THE THREE PRINCES OF CHINA.[FN#303]



Whilome there was a King in the land of Al-Sn and he had three male children to whose mother befel a mysterious malady. So they summoned for her Sages and leaches of whom none could understand her ailment and she abode for a while of time strown upon her couch. At last came a learned physician to whom they described her disorder and he declared, "Indeed this sickness cannot be healed save and except by the Water of Life, a treasure that can be trove only in the land Al-'Irk." When her sons heard these words they said to their sire, "There is no help but that we make our best endeavour and fare thither and thence bring for our mother the water in question." Hereupon the King gat ready for them a sufficiency of provaunt for the way and they farewelled him and set forth intending for Barbarian-land.[FN#304] The three Princes ceased not travelling together for seven days, at the end of which time one said to other, "Let us separate and let each make search in a different stead, so haply shall we hit upon our need." So speaking they parted after dividing their viaticum and, bidding adieu to one another, each went his own way. Now the eldest Prince ceased not wending over the wastes and none directed him to a town save after a while when his victual was exhausted and he had naught remaining to eat. At that time he drew near to one of the cities where he was met at the entrance by a Jewish man who asked him saying, "Wilt thou serve, O Moslem?" Quoth the youth to himself, "I will take service and haply Allah shall discover to me my need." Then said he aloud, "I will engage myself to thee;" and said the Jew, "Every day thou shalt serve me in yonder Synagogue, whose floor thou shalt sweep and clean its mattings and rugs and thou shalt scour the candlesticks." "'Tis well," replied the Prince, after which he fell to serving in the Jew's house, until one day of the days when his employer said to him, "O Youth, I will bargain with thee a bargain." "And what may that be?" asked the young Prince, and the man answered, "I will condition with thee for thy daily food a scone and a half but the broken loaf thou shalt not devour nor shalt thou break the whole bread; yet do thou eat thy sufficiency and whoso doth contrary to our agreement we will flay[FN#305] his face. So, an it be thy desire to serve, thou art welcome." Now of his inexperience the Prince said to him, "We will serve thee;" whereupon his employer rationed him with a scone and a half and went forth leaving him in the Synagogue. When it was noon the youth waxed anhungered so he ate the loaf and a half; and about mid-afternoon the Jew came to him and finding that he had devoured the bread asked him thereanent and the other answered, "I was hungry and I ate up all." Cried the Jew, "I made compact with thee from the beginning that thou shouldst eat neither the whole nor the broken," and so saying he fared forth from him and presently brought a party of Jews, who in that town numbered some fifty head, and they seized the youth and slew him and bundling up the body in a mat[FN#306] set it in a corner of the synagogue. Such was his case; but as regards the Cadet Prince, he ceased not wayfaring and wending from town to town until Fate at last threw him into the same place where his brother had been slain and perchance as he entered it he found the same Jew standing at the Synagogue-door. The man asked him, "Wilt thou serve, O Moslem?" and as the youth answered "Yea verily," he led the new comer to his quarters. After this the Jew had patience for the first day and the second day—And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was

The Seven Hundred and Eleventh Night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the King's son tarried with the Jewish man the first day and the second day, after which his employer did with him even as he had done by his brother before him; to wit, he slew him and wrapping him in a mat placed his corpse beside that of the eldest Prince. On this wise it happed to these twain; but as regards the youngest of the three, he ceased not travelling from town to town and enduring excessive fatigue and hunger and nakedness until by decree of Destiny and by determination of the Predestinator he was thrown into the hands of the same Jew whom he found standing at the Synagogue-door. Here the man accosted him, saying, "Wilt thou serve, O Moslem?" and the Youth agreeing he imposed upon him the same pact which he had made with his two brothers, and the Prince said "'Tis well, O Master." Then quoth the Jew, "Do thou sweep the Synagogue and cleanse it and shake out the mats and rugs;" and quoth the other, "Good!" But when the Prince left him and went into the building, his glance fell upon the two bundles of matting wherein were wrapped the corpses of his brothers, so he drew near to them and, raising a corner of the covering, found the bodies stinking and rotten. Hereat he arose and fared forth the Synagogue and opening a pit in the ground took up his brothers (and he sorrowing over them and weeping) and buried them. Then he returned to the building and, rolling up the mats, heaped them together and so with the rugs, after which he built a fire under them until the whole were burnt and after he took down the candlesticks one and all and brake them to bits. Now when it was mid-afternoon behold, the Jew came to the Synagogue and found a bonfire and all the furniture thereof lying in ashes and when he saw this he buffeted his face and cried, "Wherefore, O Moslem, hast thou done on such wise?" Replied the youth, "Thou hast defrauded me, O Master," and rejoined the Jew, "I have not cheated thee of aught. However, O Moslem, hie thee home and bid thy mistress slaughter a meat-offering and cook it and do thou bring it hither forthright." "'Tis well, O my Master," said the Prince. Now the Jew had two boy children in whom he delighted and the youth going to his house knocked at the door which was opened to him by the Jewess and she asked, "What needest thou?" Quoth the Prince to the Jew's wife, "O my mistress, my master hath sent me to thee saying, 'Do thou slaughter the two lambs that are with thee and fifty chickens and an hundred pair[FN#307] of pigeons,' for all the masters are with him in the Synagogue and 'tis his desire to circumcise the boys."[FN#308] The Jew's wife replied to him, "And who shall slaughter me all this?" when he rejoined, "I will." So she brought out to him the lambs and the chickens and the pigeons and he cut the throats of all. The Jewess hereupon arose and cried upon her neighbours to aid her in the cooking until the meats were well done and all were dished up. Then the youth hending the ten porcelain plates in hand went with them to a house in the Ghetto[FN#309] and rapped at the door and said, "My Master hath sent all these to you." Meanwhile the Jew was in the Synagogue unknowing of such doings; and as the Prince was setting down the last of the plates which he carried with him, behold! the Jew came to that house because he had noticed his servant's absence, so he repaired thither to see concerning the business of the meat offering wherewith he had charged him. He found his home in a state of pother and up-take and down-set and he asked the folk, "What is the matter?" They related the whole to him and said, "Thou sentest to demand such-and-such," and when he heard this case he beat his face with his brogue[FN#310]—And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the King suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was

