akorn - Mighty Old Tales Retold

The Mysterious Affair at Styles - Chapter 2

THE 16TH AND 17TH OF JULY
I had arrived at Styles on the 5th of July. I come now to the events of the 16th and 17th of that month. For the convenience of the reader I will recapitulate the incidents of those days in as exact a manner as possible. They were elicited subsequently at the trial by a process of long and tedious cross-examinations.

The Mysterious Affair at Styles - Chapter 1

The intense interest aroused in the public by what was known at the time as “The Styles Case” has now somewhat subsided. Nevertheless, in view of the world-wide notoriety which attended it, I have been asked, both by my friend Poirot and the family themselves, to write an account of the whole story. This, we trust, will effectually silence the sensational rumours which still persist.
I will therefore briefly set down the circumstances which led to my being connected with the affair.

The Barber's Tale of His Sixth Brother

My sixth brother,..., Shakashik, or Many Clamours, the shorn of both lips, was once rich and became poor, so one day he went out to beg somewhat to keep life in him. As he was on the road he suddenly caught sight of a large and handsome mansion...

The Barber's Tale of His Fifth Brother

My fifth brother, Al-Nashshar, the Babbler, the same who was cropped of both ears, ..., was an asker wont to beg of folks by night and live on their alms by day. 

The Barber's Tale of His Fourth Brother

Now as for my fourth brother, ... , Al-Kuz al-aswani, or the long necked Gugglet hight, from his brimming over with words, the same who was blind of one eye, he became a butcher in Baghdad and he sold flesh and fattened ram; and great men and rich bought their meat of him, so that he amassed much wealth and got him cattle and houses. 

The Barber's Tale of His Third Brother

My third brother's name was Al-Fakik, the Gabbler, who was blind. One day Fate and Fortune drove him to a fine large house, and he knocked at the door, desiring speech of its owner that he might beg somewhat of him.  

The Barber's Tale of His Second Brother

...my second brother's name was Al-Haddar, that is the Babbler, and he was the paralytic. Now it happened to him that one day when he was going about his business, that an old woman accosted him and said, "Stop a little, my good man, that I may tell you of something, that if it be to your liking, that if you should do for me, I will pray Allah to give you good for it!"

The Barber's Tale of His First Brother

...my first brother, Al Bakbuk, the Prattler, is a Hunchback who took to tailoring in Baghdad, and he used to sew in a shop hired from a man of much wealth, who dwelt over the shop, and there was also a flour mill in the basement. One day, my brother, the Hunchback, ... saw a lady like the rising full moon at a balconied window of his landlord's house...

The Barber's Tale of Himself

The following night Scheherazade said, "There is a tale the barber tells of himself and his six brothers..."

The Tale of the Ensorcelled Prince

Know then, O my lord, that my sire was King of this city, and his name was Mahmud, entitled Lord of the Black Islands, and owner of what are now these four mountains. He ruled for three score and ten years, after which he went to the mercy of the Lord and I reigned as Sultan in his stead. I took to wife my cousin...