The Story Told by the Christian Broker

Know, O King of the age, that I came to this country
with merchandise, and destiny stayed me among your people.
I was born in Cairo, and am one of its Copts, and there I
was brought up. My father was a broker ; and when I had
attained to manhood, he died, and I succeeded to his busi-
ness; and as I was sitting one day, lo, a young man of most
handsome aspect, and clad in a dress of the richest descrip-
tion, came to me, riding upon an ass, and when he saw mc,
saluted me; whereupon I rose to him, to pay him honour,
and he produced a handkerchief containing some sesame, and
said, What is the value of an ardebb'' of this? I answered
him, A hundred pieces of silver. And he said to me. Take
the carriers and the measurers, and repair to the Khan of
El-Ja\vali in the district of Bab en-Xasr * there wiU thou
find me. And he left me and went his way, after having
given me the handkerchief with the sample of the sesame.
So I went about to the purchasers ; and the price of each
ardebb amounted to a hundred and twenty pieces of silver;
and I took with me four carriers, and went to him. I found
him waiting my arrival ; and when he saw me he rose and
opened a magazine, and we measured its contents, and the
whole amounted to fifty ardebbs. The young man then said,
Thou shalt have, for every ardebb, ten pieces of silver as
brokerage; and do thou receive the price and keep it in tliy
care: the whole sum will be five thousand; and thy share of
it, five hundred: so there will remain for me four thousand
and five hundred; and when I shall have finished the sale of
the goods contained in my store-room, I will come to thee
and receive it. T replied, It shall be as thou desirest. And
I kissed his hand, and left him. Thus there accrued to me,
on that day, a thousand pieces of silver, [besides my
brokerage.]

He was absent from me a month, at the expiration of
which he came and said to me, Where is the money? I
answered. Here it is, ready. And he said. Keep it until I
come to thee to receive it. And I remained expecting him ;
but he was absent from me another month ; after which he
came again, and said, Where is the money ? Whereupon I
arose and saluted him, and said to him. Wilt thou eat some-
thing with us? He, however, declined, and said. Keep the
money until I shall have gone and returned to receive it
from thee. He then departed ; and I arose, and prepared
for him the money, and sat expecting him ; but again he
absented himself from me for a month, and then came and
said, After this day I will receive it from thee. And he
departed, and I made ready the money for him as before, and
sat waiting his return. Again, however, he remained a
month absent from me, and I said within myself. Verily this
young man is endowed with consummate liberality ! After
the month he came, attired in rich clothing, and resembling
the full moon, appearing as if he had just come out of the
bath, with red cheek and fair forehead, and a mole like a
globule of ambergris. When I beheld him I kissed his hand,
and invoked a blessing upon him, and said to him, O my
master, wilt thou not take thy money? — Have patience with
me, he answered, until I shall have transacted all my affairs,
after which I will receive it from thee. And so saying, he
departed; and I said within myself, By Allah, when he comcth
I will entertain him as a guest, on account of the profit which
I have derived from his money; for great wealth hath ac-
crued to me from it.

At the close of the year he returned, clad in a dress richer
than the former ; and I swore to him that he should alight
to be my guest. — On the condition, he replied, that thou ex-
pend nothing of my money that is in thy possession. I said,
Well : — and, having seated him, prepared what was requisite
of meats and drinks and other provisions, and placed them
before him, saying. In the name of Allah ! And he drew near
to the table, and put forth his left hand, and thus ate with me :
so I was surprised at him f and when we had finished he
washed his hand, and I gave him a napkin with which to
wipe it. We then sat down to converse, and I said, O my
master, dispel a trouble from my mind. Wherefore didst thou
eat with thy left hand? Probably something paineth thee in
thy right hand? — On hearing these words, he stretched forth
his arm from his sleeve, and behold, it was maimed — an arm
without a hand ! And I wondered at this ; but he said to me,
Wonder not ; nor say in thy heart that I ate with thee with
my left hand from a motive of self-conceit; for rather to be
wondered at is the cause of the cutting off of my right hand.