The Seven Hundred and Twelfth Night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale, that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night." She replied, "With love and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that, when the Jew came to his home and looked around, he found it in the condition which the youth had contrived, so he beat his face with his brogue and cried, "O the ruin of my house!" Suddenly the prince entered and his employer asked him "Wherefore doest thou on such wise, O Moslem?" Answered the youth, "Verily thou hast defrauded me," and rejoined the other, "No; I have not cheated thee on any wise." Then said the Jew in his mind:—"Needs must I set a snare for this youth and slay him;" so he went in to his wife and said, "Spread for us our beds upon the terrace-roof; and we will take thereto the young Moslem, our servant, and cause him lie upon the edge, and when he is drowned in slumber we will push him between us and roll him along the floor till he fall down from the terrace and break to bits his neck." Now by fiat of Fate the youth was standing and overhearing[FN#311] their words. As soon as it was night-time the woman arose and spread the beds upon the roof according as her husband had charged her do; but about midafternoon the Prince bought him half a pound of filberts and placed them with all care and circumspection in his breast-pocket. Presently the Jew said to him, "O Moslem, we design to sleep in the open air, for the weather is now summery;" and said he, "'Tis well, O my Master." Hereupon the Jew and the Jewess and the children and the Prince their servant went up to the roof and the first who lay him down was the house-master, placing his wife and children beside him. Then said he to the youth, "Do thou sleep here upon the side,"[FN#312] when the Prince brought the filberts out of his breast-pocket and cracked them with his teeth, and as often as they repeated to him, "Arise, O Moslem, and take thy place on the couch," he answered them, "Whenas I shall have eaten these filberts." He ceased not watching them till all had lain down and were fast asleep, when he took his place on the bed between the mother and the two boys. Presently the Jew awoke, and thinking that the youth was sleeping on the edge, he pushed his wife, and his wife pushed the servant, and the servant pushed the children towards the terrace-marge, and both the little ones fell over and their brain-pans[FN#313] were broken and they died. The Jew hearing the noise of the fall fancied that none had tumbled save his servant the young Moslem; so he rose in joy and awoke his wife saying, "Indeed the youth hath rolled off the terrace-roof and hath been killed." Hereat the woman sat up, and not finding her boys beside her, whilst the Prince still lay there she wailed and shrieked and buffeted her cheeks, and cried to her husband, "Verily none hath fallen save the children." Hereat he jumped up and attempted to cast the youth from the roof; but he, swiftlier than the lightning, sprang to his feet and shouted at the Jew and filled him with fear, after which he stabbed him with a knife which was handy, and the other fell down killed and drowned in the blood he had spilled. Now the Jew's wife was a model of beauty and of loveliness and stature and perfect grace, and when the King's son turned upon her and designed to slay her, she fell at his feet, and kissing them, placed herself under his protection. Hereupon the youth left her alive, saying to himself, "This be a woman and indeed she must not be mishandled;"[FN#314] and the Jewess asked him, "O my lord, what is the cause of thy doing on this wise? At first thou camest to me and toldest me the untruth, such-and-such falsehoods, and secondly, thou wroughtest for the slaughter of my husband and children." Answered he, "In truth thy man slew my two brothers wrongously and causelessly!" Now when the Jewess heard of this deed she enquired of him, "And art thou their very brother?" and he replied, "In good sooth they were my brethren;" after which he related to her the reason of their faring from their father to seek the Water of Life for their mother's use. Hereat she cried, "By Allah, O my lord, the wrong was with my mate and not with thee; but the Decreed chevisance doth need, nor is there flight from it indeed; so do thou abide content. However, as regards the Water in question, it is here ready beside me, and if thou wilt carry me along with thee to thy country I will give thee that same, which otherwise I will withhold from thee; and haply my wending with thee may bring thee to fair end." Quoth the Prince in his mind, "Take her with thee and peradventure she shall guide thee to somewhat of good:" and thereupon promised to bear her away. So she arose and led him into a closet where she showed him all the hoards of the Jew, ready moneys and jewellery and furniture and raiment; and everything that was with her of riches and resources she committed to the young Prince, amongst these being the Water of life. So they bore away the whole of that treasure and he also carried off the Jewess, who was beautiful exceedingly, none being her peer in that day. Then they crossed the wilds and the wastes, intending for the land of Al-Sn, and they persevered for a while of time.—And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day, and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was

The Seven Hundred and Fourteenth Night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the young Prince ceased not wayfaring until the twain drew near to the capital of China[FN#315] where, by the fiat of Fate and the sealed decree of Destiny, on entering the walls he found that his father had fared to the mercy of Allah Almighty, and that the city, being Kingless, had become like unto a flock of sheep lacking shepherd. Moreover he was certified that the Lords of his father's land and the Grandees of the realm and all the heges were in the uttermost confusion. He went up to the palace and forgathered with his mother, and seeing that she had not been healed of her sickness, he brought her out the Water of Life and gave her to drink some little thereof whereby health returned to her and she rose from her couch and took seat and salam'd to him and asked concerning his brethren. However he concealed his secret thereanent fearing lest it induce in her weakly state a fresh attack and discovered to her naught but said, "Verily, we parted at such a place in order to seek the Water of Life." Then she looked upon his companion the Jewess (and she cast in the mould of loveliness) and she questioned him concerning the woman and he recounted to her the whole affair, first and last, still concealing for the reason aforesaid, the fate of his brothers. Now on the second day the bruit went abroad throughout the city that the King's son had returned; so the Wazirs and Emirs and the Lords of the land and all who had their share in governance forgathered with him and they set him as King and Sultan in the stead of his sire. He took seat on the throne of his Kingship and bade and forbade and raised and deposed and so tarried for a while of time, until one day of the days when he determined to enjoy the hunt and chase and divert himself in pleasurable case.[FN#316] So he and his host rode forth the city when his glance fell upon a Badawi girl who was standing with the Shaykh her father considering his retinue; and the age of the maiden might have mastered thirteen years. But as soon as the King looked upon the girl love of her upon his heart alighted, and he was thereby engrossed, for she was perfect in beauty and comeliness. Hereupon he returned to his palace and sending for her father asked her of him in marriage; the Shaykh, however, answered saying, "O our lord the Sultan, I will not give up my daughter save to one who hath a handicraft of his own,[FN#317] for verily trade is a defence against poverty and folk say, 'Handicraft an it enrich not still it veileth.'"[FN#318] Hereupon the King took thought in himself and said to the Shaykh, "O Man, I am Sovran and Sultan and with me is abundant good;" but the other replied, "O King of the Age, in King-craft there is no trust." However, of his exceeding love to the girl the Sultan presently summoned the Shaykh of the Mat-makers and learnt from him the craft of plaiting and he wove these articles of various colours both plain and striped.[FN#319] After this he sent for the father of the damsel and recounted to him what he had done and the Shaykh said to him "O King of the Age, my daughter is in poor case and you are King and haply from some matter may befal a serious matter; moreover the lieges may say, 'Our King hath wived with a Badawi girl.'" "O Shaykh," replied the King, "all men are the sons of Adam and Eve." Hereupon the Badawi granted to him his daughter and got ready her requisites in the shortest possible time and when the marriage-tie was tied the King went in unto her and found her like unto a pearl.[FN#320] So he rejoiced in her and felt his heart at rest and after tarrying with her a full-told year, one chance day of the days he determined to go forth in disguise and to wander about town and solace himself with its spectacles alone and unattended. So he went into the vestiary where the garments were kept and doffing his dress donned a garb which converted him into a Darwaysh. After this he fared forth in early morning to stroll around the streets and enjoy the sights of the highways and markets, yet he knew not what was hidden from him in the World of the Future. Now when it was noon-tide he entered a street which set off from the Bazar and yet was no thoroughfare,[FN#321] and this he followed up until he reached the head and end, where stood a cook[FN#322] making Kabbs. So he said to himself, "Enter yon shop and dine therein." He did so and was met by sundry shopmen who seeing him in Darwaysh's garb welcomed him and greeted him and led him within, when he said to them, "I want a dinner." "Upon the head and the eyes be it," they replied, and conducting him into a room within the shop showed him another till he came to the place intended, when they said to him, "Enter herein, O my lord." So he pushed open the door and finding in the closet a matting and a prayer-rug[FN#323] spread thereupon he said to himself, "By Allah, this is indeed a secret spot, well concealed from the eyes of folk." Then he went up to the prayer-rug and would have sat down upon it after pulling off his papooshes, but hardly had he settled himself in his seat when he fell through the floor for a depth of ten fathoms. And while falling he cried out, "Save me, O God the Saviour;" for now he knew that the people of that place only pretended to make Kababs and they had digged a pit within their premises. Also he was certified that each and every who came in asking for dinner were led to that place where they found the prayer-rug bespread and supposed that it was set therein for the use of the diners. But when the Sultan fell from his seat into the souterrain, he was followed by the thieves who designed to murther him and to carry off his clothes, even as they had done to many others.—And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the King suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was

