' The old woman went to the house and spoke to the girl about Faisal. The girl listened. She was very interested. ' I would like to meet this young man,' she said.' On Fridays my father always goes out in the morning. Tell the young man. He can come and see me then. I'll speak to him.' When Friday came, Faisal was very excited. First he went to the baths.Then he sent a servant into the town for a barber. Faisal wanted the barber to cut his hair. But the barber was very slow and talked about stupid things. ' Be quick!' said Faisal.' I have to visit friends.' ' Friends!' said the barber.' Oh, no! Now I remember. Some friends are visiting me today, but I forgot to buy food for them. What will they think of me?' ' Listen,' said Faisal,' I have a lot of food in my house, but I'm going out. I don't want it, so you can take it. But finish your work and GO!' ' Thank you, thank you,' said the barber. 'But now what can I do for you ? I know! I can come with you to your friends' house.' ' No, you can't,' said Faisal. ' Oh,' said the barber. Then he got very excited.' Perhaps your friend is a woman?Yes! Perhaps things will be difficult for you? But, really, I can help you. I helped a lot of my friends in this way. Please let me come with you.' Faisal didn't want to listen to the barber. ' Oh, all right,' he said. 'Take the food home to your friends. I'll wait for you here. Then you can come with me to my friends' house.' But Faisal didn't wait for the barber. He didn't want the barber to come with him. When the barber left, he went to the girl's house. He was very late because of the barber. The old woman opened the door and took him upstairs to a fine room. There he sat and waited for the girl. But the barber didn't go home. He paid a man, and the man took the food back to his house. Then he followed Faisal to the girl's house. When Faisal went into the house, the barber waited outside in the street. Suddenly, he saw the judge, the girl's father. The judge came down the street and went into the house. Inside, the judge found a servant. The servant had the judge's money in his hand, so the judge began to hit the man hard. Outside in the street, the barber heard the man's cries.' It's my friend, Faisal,' he thought.' The judge is killing him.' He ran to the door and began to shout.' Help! Help!' he cried.' The judge is killing my friend!' Many people heard the barber and came out of their houses. They stood round the judge's door and began to cry, ' Help! Help! The judge is killing this man's friend!' From inside the house, the judge heard the noise and opened the door. When he saw the angry people, he was surprised and a iittle afraid. Then the barber said to him,'Where's my friend?' 'Yes, where s his friend?' asked the people. They were very L-xcited. 'I don't understand,' said the judge. 'Who is this man's friend? Why is he in my house ?' 'You bad old man!' shouted the barber. 'My friend loves your daughter, and she loves him! You know that very well. So you >;illed him.' ' Good people,' said the judge,' my house is open to everybody. [5ut I'm telling you, this man's friend isn't inside. Come and look.' The barber ran into the house and the people followed him. f:aisal heard the noise and was very afraid. He found a large box and climbed into it.Then the barber came in. 'There you are, my friend!' he said. 'You'll be all right now. I m here and I'm going to help you.' He closed the box and began to carry it downstairs. There were many people on the stairs and he pushed them out of his way. But Faisal was very angry with the barber. ' Go away, you stupid man!' he shouted. ' I don't want your help.' He began to kick the box hard from the inside. The barber fell down the stairs and the box fell out of his arms onto the floor. Faisal climbed out. His arm hurt and his face was black and blue. He pushed his way through the people and ran home quickly. He had to get away from the barber. But the barber followed him and shouted,' Wait for me, my friend! I only want to help you!' Shahriar laughed and laughed. In the next room, the vizir stopped his work and listened. He was very surprised. 'Why is the sultan laughing?' he thought. 'And what is Sheherezade doing ? Why isn't she dead ?' The next night, Sheherezade began a new story.

ARAB NIGHTS 3– NGÀN LẼ MỘT ĐÊM

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 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.

ARABIAN NIGHTS 3– NGÀN LẼ MỘT ĐÊM

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 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.