And what, said I, was the cause of it? He answered
thus : —

Know that I am from Baghdad : my father was one of the
chief people of that city; and when I had attained the age of
manhood, I heard the wanderers and travellers and merchants
conversing respecting the land of Egypt, and their words re-
mained in my heart until my father died, when I took large
sums of money, and prepared merchandise consisting of the
stuffs of Baghdad and of El-Mosil, and similar precious
goods, and, having packed them up, journeyed from Baghdad;
and God decreed me safety until I entered this your city.
And so saying, he wept, and repeated these verses:-^

The blear-eyed escapeth a pit into which the clear-sighted falleth ;
And the ignorant, an expression by which the shrewd sage is ruined.
The believer can scarce earn his food, while the impious infidel is
favoured.

What art or act can a man devise ? It is what the Almighty
appointeth !

I entered Cairo, continued the young man, and deposited
the stuffs in the Khan of Mesrur,' and, having unbound my
packages and put them in the magazines, gave to the ser-
vant some money to buy for us something to eat, after which
I slept a little ; and when I arose, I went to Beyn el-Kasreyn.
I then returned, and passed the night; and in the morning
following, I opened a bale of stuff, and said within myself,
I will arise and go through some of the market-streets, and
see the state of the mart. So I took some stuff, and made
some of my servants carry it, and proceeded until I arrived
at the Keysariyeh^ of Jaharkas, where the brokers came to me.
having heard of my arrival, and took from me the stuff, and
cried it about for sale ; but the price bidden amounted not to
the prime cost. And upon this the Sheykh of the brokers
said to me, O my master, I know a plan by which thou mayest
profit; and it is this: that thou do as other merchants, and
sell thy merchandise upon credit for a certain period, employ-
ing a scrivener and a witness and a money-changer, and re-
ceive a portion of the profits every Thursday and Monday ; so
shalt thou make of every piece of silver two ; and besides that,
thou wilt be able to enjoy the amusements afforded by Egypt
and its Nile, — The advice is judicious, I replied: and accord-
ingly I took the brokers with me to the Khan, and they con-
veyed the stufifs to the Keysariyeh, where I sold it to the
merchants, writing a bond in their names, which I committed
to the money-changer, and taking from him a corresponding
bond. I then returned to the Khan, and remained there some
days ; and every day I took for my breakfast a cup of wine,
and had mutton and sweetmeats prepared for me, until the
month in which I became entitled to the receipt of the profits,
when I seated myself every Thursday and Monday at the
shops of the merchants, and the money-changer went with
the scrivener and brought me the money.

Thus did I until one day I went to the bath and returned
to the Khan, and, entering my lodging, took for my break-
fast a cup of wine, and then slept ; and when I awoke I ate
a fowl, and perfumed myself with essence, and repaired to
the shop of a merchant named Bedr-ed-Din the Gardener,
who, when he saw me, welcomed me, and conversed with
me a while in his shop; and as we were thus engaged, lo, a
female came and seated herself by my side. She wore a
headkerchief inclined on one side, and the odours of sweet
perfumes were diffused from her, and she captivated my
reason by her beauty and loveliness as she raised her izar
and I beheld her black eyes. She saluted Bedr-ed-Din, and
he returned her salutation, and stood conversing with her;
and when I heard her speech, love for her took entire pos-
session of my heart. She then said to Bedr-ed-Din, Hast
thou a piece of stuff woven with pure gold thread? And he
produced to her a piece ; and she said, May I take it and go,
and then send thee the price? But he answered, It is im-
possible, O my mistress ; for this is the owner of the stuff,
and I owe him a portion of the profit. — Woe to thee ! said she :
it is my custom to take of thee each piece of stuff for a con-
siderable sum of money, giving thee a gain beyond thy wish,
and then to send thee the price. — Yes, he rejoined; but I am
in absolute want of the price this day. And upon this she
took the piece and threw it back to him upon his breast, say-
ing, Verily your class knows not how to respect any person's
rank! And she arose, and turned away. I felt then as if
my soul went with her, and, rising upon my feet, I said to
her, O my mistress, kindly bestow a look upon me, and retrace
thine honoured steps. And she returned, and smiled and said,
For thy sake I return. And she sat opposite me upon the seat
of the shop; and I said to Bedr-ed-Din, What is the price that
thou hast agreed to give for this piece ? He answered, Eleven
hundred pieces of silver. And I said to him, Thy profit shall
be a hundred pieces of silver: give me then a paper, and I
will write for thee the price upon it. I then took the piece of
stuff from him, and wrote him the paper with my own hand>
and gave the piece of stuff to the lady, saying to her, Take
it and go; and if thou wilt, bring the price to me in the
market; or, if thou wilt, it shall be my present to thee. She
replied, God recompense thee, and bless thee with my prop-
erty, and make thee my husband; and may God accept this
prayer ! — O my mistress, said I, let this piece of stuff be thine,
and another like it, and permit me to see thy face. And upon
this she raised her veil ; and when I beheld her face, the
sight drew from me a thousand sighs, and my heart was en-
tangled by her love, so that I no longer remained master of
my reason. She then lowered the veil again, and took the
piece of stuff, saying, O my master, leave me not desolate.
So she departed, while I continued sitting in the market-
street until pagt the hour of afternoon-prayer, with wandering
mind, overpowered by love. In the excess of my passion,
before I rose I asked the merchant respecting her; and he
answered me, She is a rich lady, the daughter of a deceased
Emir, who left her great property.