The Seven Hundred and Sixteenth Night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that when the King fell into the pit (and he disguised in Darwaysh-garb) the thieves sought to slay him and carry off his clothes, when quoth he to them, "Wherefore kill me when my garments are not worth a thousand groats[FN#324] and I own not a single one? However, I have at hand a handicraft whereat I am ready to work sitting in this pit and do you take and sell my produce for a thousand faddahs; and every day I will labour for you, finishing one and requiring naught save my meat and drink and perpetual privacy in your quarters." "At what craft art thou crafty?" asked they, and he answered, "At mat-weaving: so do ye bring me a piastre[FN#325] worth of rushes[FN#326] and the same of yarn." Accordingly they fared forth and fetched him his need and presently he made a mat and said to them, "Take ye this and sell it not for less than a thousand faddahs." They hied out and carried the work to the Bazar where, as soon as the folk caught sight thereof, they crowded about the seller, each man offering more until the price had risen to a thousand and two hundred silvern nusfs. Hereupon said the thieves to themselves, "By Allah, this Darwaysh can profit us with much profit and enrich us without other trade;" so every morning for ten days they brought him rushes and yarn and he wove for them a mat which they vended for a like sum. On this wise it happened to him; but as regards the Wazirs and Emirs and lords of the land, they went up to the Council-chamber[FN#327] for the first day and the second and the third until the week was ended and they awaited the coming of their King, but he came not, neither found they any tidings nor hit they upon any manifest traces and none knew whither he had wended. So they were sore exercised and confusion befel with much tittle-tattle of folk; each one said his own say nor were they guided by any to what they should do. Furthermore, as often as they asked of the Harem they were answered, "We have no tidings of him;" so they were perplext and at last they agreed, their King being clean lost, to set up a Sultan as his successor. However the Wazirs said, "Tarry ye until Allah shall open unto us a door whereby we shall be rightly directed to him." Now the King had required from the people of the pit rushes of various colours, red and green, and when they fetched them he fell to weaving a mat like those of the striped sort, whereon he figured by marks and signs the name of the quarter wherein he was gaoled[FN#328] and discovered to his men the way thereto and the site itself; after which he said to the thieves, "Verily this mat misfitteth every save those in the Royal Palace and its price is seven thousand faddahs. Do you take it and hie with it to the Sultan who shall buy it of you and pay you the price." They obeyed his bidding and wending to the palace of the Grand Wazir found him sitting with the Lords of the land and with the Nobles of the realm talking over the matter of the King when behold, those who brought the mat entered into his presence. Quoth the Minister, "What be that which is with you?" and quoth they, "A mat!" whereupon he bade them unroll it and they did so before him; and he, being sagacious, experienced in all affairs, looked thereat and fell to examining the bundle and turning it about, and considering it until suddenly he espied signs thereupon figured. He at once understood what they meant and he was rightly directed to the place where the King was confined; so he arose without delay and after ordering them to seize those who had brought the mat took with him a party and went forth, he and they, after mastering the marks which were upon the weft. He ceased not wending (and the people of the pit with him under arrest) until such time as he arrived at the place. Here they went in and opened the souterrain and brought out the King who was still in Darwaysh garb. Presently the Wazir sent for the Linkman and when he appeared they seized all who were in that place and struck off their heads; but as for the women they put them into large sacks[FN#329] of camel's hair and drowned them in the river: furthermore, they spoiled all that was on that site and the Sultan gave orders to raze the house until it became level with the ground. When all this had been done they questioned the Sultan concerning the cause of that event and he informed them of what had befallen him from incept to conclusion and lastly he cried, "Wallhi! the cause of my escape from this danger was naught save the handicraft which I learnt; to wit, the making of mats, and the Almighty requite with welfare him who taught me because he was the means of my release; and, but for my learning this trade, ye had never known the way to discover me, seeing that Allah maketh for every effect a cause." And having on such wise ended this tale Ibn Ahyam[FN#330] fell to relating to the King the history of



THE RIGHTEOUS WAZIR WRONGFULLY GAOLED.[FN#331]



It is related that there was a King among the manifold Kings of Al-Hind, and he had a Wazir which was a right good counsellor to the realm and pitiful to the lieges and the Fakirs and merciful to the miserable and just in all his dealings. Despite this the Grandees of the kingdom hated him and envied him, and at all times and seasons when he went forth the presence or returned to his house, one of the Emirs would come forward and say to the King, "O our lord, verily the Wazir doth of doings thus and thus,"—And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was

The Seven Hundred and Twenty-ninth Night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Lords of the land, whenever the Wazir was absent traduced him and maligned him in the presence of the Sultan, saying, "The Minister doth such and such doings," and this continued for a while of time. Now one day of the days, as the Sultan was sitting in his palace behold, a running messenger came to him bearing letters from sundry of the provinces which were in his reign imploring help against their foemen's violence. "What may be done in this case?" asked the Sultan, and his Nobles answered saying, "Send to them the Wazir," but they spake not this speech save in their resolve to ruin him and their determination to destroy him. Hereupon the King sent for him and summoned him and commended him to journey to the places in question; but those of whom the complaints had been made threw dangers and difficulties in his way. Said the Wazir, "Hearing and obeying;" and after preparing himself for wayfare he set forth on his way. Now the Lords had despatched letters to the province whither he intended, apprising the folk of his coming, and saying to them, "Empower him not with anything, and if you avail to work him aught of wrong, so do." When the Wazir marched upon those places he was met by the people with welcomes and deputations to receive him and offer him presents and rarities and sumptuous gifts, and all who were therein honoured him with highmost honour. Presently he sent for their adversaries, and having brought them before him made peace between the two parties, and their gladness increased and their sadness ceased, and he tarried with them for a month full-told; after which he set out on his homeward march. The Lords, however, had reported all this to the King and they were right sore and sorrowful, for that their desire had been the destruction of the Minister. And one day of the days as the Wazir was sitting at home, behold, a party of Chamberlains appeared before him and summoned him to the presence, saying, "Arise, the King requireth thee." He rose without stay or delay, and taking horse made for the presence, and ceased not riding until he had reached the palace and had gone in to the King, who forthright bade throw him into gaol. (Now it happened that the prison had seven doors.)[FN#332] Cried the Wazir, "There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great; and verily we be Allah's and unto Him are we returning! Would I wot why and wherefore the King hath confined me and for what cause; but Omnipotence is Allah's." As soon as the Minister was quartered in his new quarters the Sovran sent to interdict his eating any food of **flesh-kind, allowing only bread and cheese and olives and oil, and so left him in durance vile. Hereupon all the folk applied them to addressing the King with petitions and to interceding for the captive; but this was not possible; nay, the Sultan's wrath waxed hotter nor did it soon cool, for the Wazir abode in gaol during the longsome length of seven years. At last one day of the days that Sultan went forth disguised in Darwaysh-garb and toured about town unattended, and ceased not walking until he reached and passed before the palace of the Wazir, where he found a gathering of much folk, some sweeping and others sprinkling water, and others spreading[FN#333], whilst the Harem and household were in high glee and gladness. He stood there amongst the spectators and presently asked what was doing, and they informed him, saying, "The Wazir returneth from abroad this night and folk have been informed by messenger that the Sultan hath deigned restore him to favour and expressed himself satisfied, so presently we shall see him once more at home." "Praise be to Allah!" quoth the King in his mind; "by the Almighty, this occurrence hath no cause, and how went the bruit abroad that the King hath again accepted him? And now there is no help but that I forgather with the Wazir and see what there may be to do and how this occurred." The Sultan increased in disquietude therefor, so he went and bought a somewhat of bread and repairing to the gaol (he being still in Fakir's garb) accosted the gaoler and said to him, "Allah upon thee, O my lord, open to me the bridewell that I may enter and distribute this provaunt among the prisoners, for that I have obliged myself to such course by oath, and the cause is that when suffering from a sickness which brought me nigh to death's door I vowed a vow and sware a strong swear that, an Almighty Allah deign heal me, I would buy somewhat of bread and dole it out to the inmates of the gaol[FN#334]. So here am I come for such purpose." Upon this the man opened to him the door and he went in and divided all the bread amongst the captives yet he saw not the Wazir; so he said to the gaoler, "Hath any one remained that I may dole to him his share?" "O Darwaysh," said the other, "whereof askest thou?" and said the Fakir, "O my lord, I have sworn an oath and Allah upon thee, if there be among the captives any save these I have seen, do thou tell me thereof." Quoth the man, "There remaineth none save the Wazir who is in another place, but indeed he is not in want;" and quoth the Fakir, "O my lord, my desire is to free myself from the obligation of mine oath." Accordingly the gaoler led him in to the Wazir and when the Darwaysh drew nigh the visitor shrieked and fell fainting to the floor, and the warder seeing him prostrate left him to himself and went his ways. Hereupon the Minister came to him and sprinkling somewhat of water upon his face said to him, "O Darwaysh, there is no harm to thee!" So the Fakir arose and said, "O my lord, my heart hath been upon thee for a while of time;"—And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the King suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was