ARABIAN NIGHTS 2– NGÀN LẼ MỘT ĐÊM

Chapter 2 Behind the Door Salem's father was very rich. When he died, he left his money and houses to his son. But Salem was young and lost the money very quickly. Then he sold the houses and lost that money too. In the end he had nothing. He sat in the streets and waited for work. Sometimes he carried things for people. One day an old man spoke to him. 'You had a better place in life,' said the old man.' I can see it in your face. I live with ten other old men in one house. Come and be our servant.' Salem walked through the city with the old man and they stopped outside the old man's house. Before they went in, the old man turned to Salem and said, ' This house is a very unhappy place. But never ask any questions about that.' ' I'll remember that,' said Salem, and he followed the old man through the door. The inside of the house was very beautiful. The rooms were large, with floors of different colours. In the middle of the house was a lovely garden with many flowers. Salem could hear the sound of water and birdsong. Then he heard other sounds. They came from the other old men.The men wore black, and they cried in their rooms. The first old man took Salem into his room. He showed him a box with pieces of gold inside. ' Use this gold when you buy things for us,' he said. Salem also saw a door in the old man's room. He wanted to ask,'What's behind that door?' But you didn't ask questions in that house. Salem worked hard in the house for many years. One old man after another old man died, and he put them under the ground in the garden. In the end there was only one old man — Salem's first friend. Then he was ill too. ' I'm going to die, my son,' he said to Salem. 'Then please tell me something,' said Salem. 'Why are you so unhappy ? And what's behind the door in your room ?' ' I can't tell you that,' said the old man.' But don't try to open the door. You'll be unhappy every day of your life.' The old man died. He left the house and his money to Salem. Now Salem was rich again, but he wasn't happy. He thought about the old men and the door. Why were the old men unhappy ? What was behind the door ? Salem had to know the answers to these questions. He took a piece of heavy wood and broke the door. The door was open. Sheherezade stopped. 'Well?' said the sultan. 'What happened next? What was behind the door?' ' Sir, there's light in the sky,' said Sheherezade. 'You're going to kill me now.' ' But you can't stop there.You have to finish the story.' ' Then please give me another day' said Sheherezade. The sultan was angry, but he said, 'All right, I'll give you one more day. But after that The next night, Sheherezade started her story again, j Behind the door, everything was very dark and quiet. Then Salem saw some stairs. He took a lamp and walked down the stairs. The stairs went down for a long way into the ground and came out into a cave. Salem walked through the cave and came to the sea. He stood there and looked round him. Then he saw something in the sky. It got bigger and bigger. It was a very large bird. It came down and caught him by his clothes. Then it flew with him across the sea. Salem was afraid, but then he slept. The bird flew all night. Early next morning Salem woke up and saw a beautiful beach below him. A lot of people waited on the beach. The bird flew down into the middle of the people. The people -were very friendly to Salem. They brought him a fine horse and helped him onto it. Then they took him through lovely gardens to a beautiful house. Inside the house there was a lovely woman sitting on a chair. When she saw Salem, she got up. 'You're here, my love! I'm very happy now,' she said. She took Salem's hand and walked with him through the house and gardens. ' Everything here is mine,' she said.' Stay with me and be my husband. Then this will be yours too.' ' I would like that,' answered Salem. 'But there is one thing,' said the woman. They went back to the first room and she showed Salem a door. 'Don't open that door,' she said,' or you'll be unhappy every day of your life.' Salem took the woman's hand.' I don't want to open the door,' he said.' I only want you.' Salem married the beautiful woman, and they lived happily for many years. He wasn't interested in the door. But then he began to think about it more and more. ' I opened the first door, at the old man's house,' he thought, 'and I found this lovely place.When I open this door, perhaps I'll find a more wonderful place.' One day he couldn't wait. This time he didn't have to break the door. He pushed it and it opened easily. Everything was dark behind the door. After some minutes Salem saw a large eye. Then he saw a large bird. It was the bird from the cave outside the first door. The bird jumped into the room. Salem tried to run away but it was too late. The bird caught him by his clothes and pulled him outside. It flew up into the sky and the house and garden got smaller and smaller. The bird started to fly over the sea, and Salem slept. After a day and a night Salem woke up. He was in the cave by the sea again. The bird wasn't there. Salem walked through the cave and found some stairs. He walked slowly up the stairs and found a door. He went through the door and he was in his old house in the city again. For many months, he tried to find a way back to the wonderful country. But nobody knew anything about it. In the end he understood. No ship could take him to that lovely country and his beautiful wife. 'Now I understand about the old men,' he thought. 'They were unhappy because they made the same journey. They found that wonderful place. Then they lost everything too.' Salem lived in the house all his life. He dressed in black clothes and he cried every day. He never laughed again. ' That was a very sad story,' said the sultan. ' But the world is a very sad place.' He too never laughed these days. ' But is the world really sad ?' said Sheherezade. ' Everybody has to laugh sometimes. I can tell you a funny story about a great man — oh, but it's too late.' ' But I want to know,' said the sultan.' I think I can give you another day.You will tell me the story tonight.' So that night Sheherezade told the story.