I then took leave of him, and returned to the Khan, and
the supper was placed before me; but, reflecting upon her,
I could eat nothing. I laid myself down to rest; but sleep
came not to me, and I remained awake until the morning,
when I arose and put on a suit of clothing dift'erent from
that which I had worn the day before; and, having drunk
a cup of wine, and eaten a few morsels as my breakfast,
repaired again to the shop of the merchant, and saluted him,
and sat down with him. The lady soon came, wearing a
dress more rich than the former, and attended by a slave-
girl ; and she seated herself, and saluted me instead of
Bedr-ed-Din, and said, with an eloquent tongue which I had
never heard surpassed in softness or sweetness, Send with me
some one to receive the twelve hundred pieces of silver, the
price of the piece of stufif. — Wherefore, said I, this haste?
She replied, May we never lose thee ! And she handed to
me the price ; and I sat conversing with her, and made a sign
to her, which she understood, intimating my wish to visit
her: whereupon she rose in haste, expressing displeasure at
my hint. My heart clung to her, and I followed in the direc-
tion of her steps through the market-street; and lo, a slave-
girl came to me, and said, O my master, answer the summons
of my mistress. Wondering at this, I said. No one here
knoweth me. — How soon, she rejoined, hast thou forgotten
her ! My mistress is she who was to-day at the shop of the
merchant Bedr-ed-Din. — So I went with her until we arrived
at the money-changer's ; and when her mistress, who was
there, beheld me, she drew me to her side, and said, O my
beloved, thou hast wounded my heart, and love of thee hath
taken possession of it ; and from the time that I first saw
thee, neither sleep nor food nor drink hath been pleasant to
me. I replied, And more than that do I feel ; and the state in
which I am needs no complaint to testify it. — Then shall I
visit thee, O my beloved, she asked, or wilt thou come to me ?
[For our marriage must be a secret.] — I am a stranger, I an-
swered, and have no place of reception but the Khan; there-
fore, if thou wilt kindly permit me to go to thine abode, the
pleasure will be perfect. — Well, she replied; but to-night is
the eve of Friday, and let nothing be done till to-morrow,
when, after thou hast joined in the prayers, do thou mount
thine ass, and inquire for the Habbaniyeh ; and when thou
hast arrived there, ask for the house called the Ka'ah of
Barakat the Nakib,'* known by the surname of Abu-Shameh;
for there do I reside ; and delay not ; for I shall be anxiously
expecting thee.