The Seven hundred and Thirty-First Night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair seeming and worthy celebrating, that quoth the Fakir to the Wazir, "By Allah, O my lord, my heart hath indeed been with thee for this space of seven years; and often as I went to thy mansion, they told me that the Sultan is wroth with the Wazir; withal I still awaited for thee until this very day, when I repaired to thy quarters according to my custom and I found in thy house much folk, this sweeping and that sprinkling and that spreading, and all were in joyous case. So I asked of the by-standers and they informed me that the Sovran hath become satisfied with thee and that on the ensuing night thou wilt hie thee home for that this thy saying is soothfast."[FN#335] "O Darwaysh," replied the other, " 'Tis true that I sent to my household and informed them thereof, for that I have received welcome news from an event befel me; so I bade apprise those at home that the Sultan is satisfied with me; and to me, O Darwaysh, hath betided a matter wondrous and an occurrence marvellous; were it written with needle-gravers upon the eye-corners it had been a warning to whoso would be warned." The Fakir asked, "And what may be that?" and the other answered, "By Allah, O Darwaysh, the while I was in the service of His Highness the King, I was a true counsellor to him and pitiful to the lieges and I never deceived him nor did I betray him at any time at all; and often as he sent me to a place wherein were mutual strife and trouble and wrong and tyranny, I smoothed matters and pacified the folk and righted wrongs amongst them by the power of Almighty Allah. But one day of the days, my mind was set upon riding out to the waste lands about the town and the gardens thereof, by way of solacing my self; so I embarked in a little caique[FN#336] upon the river and when we were amid stream I had a longing for coffee[FN#337]; so I said to the boatman, 'Abide this place and throw out the anchor while we drink coffee.' Hereat all my suite arose and busied themselves in preparing it until 'twas ready and I had a finjan[FN#338] worth a treasury[FN#339] of money which they filled and passed to me. I took it as I was sitting upon the gunwale of the boat whence it dropped into the stream; and I was sorely sorrowful therefor, because that cup was a souvenir. Seeing this, all in the boat arose and sent for a diver who asked, saying, 'In what place hath the finjan fallen that I may seek it? and do ye inform me of its whereabouts.' So we sought for a pebble in the caique but we found none, and as I wore upon my finger a signet ring which was worth two treasuries of money I drew it off and cast it into the water crying, 'The cup fell from me in this place.' But when the ducker saw me throw my ring he said to me, 'Wherefore, O my lord, hast thou parted with thy seal?' and said I to him, 'The deed is done.' Then he went down and plunged into the deep for a while and behold he came up grasping the cup, in the middle of which we saw the signet ring. Now when this mighty great matter befel me, I said to myself, 'Ho certain person, there remaineth upon this good luck no better luck; and haply there will befal thee somewhat contrary to this.'[FN#340] However those with me rejoiced at the finding of my two losses, not did any fear therefrom my change of state and downfall, but they wondered and said, 'By Allah, this is a rare matter!' Then we went forward in the caique until we had reached the place intended, where we tarried the whole of that day and presently returned home. But hardly was I settled and had I taken seat in my home quarters when behold, a party of Chamberlains of the King's suite came in to me and said, 'The Sultan requireth thee!' Accordingly, I arose and mounted horse and rode on till I had come to the palace and entered the presence; and I designed to offer suit and service to the King as was my wont, when suddenly he cried, 'Carry him away.' So they bore me off and confined me in this place, after which the Sultan sent and interdicted me from eating a tittle of flesh food, and here I am after the space of seven years, O Darwaysh, still in the same condition. Now on the morning of this day my stomach craved for meat, so I said to the gaoler, 'O Such-and-such, 'tis now seven years since I tasted flesh, so take this ashrafi and bring us an ounce of meat.' He accepted the money saying, ' 'Tis well,' and went forth from me and brought me my need."—And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was

The Seven Hundred and Thirty-Third Night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale, that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting, and of deeds fair seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Wazir continued to the Fakir, "Then, O Darwaysh, we divided the meat (I and the gaoler) with our fingers, and we washed it and set it upon the hearth, building a fire beneath it until it was cooked, when we took it off, and after waiting awhile dished it up and were about to eat it. But it happened to be noon-tide, and the hour of incumbent orisons, so we said, 'Let us pray our prayers;' and we arose and made the Wuzu-ablution, and went through the mid-day devotions. After this we set the plate before us; and I, removing its cover, put forth my hand to take up a bit of meat, but as I took it, behold, a mouse passed over that same morsel with its tail and paws[FN#341]. I cried, 'There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah the Glorious, the Great! I have divided this meat with my own hand and have cooked it myself, so how could this matter have occurred? How ever, Allah the Omniscient haply knoweth that the stumbling stone hath been removed from my path,' and this I said, for when I saw that mouse do on such wise I felt that glad news and good tidings were coming from the Lord of the Heavens and the Earth. So I sent to my home and informed them that the Sultan was satisfied with me, for things when at their worst mend, and in joyance end; and I opine, O Darwaysh, that all my troubles have now ceased." Said to him the Fakir, "Alhamdolillah— Glory be to God—O my lord, who hath sent thee forerunners of welfare." Then he arose from beside the Wazir, and went forth and ceased not wending until he came to his palace where he doffed his disguise and donned the garments of the Kings, and taking seat upon the throne of his Kingship summoned the Wazir from his gaol in all joy, and set him between his hands and gifted him with sumptuous gifts. And all displeasure in the Sultan's heart being removed from the Wazir he committed to him once more the management of all his affairs[FN#342]. But when Ibn Ahyam (continued Shahrazad) had ended his history of the Righteous Wazir he presently began to tell the tale of



THE CAIRENE YOUTH, THE BARBER, AND THE CAPTAIN.



It is related that in Misr there was a Youth, a Shalabi,[FN#343] sans peer for semblance and excellence, and he had to friend a lovely woman whose husband was a Yuzbashi[FN#344] or captain. Now whenever that young man or his playmate would fain conjoin, each with other, union proved almost impossible and yet his heart was always hanging to her love and she was in similar state and even more enamoured for that he was passing fair of form and feature. One day of the days the Captain returned home and said to his wife, "I am invited to such a place this afternoon, therefore an thou require aught ask it of me ere I go." Cried they,[FN#345] "We want nothing save thy safety;" yet were they delighted therewith, and the youth's friend said, "Alhamdolillah—Glory to God—this day we will send to a certain person and bring him hither and we will make merry he and I." As soon as the husband fared forth his home in order to visit the gardens according to his invitation, the wife said to a small boy which was an eunuch beside her, "Ho boy, hie thee to Such-an-one (the Shalabi) and seek him till thou forgather with him and say to him, 'My lady salameth to thee and saith, Come to her house at this moment.' " So the little slave went from his mistress and ceased not wending to seek the Shalabi (her friend) till he found him in a barber's booth where at that time it was his design to have his head shaved and he had ordered the shaver so to do. The man said to him, "O, my lord, may this our day be blessed!" whereupon he brought out from his budget a clean towel, and going up to the Shalabi dispread it all about his breast. Then he took his turband and hung it to a peg[FN#346] and placing a basin before him washed his pate, and was about to poll it when behold, the boy slave passed within softly pacing, and inclining to him whispered in his ear confidentially between them twain so that none might overhear them, "My lady So-and-so sendeth thee many salams and biddeth me let thee know that to-day the coast is clear, the Captain being invited out to a certain place. Do thou come to her at once and if thou delay but a little thou mayst not avail to possess her nor may she possess thee, and if thou be really minded to forgather with her come with all speed." Hearing these words of the boy the lover's wits were wildered and he could not keep patience; no, not for a minute; and he cried to the Barber, "Dry my head this instant and I will return to thee, for I am in haste to finish a requirement." With these words he put his hand into his breast pouch and pulling out an ashrafi gave it to the Barber, who said in himself, "An he have given me a gold-piece for wetting his poll, how will it be when I shall have polled him? Doubtless he will then gift me with half a score of dinars!" Hereupon the youth went forth from the Barber who followed him saying, "Allah upon thee, O my lord, when thou shalt have ended thy business, return to me that I may shave thy scalp and 'twere better that thou come to the shop." "Right well," said the youth, "we will presently return to thee," and he continued walking until he drew near the place of his playmate when suddenly the Barber caught him up a second time—And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the King suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was

