I

After the city of Iram Zat Al-Imad was cursed by Allah for the pride of the great king Shaddad, he turned to the most wonderful mirage in southern Arabia. Only the powerful wise men and sorcerers could see his magnificent palaces, fragrant gardens and beautiful fountains, iridescent with all the colors of the rainbow of the seven heavens of Paradise. Henceforth, the fiery jinn vigilantly guarded the city of Iram from the eyes of a mere mortal. * * *

Princess Shame, mourning her eternal youth, slowly walked among the huge trees of the cursed city.

Once she approached the sacred basin, where the magical amethyst water gleamed, and, folding her light hands on her chest, prayed to Allah:

- O almighty, have mercy on me, for I can no longer live! Make me mortal and let me taste the forbidden fruit of love! Let Azrael then take my sinful soul and take it to Ahirman to the terrible Iblis!

As soon as the young Shame spoke these fateful words, the golden palaces of Iram Zat al-Imad flashed brighter than a thousand suns and an icy wind swept through the trees of fragrant gardens. And a deep voice came from which the earth shook:

“You will receive it, young daughter of the proud king Shaddad, but your life will be sharper than the Al-Sirat Bridge, and your end will be soon.” You will travel to the distant snowy lands, where the power of the jinn guarding you will be powerless. Farewell, and take in the guides of my faithful Angel Hadir in the guise of a devoted dog. * * *

When the young princess Chame came to her senses, she saw near her legs a thin gray dog ​​with a magical ruby ​​necklace around her neck, one turn of which could fulfill her many desires. In the amethyst water of the basin, in front of which Shame stood, her father Shaddad appeared in the form of a pomegranate tree.

- Do not leave, do not leave me, my daughter! Said the enchanted tree in a sad voice.

The princess’s transparent tear fell into the amethyst water of the sacred pool.

“Forgive me, father, but I have already made my decision,” whispered Shame.

On the surface of the water pool went glittering circles. The pomegranate tree sighed and slowly dissolved in amethyst waters. II

The beginning of February was cold. On the way home, he was constantly falling because he was very drunk. He was a boy of twenty-five. Despite his age, he was a complete alcoholic. Relatives, friends and acquaintances have long given up on him. He was cleansed with blood in nursing homes, coded, sewn into esperal, etc. Thanks to his good health and youth, he had not yet given his soul to God, although he was close to it many times.

And now, on this icy night, he was going home. He had very little time left to go, but would he get to his home?

He swore and, losing his balance, once again crashed to the ground. Everything swam before his eyes. "That's all ..." - he thought and lost his senses.

The girl of fabulous beauty approached him. She gently touched his eyelids with her fingertips. The young man shuddered, as if from a strong electrical discharge.

He opened his eyes, rubbed the bruised nape and looked around. He forgot absolutely everything that happened to him before that. Hops weathered out of his head, as if by magic. Near him stood a young beauty with emerald, slightly slanting eyes. Nearby was a large gray dog ​​with a ruby ​​necklace around his neck. How could he see such details in the dark? Perhaps it was the light of a nearby lantern. Probably, but still unlikely.

As soon as the young princess Shame saw the dumbfounded boy who was still sitting in the snow, she gave him her hand and helped her to her feet. She had already read her destiny in the eyes of this man - it was he, her chosen one, her lover!

- Lord, who are you ?! He asked in astonishment.

“The one who shares his fate with you,” smiled the princess.

- Listen, if you're a hallucination, then get out to ... mother! - muttered the guy.

“I,” the girl said, “is the daughter of King Shaddad.” And this is my guardian angel, Khadir. - She pointed towards the dog.

- Soon I have to let him go to the great Allah.

- Wait, wait, girl ... Daughter of the king? Guardian angel ... how is it there ... but to hell with him! You yourself an hour out of the madhouse ran away?

- I am a princess, they call me Shame. Before the angel Khadir goes to his Master, I am ready to prove to you what I said ... It is enough to turn this necklace around Khadir’s neck, and any of your wishes will immediately be fulfilled. Command my love ...

“Well,” said the young man sarcastically, “let your Ha ... Khadir give me, well ... suppose ... a diamond carriage drawn by Arabian stallions.”

The amazing girl gracefully leaned over the gray dog ​​and turned the ruby ​​necklace around her neck.

The young man screamed and recoiled. A dazzling carriage appeared in front of him. Three black horses hooves the icy ground ...

- Unfortunately, this is the last request to my angel.

The girl bowed to the dog in gratitude.

- Fly to your almighty Lord, good Khadir ...

The dog dissolved in the darkness of the night.

“A coach, as you see, a diamond one,” said Shame, “sit down and order where we are going.”

The shocked young man, closing his eyes, entered the carriage and, giving a hand to the princess, muttered:

- Home, where else?

Black stallions rushed forward, bouquets of scarlet sparks burst from under their hoofs ...

When the boy and the girl came out of the carriage, the precious carriage melted before their eyes.

- Is that your entrance? - smiled emerald eyes daughter Irama.

- Yeah, - squeezed out a young man.

- Come on, I live on the ninth floor ... although, no, wait, if all this is not nonsense and not the fruit of my alcoholic fantasy, we would not hurt to buy wine. It is full of all the lumps where they sell alcohol and other stuff. But, you see, dear Shame, I am broke. This means that I have a penny in my pocket.

The princess nodded knowingly and removed the golden decoration from her neck.

- This is a gift from the Yemeni Caliph, sacred Ishtar.

- Okay, okay, give it here. I have a friend - a huckster. Let's go, of course, but we will unwind it on the water box. Damn it, it's a pity that now all jewelers are closed, but you want to embed it so much! III

While the huckster, the big-bellied fellow, looked at the decoration through a magnifying glass, his face was covered with sweat, his face muscles twitched nervously.

- Well, how much do you want for this fake? He asked the young man.

- You know, Tolyan, you do not want - do not take it. My woman and I, ”he nodded in the direction of the princess,“ we will shove elsewhere. ” Severing If you think this thing is bullshit, we will go to jewelry in the morning, and there we’ll have a couple of champagnes and a Vyadry on the drawer.

- Wait, wait ... how much do you ask for this thing? Tolyan slyly squinted his oily eyes.

“You heard me,” the guy snapped and looked at the girl who stood meekly aside.

Tolyan grinned and, undressing his young friend's companion with his eyes, spoke in a hoarse voice:

- I’ve got four brats here, great men, two have just left the zone, on trifles, of course, and they are the right people. Come on, man, to you to fill up the hut? I take your goods, we will take a booze right now.

- Hey guys! He shouted.

In the next room, four men were watching TV.

- Then a friend came to me with a chick, let's walk up to him, take weed, wheels, a screw, and of course booze.

- This is the thing! Need to air out, this ...