On hearing this I rejoiced exceedingly, and we parted; and
I returned to the Khan in which I lodged. I passed the whole
night sleepless, and was scarcely sure that the daybreak had
appeared when I rose and changed my clothes, and, having
perfumed myself with essences and sweet scents, took with
me fifty pieces of gold in a handkerchief, and walked from the
Khan of Mesrur to Bab Zuweyleh,' where I mounted an ass,
and said to its owner, Go with me to the Habbaniyeh. And in
less than the twinkling of an eye he set off, and soon he
stopped at a by-street called Darb El-]\Innakkiri, when I said
to him, Enter the street, and inquire for the Ka'ah of the
Nakib. He was absent but a little while, and, returning, said.
Alight. — Walk on before me, said I, to the Ka'ah. And he
went on until he had led me to the house; whereupon I said
to him. To-morrow come to me hither to convey me back. — •
In the name of Allah, he replied: and I handed to him a
quarter of a piece of gold, and he took it and departed. I
then knocked at the door, and there came forth to me two
young virgins in whom the forms of womanhood had just
developed themselves, resembling two moons, and they said,
Enter; for our mistress is expecting thee, and she hath not
slept last night from her excessive love for thee. I entered
an upper saloon with seven doors: around it were latticed
windows looking upon a garden in which were fruits of every
kind, and running streams and singing birds : it was plastered
with imperial gypsum, in which a man might see his face
reflected: its roof was ornamented with gilding, and sur-
rounded by inscriptions in letters of gold upon a ground of
ultramarine: it comprised a variety of beauties, and shone
in the eyes of beholders: the pavement was of coloured
marbles, having in the midst of it a fountain, with four
snakes of red gold casting forth water from their mouths
like pearls and jewels at the corners of the pool; and it was
furnished with carpets of coloured silk, and mattresses.

Having entered, I seated myself; and scarcely had I done
so when the lady approached me. She wore a crown set with
pearls and jewels; her hands and feet were stained w'ith
henna; and her bosom was ornamented with gold. As soon
as she beheld me she smiled in my face, and embraced me,
saying, Is it true that thou hast come to me, or is this a
dream? — I am thy slave, I answered: and she said. Thou art
welcome. Verily, from the time when I first saw thee,
neither sleep hath been sweet to me nor hath food been
pleasant! — In such case have / been, I replied: — and we sat
down to converse ; but I hung down my head towards the
ground, in bashfulness; and not long had I thus remained
when a repast was placed before me, consisting of the most
exquisite dishes, as fricandoes and hashes and stufifed fowls.
I ate with her until we were satisfied; when they brought the
basin and ewer, and I washed my hands ; after which we
perfumed ourselves with rose-water infused with musk, and
sat down again to converse; expressing to each other our
mutual passion ; and her love took such possession of me
that all the wealth I possessed seemed worthless in comparison.
In this manner we continued to enjoy ourselves until, night
approaching, the female slaves brought supper and wine, a
complete service ; and we drank imtil midnight. Never in my
life had I passed such a night. And when morning came, I
arose, and, having thrown to her the handkerchief containing
the pieces of gold, I took leave of her and went out ; but as I
did so she wept, and said, O my master, when shall I see
again this lovely face? I answered her, I will be with thee
at the commencement of the night. And when I went forth,
I found the owner of the ass, who had brought me the day
before, waiting for me at the door ; and I mounted, and re-
turned with him to the Klian of Mesrur, where I alighted,
and gave to him half a piece of gold, sa3'ing to him. Come
hither at sunset. He replied. On the head be thy command.

I entered the Khan, and ate my breakfast, and then went
forth to collect the price of my stuffs; after which I returned.
I had prepared for my wife a roasted lamb, and purchased
some sweetmeat; and I now called the porter, described to
him the house, and gave him his hire. Having done this, I
occupied myself again with my business until sunset, when
the owner of the ass came, and I took fifty pieces of gold,
and put them into a handkerchief. Entering the house. I
found that they had wiped the marble and polished the vessels
of copper and brass, and filled the lamps and lighted the
candles, and dished the supper and strained the wine ; and
when my wife saw me, she threw her arms around my neck,
and said, Thou hast made me desolate by thine absence !
The tables were then placed before us, and we ate until we
were satisfied, and the slave-girls took away the first table,
and placed before us the wine; and we sat drinking, and
eating of the dried fruits, and making merry, until midnight.

We then slept until morning, when I arose and handed her
the fifty pieces of gold as before, and left her.

Thus I continued to do for a long time, until I passed
the night and awoke possessing not a piece of silver nor one
of gold; and I said within myself. This is of the work of the
Devil ! And I repeated these verses: —

Poverty causeth the lustre of a man to grow dim, like the yellow-
ness of the setting sun.

When absent, he is not remembered among mankind ; and when
present, he shareth not their pleasures.

In the market-streets he shunneth notice; and in desert places he
poureth forth his tears.