Typical Overloaded Bikes On A City Street In China - Xe đạp quá tải thường thấy trên đường phố Trung Quốc

In China, bikes are everywhere! In cities too large and congested to get everything where it needs to go in transit vans, bikes are the main means of transport. From tires to rubbish, nothing is too heavy or too big to fit on a bike, you just need the right amount of rope. I've seen numerous photo series of heavy bike loads before but this series from Alain Delorme certainly takes the cake. I'd go as far as to say that I don't even believe these are real because they are so unbelievable but I'm willing to suspend my disbelief and just enjoy them for what they are - compelling images.

Tại Trung Quốc, xe đạp ở khắp mọi nơi! Tại các thành phố quá lớn và đông đúc để có được tất cả mọi thứ lúc cần mà không dùng xe tải được, thì xe đạp là phương tiện vận tải chính. Từ lốp xe cho đến rác, không có gì là quá nặng hoặc quá lớn để chất lên xe đạp, bạn chỉ cần có đủ số dây thừng. Tôi đã nhìn thấy rất nhiều ảnh chụp xe đạp chở nặng trước đây nhưng loạt ảnh của Alain Delorme chắc chắn thắng giải. Tôi thực sự muốn nói rằng, tôi thậm chí không tin rằng những bức ảnh này là thực bởi vì chúng thật không thể tin được, nhưng tôi sẵn sàng gác qua một bên sự hoài nghi của mình và chỉ thưởng ngoạn chúng như chúng đang là - những hình ảnh hấp dẫn.

Alain Delorme, French photographer living and working in Paris, has created a stunning, and quite frankly, brilliant series of photographs that picture Chinese people in their every day lives hauling their products to the markets. These guys literally haul hundreds of kilos worth of merchandise on their tricycle to earn their living. I feel like lending a hand, but I would probably just mess things up since I am sure there is some invaluable skills needed during the process of stacking and biking these things. You got to give it to them, they certainly know how to be environmentally friendly. I mean, at least they are not using their cars and trucks.

Alain Delorme, nhiếp ảnh người Pháp sống và làm việc tại Paris, đã tạo ra những bức ảnh rực rỡ, tuyệt đẹp, và hoàn toàn trung thực, về những người dân Trung Quốc trong cuộc sống hàng ngày của họ chuyên chở sản phẩm của họ ra chợ. Những chàng trai này thực sự đang chở hàng trăm kg hàng hóa trên xe ba bánh của mình để kiếm sống. Tôi cảm thấy như muốn giúp họ một tay, nhưng tôi có lẽ chỉ làm mọi thứ rối tinh lên vì tôi chắc chắn phải có một số kỹ năng vô giá cần thiết trong quá trình xếp chồng và đi xe đạp. Bạn phải đẻ họ làm việc của họ, họ chắc chắn biết làm thế nào để thân thiện với môi trường. Tôi muốn nói là, ít ra là là họ không sử dụng xe hơi và xe tải.