The Seven Hundred and Thirty-fifth Night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that when the youth approached the house of his friends, suddenly the Barber caught him up hard by thereto and placing himself in front said, "Allah upon thee, O my lord, do not forget me, but be sure of return to the shop that I may poll thee." Quoth the youth to him in his folly, " 'Tis well, O Man, I will certainly come back to thee and will not forget thy shop." So the lover left him and ganged his gait and presently went up to the home of his friend, whilst the Barber stayed expecting him and remained standing at the door; and of the denseness of the tonsorial wits would not budge from that place and would await the youth that he might shave him. Such was the case with them; but as regards the Yuzbashi, when he went forth from his house bent upon seeking his friend who had invited him, he found that a serious matter of business[FN#347] would hinder his giving the entertainment, so the host said to the Captain, "Allah upon thee, O my lord, pardon me for I have this day a matter which will prevent my going forth to the garden and Inshallah—God willing—on the morrow we will there meet and enjoy ourselves, we and thou, free and with hearts at rest; for a man who hath work in hand may not take his pleasure and his thoughts will remain ever preoccupied." Hereupon quoth the Captain, "Sooth thou hast said, O Such-and-such, and herein there is naught to excuse of harm or hindrance, and the day's engagement between us if it be not to-morrow will come after to-morrow." So he farewelled his host and left him and returned homewards. Now that Yuzbashi was a man of honour and sagacity and pluck and spunk and by nature a brave. He ceased not wending until he had reached his home where he found the Barber standing at the house door and the fellow came up to him and said, "Allah upon thee, O my lord, when thou goest within do thou send me down a handsome youth who went upstairs into this dwelling." The Yuzbashi turned upon him with a face fiery as ruddy sparks and cried to him, "What, O Man, dost thou say that one hath gone up to my house, O pimp, O pander?[FN#348] What manner of man can enter therein and I absent?" Quoth the Barber, "By Allah, O my lord, one did go up whilst I stood awaiting him the while he passed out of my sight; so when thou art abovestairs do thou send him down to me, saying, 'Thine own Barber awaiteth thee at the entrance below.' " Now when the Yuzbashi heard these words, he waxed wroth with exceeding wrath and going up into his house with haste and hurry knocked at the inner door which defended the Harem. The inmates heard him and knew that it was he, and the Youth fell to piddling in his bag-trowsers; but the woman took him and hid him in the shaft of the cistern[FN#349] and going forth opened the door to her husband. Cried the Yuzbashi, "Of a truth, hath any right or reason to say that here in this house is a man?"[FN#350] and she replied, "Oh, the shame of me! How ever, O my lord, can there be here a man?''[FN#351] So the Yuzbashi went about seeking and searching but he came not upon any; then he went down to the Barber wight and cried, "O Man, I have found none upstairs save the womenkind;" but the Barber replied, "By Allah, O my lord, he went up before my eyes and I am still awaiting him." Then the Captain hurried away a second time and rummaged about, high and low, and left no place whereinto he did not pry and spy, yet he came upon no one. He was perplext at his affair and again going down to the Barber said to him, "O Man, we have found none." Still the fellow said to him doggedly, "Withal a man did go within, whilst I who am his familiar here stand expecting him, and thou sayest forsooth he is not there, albeit he be abovestairs and after he went in he never came out until this tide." Hereupon the Captain returned to his Harem a third time and a fourth time unto the seventh time; but he found no one; so he was dazed and amazed and the going in and faring out were longsome to him. All this and the youth concealed in the cistern shaft lay listening to their dialogue and he said, "Allah ruin this rascal Barber!" but he was sore afraid and he quaked with fright lest the Yuzbashi slay him and also slay his wife. Now after the eighth time the Captain came down to the Barber and said to him, "An thou saw him enter, up along with me and seek for him." The man did accordingly, but when the two had examined every site, they came upon no one; so the Barber was stupefied and said to himself, "Whoso went up before me and I looking upon him, whither can he have wended?" Then he fell to pondering and presently said, "By Allah, verily this is a wondrous matter that we have not discovered him;" but the Yuzbashi cried fiercely, "By the life of my head and by Him who created all creatures and numbered the numberings thereof, an I find not this fellow needs must I do thee die." The Barber of his exceeding terror fell to rummaging all the places but it fortuned that he did not look into the shaft of the cistern; however at last he said, "There remaineth for us only the cistern shaft ;"— -And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day, and fell silent, and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was

The Seven Hundred and Thirty-seventh Night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Barber wight, after he and the Captain had finished their search without finding anyone, said, "There remaineth to us only the cistern shaft;" so he went and peered therein, but he could not use his sight overwell. Hereat the Yuzbashi came up behind him and cuffed him with a mighty cuff upon the neck and laid him prostrate and insensible at the mouth of the shaft. Now when the woman heard the Barber saying, "Let us explore the door which openeth upon the cistern shaft," she feared from the Yuzbashi, so coming up to him she said, "O my lord, how is it that thou art a Captain and that thy worth and thy length and thy breadth are on such wise; withal thou obeyest the word of a fellow Jinn-mad[FN#352] and sayest that there is a man in thine own house. This is indeed a reproach to thee." So the Yuzbashi of his stupidity believed her, and approaching the Barber on the edge of the cistern shaft cuffed him with a cuff whose excess of violence dazed him and he fell upon the floor retaining naught of his senses. When the woman saw this she cried to her husband, "Pinion his elbows at this moment and suffer me take my due of him by a sound drubbing, and then let him go." "This is the right rede,"quoth he and after all was done she cried to her husband, "Come with us above that we enjoy our pleasure, and Alhamdolillah that thou didst not go to the place of invitation for I should have been desolate by thine absence this day." So they ascended and sat together, each beside other, and they sported and were gladdened and rejoiced; and after that the Captain lay down and was presently drowned in slumber. Seeing this the wife arose and repaired to the cistern shaft wherefrom she released her beloved and finding all his clothes in a filthy state from the excess of what had befallen him of affright penetrating into his heart by reason of the Yuzbashi, she doffed his dress and bringing a bundle of clean clothing garbed him therein, after which his fear was calmed and his heart comforted and he was set on the right way. Then she led him to a private stead, wherein they twain, he and she, took their joyance and had their pleasure and made merry for the space of three hours, till such time as each had had fullest will of other. After this he went forth from her and the Veiler veiled him. On such wise were the wife's doings; but as regards what befel the Barber-man, he ceased not to remain strown on the ground and dazed by the stress of the blow and he abode there pinioned for a while. About mid-afternoon the Yuzbashi's wife went to her husband and awaking him from sleep made for him coffee which he drank and felt cheered; and he knew nothing anent that his spouse had done with her beloved during the while he slumbered like unto a he goat. So she said to him, "Rise up and go we to the man and do thou drub him with the soundest drubbing and turn him out." Quoth he, "Yes indeed, by Allah, verily he deserveth this, the pimp! the pander! the procurer!" Accordingly he went to him and finding him lying upon the ground raised him and said to him, "Up with thee and let us seek the man whereof thou spakest." Hereupon the Barber arose and went down into the cistern shaft where he found none and therewith the Captain laid the fellow upon his back; and, baring his arms to his elbows, seized a Nabbut[FN#353] and beat him till he made water in his bag-trowsers; after which he let him go. So the Barber arose and he in doleful dumps, and went off from the house and ceased not wending until he reached his shop about sunset, hardly believing in his own safety.



THE GOODWIFE OF CAIRO AND HER FOUR GALLANTS.[FN#354]



It is said that in Misr lived a woman, a model of beauty and loveliness and stature and perfect grace, who had a difficulty with a man which was a Kazi and after this fashion it befel. She was the wife of an Emir[FN#355] and she was wont to visit the Baths once a month; and when the appointed term for her going forth had come, she adorned herself and perfumed herself and beautified herself and hastened, tripping and stumbling,[FN#356] to the Hammm. Now her path passed by the Kazi's court-house where she saw many a man[FN#357] and she stopped to enjoy the spectacle, upon which the judge himself glanced at her with a glance of eyes that bequeathed to him a thousand sighs and he asked her saying, "O woman, hast thou any want?" "No indeed," answered she, "I have none." Then he inclined to her and drawing near her said, "O lady mine and O light of these eyne, is union possible between us twain?" She replied, "'Tis possible," and he enquired of her when it could be, and she made an appointment with him saying, "Do thou come to me after supper-time,"—And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable! Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the King suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was

The Seven Hundred and Thirty-ninth Night,

Dunyazad said to her. "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night." She replied, "With love and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Goodwife said to the Kazi, "Do thou come to me after supper-time," and went her ways and entered the Hammam, where she washed herself and cleaned herself; then, coming out thence, she determined to go home. But she was met on her road by a Gentleman[FN#358] who was Shhbandar of the Trader-guild, and he seeing her set his affections upon her; so he accosted her, saying, "Is't possible that we ever be merry together?" Hereat she appointed him to come when supper was done, after which she left him and ganged her gait. As she neared her home she was met by a Butcher whose heart inclined to her, so he addressed her saying, "Is union possible?" and she appointed him to visit her an hour after supper had been eaten. Then she went home and mounting the stairs took seat in the upper saloon open to the air, where she doffed her head-veil[FN#359] and all that was upon her head. Now in the neighbourhood of her house was a Trader and he had mounted to the terrace-roof for a reason; so when the woman bared her hair and taking up a comb began to dry and prepare it for dressing, his eyes fell upon her whilst so engaged, and his heart was engrossed with her love. Presently he sent to her an old woman; and she returned him a reply and appointed him to visit her house during the night after supper-tide. On this wise she had promised herself to four men.[FN#360] Now the Kazi had got ready for her a Kohl-style and the Gentleman had prepared for her a fine suit of clothes and the Butcher had led for her a full-sized ram and the Trader had set apart for her two pieces of silk. As soon as it was supper-time, behold, the Kazi repaired to her in privacy bringing his gift and knocked at the door which he found unbolted and she cried to him, "Come in." Accordingly he entered to her and presented to her that which was with him, but hardly had he settled himself comfortably in his seat when the Gentleman arrived and also rapped. Quoth the Kazi to the Goodwife, "Who may this be?" and quoth she, 'Fear thou nothing, but arise and doff thy dress;" so he stripped himself altogether and she garbed him in a gaberdine and bonnet[FN#361] and hid him in a closet and went to open the door. Hereupon appeared the Consul and she let him in and accepted what he had brought and seated him beside her. But hardly had he settled down when, behold, there came a knock at the door and he cried, "Who may that be?" Said she, "Fear nothing but up and doff thy dress;" so he arose and stripped himself and she disguised him in a gaberdine and bonnet and hid him in another closet all alone. Then she hastened to the door and suddenly the Flesher-man appeared and she let him in and led him within and having accepted his present seated him; but hardly was he at his case when the door was again knocked, whereat he was overcome and affrighted: however, she said to him, "Fear nothing, but arise and doff thy dress in order that I may hide thee." So he threw off his clothes and she invested him in a gaberdine and a bonnet and thrust him into a third cabinet. After this she went and opened the door when there came to her the Trader who was her neighbour, so she let him in and took what was with him, and seated him; and he was proceeding to sit down in comfort when behold, some one knocked at the door and he said, "Who may that be?" Hereupon she cried, "O my honour! O my calamity! This is my husband who but yesterday[FN#362] killed off four men; however do thou rise up and doff thy dress." He did as she bade him, upon which she garbed him in a gaberdine and a bonnet and laid him in a fourth closet. So these four one and all found themselves in as many cabinets[FN#363] sorely sorrowful and fearful; but she went forth and suddenly her mate the Emir came in and took seat upon a chair that was in the house. Hereat all four sensed that she had opened to her husband and had admitted him; and they said in their minds, "Yesterday he killed four men and now he will kill me." And each and every considered his own affair and determined in his mind what should happen to him from the husband. Such was the case with these four; but as regards the housemaster, when he took seat upon the chair, he fell to chatting with his wife and asking her saying, "What hast thou seen this day during thy walk to the Hammam?" Said she, "O my lord, I have witnessed four adventures and on every one hangeth a wondrous tale!" Now when the four heard the Goodwife speaking these words each of them said to himself, "Indeed I am a dead man and 'tis the intention of this woman to peach upon me." Presently her husband asked her, "What be these four histories?" and answered she, "I saw four men each and every of whom was an antic fellow, a droll, a buffoon; furthermore, O my lord, one and all of them were garbed in gaberdine and bonnet."—And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was

The Seven Hundred and Forty-first Night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director,the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the woman said to her husband, "Moreover each of the four was habited in gaberdine and bonnet." But when the amourists heard these words every one of them said to himself, "Here be a judgment this strumpet of a woman hath wrought upon us, the whore! the witch!" and her husband understanding what she told him asked, "Wherefore didst thou not bring them hither that the sight might solace us?" "O my lord," answered she, "had I brought them what hadst thou said to them? indeed I fear me thou wouldst have slain them!" And he, "No indeed; I would not have killed them, for they are but buffoon-folk, and we should have enjoyed their harlequinades and would have made them dance to us a wee and all and some tell us tales to gladden our minds; after which we would have suffered them depart and go about their own business." The wife enquired, "And given that they knew neither dancing nor story-telling what hadst thou done with them?" and replied he, "Had the case been as thou sayest and they ignorant of all this, verily we would have killed them and cast them into the chapel of case." The four men hearing such threatening words muttered to themselves, "There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great;" but the Kazi said in his mind, "How remain Judge of this city when I shall have been found garbed in gaberdine and bonnet and dancing and tale-telling? and indeed this is the greater death. Allah bring to ruin this adulteress of a woman!" Then the Flesher took thought as follows, "How shall I continue to be Chief of the Butchers when I prance about with a bonnet on my pate? this is indeed a painful penalty!" Then quoth the Gentleman, the Consul, "How shall it be with me when I am seen dancing and donning a bonnet? indeed death by the sword were lighter than this!" Then muttered the Trader which was the woman's neighbour, "'Tis easier to kill myself with my own hand than to endure all such ill." Anon the woman said to her husband, "Inshallah—God willing—on the morrow we will bring them hither to thy house that we may solace ourselves therewith;" but said he, "Wallhi, hadst thou brought them this night 'twere better, for that to-morrow evening I have business in the house of the Chief Emir." Quoth she to him, "Now grant me immunity and give me permission and I will arise and bring them to thee at this moment, but each must come to thee alone and by himself." Quoth he, "O Woman, leave I do give thee and immunity I do grant thee;" whereupon she rose without stay or delay and went to the closet wherein was the Judge. Then she opened it and entered, and taking him by the hand dragged him forward and came out with him and set him before her spouse garbed as he was in gaberdine and bonnet. The house-master scrutinised him and was certified of his being the Kazi and said to him, "Blessed be to thee, O our lord, this bonnet and this gaberdine which become thee passing well." But the Judge, as he stood before the presence of the woman's husband, bowed his front downwards and was clothed as with a garment in the sweat of shame and was sore abashed, when the Emir said to him, "O our lord the Kazi, do thou dance for us a wee the baboon dance and rejoice us; after which performance do thou tell us a tale that our breasts may thereby be broadened." But when the man said this to him, the Judge feared for his life because he had heard and well remembered the words of the householder and he fell to clapping his palms and prancing to right and left. Hereupon the Emir laughed consumedly, he and his wife, and they signed and signalled each to other deriding the judicial dance, and the Kazi ceased not skipping until he fell to the floor for his fatigue. Hereupon the man said to him, "Basta! Now tell us thy tale that we may rejoice thereat; then do thou rise up and go about thy business." "Hearkening and obedience," said the Judge and forthright he began to relate the adventure of



The Tailor and the Lady and the Captain.[FN#364]



It is related that a Tailor was sitting in his shop facing a tall house tenanted by a Yzbshi, and this man had a wife who was unique for beauty and loveliness. Now one day of the days as she looked out at the latticed window the Snip espied her and was distraught by her comeliness and seemlihead. So he became engrossed by love of her and remained all day a-gazing at the casement disturbed and perturbed, and as often as she approached the window and peered out therefrom, he would stare at her and say to her, "O my lady and O core of my heart, good morning to thee; and do thou have mercy upon one sore affected by his affection to thee; one whose eyes sleep not by night for thy fair sake." "This pimp be Jinn-mad!" quoth the Captain's wife, "and as often as I look out at the window he dareth bespeak me: haply the folk shall say, 'Indeed she must needs be his mistress.'" But the Tailor persevered in this proceeding for a while of days until the lady was offended thereby and said in her mind, "Wallhi, there is no help but that I devise for him a device which shall make unlawful to him this his staring and casting sheep's eyes at my casement; nay more, I will work for ousting him from his shop." So one day of the days when the Yuzbashi went from home, his wife arose and adorned and beautified herself, and donning the bestest of what dresses and decorations she had, despatched one of her slave-girls to the Tailor instructing her to say to him, "My lady salameth to thee and biddeth thee come and drink coffee with her." The handmaiden went to his shop and delivered the message; and he, when hearing these words,[FN#365] waxed bewildered of wits and rose up quivering in his clothes;—And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the King suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was

The Seven Hundred and Forty-third Night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that when the Tailor heard the girl's words, he quivered in his clothes; but indeed he recked not aught of the wiles of womankind. So after padlocking his shop he went with her to the house and walked upstairs, where he was met by the lady with a face like the rondure of the moon and she greeted him right merrily, and taking him by the hand led him to a well-mattressed Divan and bade her slave-girl serve him with coffee, and as he drank it she sat facing him. Presently the twain fell to conversing, she and he; and she soothed him with sweet speech, whilst he went clean out of his mind for the excess of her beauty and loveliness. This lasted until near midday, when she bade serve the dinner-trays, and took seat in front of him, and he began picking up morsels[FN#366] designed for his lips and teeth, but in lieu thereof thrust them into his eye. She laughed at him, but hardly had he swallowed the second mouthful and the third when behold, the door was knocked, whereupon she looked out from the casement and cried, "Oh my honour! this is my husband." Hereat the man's hands and knees began to quake, and he said to her, "Whither shall I wend?" Said she, "Go into this closet," and forthright she thrust him into a cabinet and shot the bolt upon him and taking the key she tare out one of its teeth[FN#367] and put it in her pocket. After this she went down and opened the door to her husband who walked upstairs; and finding the dinner trays bespread, asked her, "What is this?" She answered, "I and my lover have been dining together." "And what may be thy lover?" "Here he is."[FN#368] "Where may he be?" to which she replied, "He is inside this closet." Now as soon as the Tailor heard her say this say, he piddled in his bag-breeches and befouled himself and he was in a filthy state with skite and piss.[FN#369] Hereupon the Captain asked, "And where's the key?" and she answered, "Here it is with me."[FN#370] "Bring it out," said he, so she pulled it from her pocket and handed it to him. The Captain took the key from his spouse and applying it to the wooden bolt of the cabinet rattled it to and fro[FN#371] but it would not open; so the wife came up to him and cried, "Allah upon thee, O my lord, what wilt thou do with my playmate?" Said he, "I will slay him!" and said she, "No, 'tis my opinion that thou hadst better pinion him and bind him as if crucified to the pillar in the court floor and then smite him with thy sword upon the neck and cut off his head; for I, during my born days, never saw a criminal put to death and now 'tis my desire to sight one done to die." "Sooth is thy speech," quoth he: so he took the key and fitting it into the wooden bolt would have drawn it back, but it could not move because a tooth had been drawn therefrom and the while he was rattling at the bolt his wife said to him, "O my lord,'tis my desire that thou lop off his hands and his feet until he shall become marked by his maims;[FN#372] and after do thou smite his neck." "A sensible speech," cried the husband and during the whole time her mate was striving to pull the bolt she kept saying to him, "Do this and do that with the fellow," and he ceased not saying to her, "'Tis well." All this and the Tailor sat hearkening to their words and melting in his skin; but at last the wife burst out laughing until she fell upon her back and her husband asked her, "Whereat this merriment?" Answered she, "I make mock of thee for that thou art wanting in wits and wis.dom." Quoth he, "Wherefore?" and quoth she, "O my lord, had I a lover and had he been with me should I have told aught of him to thee? Nay; I said in my mind, 'Do such and such with the Captain and let's see whether he will believe or disbelieve.' Now when I spake thou didst credit me and it became apparent to me that thou art wanting in wits." Cried he to her, "Allah disappoint thee! Dost thou make jibe and jape of me? I also said in my thoughts, 'How can a man be with her and she speak of him in the face of me?'" So he arose and took seat with her, the twain close together, at the dinner-tray and she fell to morselling him and he to morselling her, and they laughed and ate until they had their sufficiency and were filled; then they washed their hands and drank coffee. After this they were cheered and they toyed together and played the two-backed beast until their pleasure was fulfilled and this was about mid-afternoon—And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night, and that was

The Seven Hundred and Forty-fifth Night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale, that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Yuzbashi fell to toying with his wife, and thrusting and foining at her cleft,[FN#373] her solution of continuity, and she wriggled to and fro to him, and bucked up and down, after which he tumbled her and both were in gloria.[FN#374] This lasted until near mid-afternoon when he arose and went forth to the Hammam. But as soon as he left the house she opened the cabinet and brought out the Tailor, saying, "Hast thou seen what awaiteth thee, O pander, O impure? Now by Allah, an thou continue staring at the windows or durst bespeak me with one single word it shall be the death of thee. This time I have set thee free, but a second time I will work to the wasting of thy heart's blood." Cried he, "I will do so no more; no, never!" Thereupon said she to her slave-girl, "O handmaid, open to him the door;" and she did so, and he fared forth (and he foully bewrayed as to his nether garments) until he had returned to his shop. Now when the Emir heard the tale of the Kazi, he rejoiced thereat and said to him, "Up and gang thy gait!" so the judge went off garbed in his gaberdine and bonnet. Then said the house-master to his wife, "This be one of the four, where's Number Two?" Hereat she arose and opened the closet in which was the Gentleman and led him out by the hand till he stood before her husband, who looked hard at him and was certified of him and recognised him as the Shhbandar; so he said to him, "O Khwjah, when didst thou make thee a droll?"[FN#375] but the other returned to him neither answer nor address and only bowed his brow groundwards. Quoth the house-master to him, "Dance for us a wee and when thou shalt have danced do thou tell us a tale." So he fell perforce to clapping his hands and skipping about until he fell down of fatigue when he said, "O my lord, there is with me a rare story, and an exceeding strange if thou of thy grace accord attention to my words." "Tell on and I will listen to thee," quoth the other, whereupon said the Gentleman, "'Tis concerning the wiles of womankind," and fell to relating the adventures of



The Syrian and the Three Women of Cairo.[FN#376]



There was a man, a Shm, who came to the God-guarded city of Misr al-Khirah—Misr of Mars—and with him was a store of money and merchandize and sumptuous clothing. He hired for himself a room in a caravanserai, and having no slave, he was wont to go forth every day and roam about the city-thoroughfares and cater for himself. Now this continued for a while of time till one day of the days, as he was wandering and diverting his mind by looking to the right and to the left, he was met on the way by three women who were leaning and swaying one towards other as they walked on laughing aloud; and each and every of the three surpassed her fellow in beauty and loveliness. When he looked at them his mustachios curled[FN#377] at the sight and he accosted them and addressed the trio, saying, "May it be that ye will drink coffee in my lodging?" "Indeed we will," said they, "and we will make mirth with thee and exceeding merriment, passing even the will of thee." Quoth he, "When shall it be?" and quoth they, "To-night we will come to thy place." He continued, "I am living in a room of Such-and-such a Waklah."[FN#378] and they rejoined, "Do thou make ready for us supper and we will visit thee after the hour of night-prayers." He cried, "These words are well; " so they left him and went their ways; and he, on the return way home, bought flesh and greens and wine and perfumes; then, having reached his room, he cooked five kinds of meats without including rice and conserves, and made ready whatso for the table was suitable. Now when it was supper-time behold, the women came in to him, all three wearing capotes[FN#379] over their dresses, and when they had entered they threw these cloaks off their shoulders and took their seats as they were moons. Hereupon the Syrian arose and set before them the food-trays and they ate their sufficiency, after which he served to them the table of wine, whereat they filled and passed to him and he accepted and swilled until his head whirled round, and as often as he looked at any one of them and considered her in her mould of beauty and loveliness he was perplext and his wits were wildered. They ceased not to be after such fashion until the noon o' night.—And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the King suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was

The Seven Hundred and Forty-seventh Night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Syrian and the three ladies ceased not to persevere in the drinking of wine until the noon o' night, at which time he would not distinguish between masculine and feminine from the excess of his wine-bibbing, so he said to one of the three, "Allah upon thee, O my lady, what may be the name of thee?" She replied, "I am hight 'Hast-thou-seen-aught-like-me?'" Whereat he exclaimed, "No, Wallhi!" Then he up-propped himself on his elbow and rising from the ground said to the second, "Thou, O my lady, and life-blood of my heart, what is thy name?" She answered, "I am hight 'Never-sawest-thou-my-like,'" and he replied, "Inshallah—what Allah willeth—O my lady Never-sawest-thou-my-like." Then said he to the third, "And thou, O dearling of my heart, what may be the name of thee?" And said she, "I am hight 'Look-at-me-and-thou-shalt-know-me.'" When he heard these words he cried out with a loud outcry and fell to the ground saying, "No, by Allah, O my lady Look-at-me-and-thou-shalt-know-me."[FN#380] But when the three women regarded him his reason was upset and they forced upon him more wine-bibbing whilst he cried to them, "Fill for me, ho my lady Never-sawest-thou-my-like, and thou too, my lady Hast-thou-seen-aught-like-me, and eke thou, O my lady Look-at-me-and-thou-shalt-know-me." And they drove him to drink still more until he fell to the ground without a vein swelling[FN#381] for he had become drunken and dead drunk. When they saw him in this condition they doffed his turband and crowned him with a cap, and fringes projecting from the peak,[FN#382] which they had brought with them; then they arose and finding in his room a box full of raiment and ready money, they rifled all that was therein. Presently they donned their dresses and, waiting until the door of the Wakalah was opened after the call to the morning-prayer, they went their ways and the Veiler vouchsafed them protection[FN#383] and they left the Syrian man in his room strown as a tried toper and unknowing what the women had done with him of their wile and guile. Now when it was the undurn-hour he awoke from his crapula and opening his eyes, cried, "Ho my lady Never-sawest-thou-my-like! and ho my lady Hast-thou-seen-aught-like-me! and ho my lady Look-at-me-and-thou-shalt-know-me!" But none returned to him any reply. Then he pulled himself together and glanced carefully around but his sight fell not upon anyone beside him, so he arose and went to the box wherein he found never a single thing. This restored him to his right senses and he recovered from his drink and cried, "There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great: this be a judgment they have wrought forme." Then he went forth still wearing the tall fringed cap and knowing nothing of himself and, when he had issued from his caravanserai, he cried to everyone he met in the streets, "I am seeking Hast-thou-seen-aught-like-me?" and the men would reply, "No, I never sighted the like of thee;" and to a second he would say, "I am looking for one Never-sawest-thou-aught-like-me;" and the other would answer, "Indeed, I never beheld thy fellow;" then he would ask a third, "Hast thou seen one Look-at-me-and-thou-shalt-know-me?" and the questioned would answer, "Indeed, I have looked at thee but I know thee not at all." And he ceased not wandering about, bonnet on head, and everyone who met him by the way returned to him the like replies until he came upon a party of folk who were in front of a barber's booth.[FN#384] There he cried upon them also, "Ah! Hast-thou-seen-aught-like-me! and Ah! Never-sawest-thou-my-like! and Ah! Look-upon-me-and-thou-shalt-know-me!" Hereat, understanding that he was touched in brain and this was a judgment that had been wrought upon him, they seized him and forced him into the barber's shop and bringing a mirror set it in his hands. When he looked therein he found a fool's cap upon his head, so forthwith he tore it off and took thought and said to those present, "Who of you can guide me to those three women?" They said to him, "O Syrian, march off with thyself to thy own land for that the folk of Egypt can play with the egg and the stone."[FN#385] So he arose without stay and delay; then, taking what provaunt was sufficient for the way and what little of fine raiment had been left to him, he quitted Cairo intending for his own country. Now the Emir hearing this tale of the Shahbandar wondered thereof with extreme wonderment and said to the Gentleman, "An thou have finished do thou fare forth and go about thy business." Accordingly he went from him still garbed in gaberdine and bonnet on head when the house-master asked his wife, "Who of them here remaineth with thee?" And she answered, "Have patience and I will bring thee the third." So she arose and opening another closet summoned the Flesher and taking him by the hand, whilst he was ashamed and abashed, led him till he stood before her spouse and the poor fellow availed not to raise his eyes from the ground. Presently the husband considered him and knew him and was certified that he was Such-and-such the Chief Butcher and head of the craft, so he said to him, "Ho thou the clever one, do thou dance for us a wee and after that tell us a tale." Accordingly he stood up and clapped hands and fell to dancing and prancing till such time as he dropped down for fatigue; after which he said, "O my lord, I have by me a tale anent the craft and cunning of women." Asked the other, "And what may it be?" and the Butcher began to relate the tale of



The Lady with Two Coyntes.



It is told of a woman which was a fornicatress and adulteress and a companion of catastrophes and calamities that she was married to a Kim-makm[FN#386] who had none of the will of mankind to womankind, at all, at all. Now the wife was possessed of beauty and loveliness and she misliked him for that he had no desire to carnal copulation, and there was in the house a Syce-man who was dying for his love of her. But her husband would never quit his quarters, and albeit her longing was that the horse-keeper might possess her person and that she and he might lie together, this was impossible to her. She abode perplext for some sleight wherewith she might serve her mate, and presently she devised a device and said to him, "O my lord, verily my mother is dead and 'tis my wish to hie me and be present at her burial and receive visits of condolence for her; and, if she have left aught by way of heritage, to take it and then fare back to thee." "Thou mayest go," said he, and said she, "I dread to fare abroad alone and unattended; nor am I able to walk, my parent's house being afar. Do thou cry out to the Syce that he fetch me hither an ass and accompany me to the house of my mother, wherein I shall lie some three nights after the fashion of folk." Hereupon he called to the horse-keeper and when he came before him, ordered the man to bring an ass,[FN#387] and mount his mistress and hie with her; and the fellow, hearing these words, was hugely delighted. So he did as he was bidden, but instead of going to the house they twain, he and she, repaired to a garden carrying with them a flask of wine and disappeared for the whole day and made merry and took their pleasure[FN#388] until set of sun. Then the man brought up the ass and mounting her thereon went to his own home, where the twain passed the entire night sleeping in mutual embrace on each other's bosoms, and took their joyance and enjoyment until it was morning tide. Hereupon he arose and did with her as before, leading her to the garden, and the two, Syce and dame, ceased not to be after this fashion for three days solacing themselves and making merry and tasting of love-liesse. On the fourth day he said to her, "Do thou return with us to the house of the Kaim-makam," and said she, "No; not till we shall have spent together three days more enjoying ourselves, I and thou, and making merry till such time as I have had my full will of thee and thou thy full will of me; and leave we yon preposterous pimp to lie stretched out, as do the dogs,[FN#389] enfolding his head between his two legs." So the twain ceased not amusing themselves and taking their joyance and enjoyment until they had ended the six days, and on the seventh they wended their way home. They found the Kaim-makam sitting beside a slave which was an old negress; and quoth he, "You have disappeared for a long while!" and quoth she, "Yes, until we had ended with the visits of condolence for that my mother was known to foyson of the folk. But, O my lord, my parent (Allah have ruth upon her!) hath left and bequeathed to me a somewhat exceeding nice." "What may that be?" asked he, and answered she, "I will not tell thee aught thereof at this time, nor indeed until we remain, I and thou, in privacy of night, when I will describe it unto thee."— And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the King suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was