By Allah ! a man, among his own relations, when afflicted with
poverty, is as a stranger !

With these reflections I walked forth into Beyn el-Kasreyn,
and proceeded thence to Bab Zuweyleh, where I found the
people crowding together, so that the gate was stopped up
by their number ; and, as destiny willed, I saw there a trooper,
and, unintentionally pressing against him, my hand came in
contact with his pocket, and I felt it, and found that it con-
tamed a purse; and I caught hold of the purse, and took it
from his pocket. But the trooper felt that his pocket was
lightened, and, putting his hand into it, found nothing; upon
which he looked aside at me, and raised his hand with the
mace, and struclc me upon my head. I fell to the ground,
and the people surrounded us, and seized the bridle of the
trooper's horse, saying, On account of the crowd dost thou
strike this young man such a blow ? But he called out to them
and said, This is a robber ! On hearing this I feared. The
people around me said. This is a comely young man, and hath
taken nothing. While some, however, believed this, others
disbelieved; and after many words, the people dragged me
along, desiring to liberate me : but, as it was predestined, there
came at this moment the Wali and other magistrates entering
the gate, and, seeing the people surrounding me and the
trooper, the Wali said. What is the news? The trooper an-
swered, By Allah, O Emir, this is a robber: I had in my
pocket a blue purse containing twenty pieces of gold; and he
took it while I was pressed by the crowd. — Was any one with
thee? asked the Wali. The trooper answered, No. And the

Wall called out to the chief of his servants, saying, Seiiie him
and search him. So he seized me; and protection was with-
drawn from me; and the Wali said to him, Strip him of all
that is upon him. And when he did so, they found the purse
in my clothes : and the Wali, taking it. counted the money,
and found it to be twenty pieces of gold, as the trooper had
said; whereupon he was enraged, and called out to his attend-
ants, saying. Bring him forward. They, therefore, brought
me before him, and he said to me, O young man, tell the
truth. Didst thou steal this purse? — And I hung down my
head towards the ground, saying within myself, If I answer
that I did not steal it, it will be useless, for he hath produced
it from my clothes; and if I say I stole it, I fall into trouble.
I then raised my head, and said, Yes, I took it. And when
the Wali heard these words, he wondered, and called wit-
nesses, who presented themselves, and gave their testimony
to my confession. — All this took place at Bab Zuweyleh. —
The Wali then ordered the executioner to cut off my hand ;
and he cut of my right hand; but the heart of the trooper
was moved with compassion for me, and he interceded for
me that I should not be killed: so the Wali left me and de-
parted. The people however continued around me, and gave
me to drink a cup of wine ; and the trooper gave me the
purse, saying. Thou art a comely youth, and it is not fit that
thou shouldst be a thief. And I took it from him, and
addressed him with these verses: —

By Allah ! good sir, I was not a robber ; nor was I a thief, O best

of mankind !
But fortune's vicissitudes overthrew me suddenly, and anxiety and

trouble and poverty overpowered me.
I cast it not ; but it was the Deity who cast an arrow that threw

down the kingly diadem from my head.

The trooper then left me and departed, after having given
me the purse, and I went my way; but first I wrapped my
hand in a piece of rag, and put it in my bosom. My condition
thus altered, and my countenance pallid in consequence of my
sufferings, I walked to the Ka'ah, and, in a disordered state of
mind, threw myself upon the bed. My wife, seeing my com-
plexion thus changed, said to me, What hath pained thee, and
wherefore do I see thee thus altered? I answered her, My
head acheth, and I am not well. And on hearing this she
was vexed, and became ill on my account, and said, Burn
not my heart, O my master ! Sit up, and raise thy head, and
tell me what hath happened to thee this day; for I read a
tale in thy face. — Abstain from speaking to me, I replied.
And she wept, and said, it seemeth that thou art tired of
us; for I see thee to be conducting thyself in a manner con-
trary to thy usual habit. Then she wept again, and continued
addressing me, though I made her no reply, until the approach
of night, when she placed some food before me; but T ab-
stained from it, fearing that she should see me eat with my
left hand, and said, I have no desire to eat at present. She
then said again, Tell me what hath happened to thee this
day, and wherefore I see thee anxious and broken-hearted. I
answered, I will presently tell thee at my leisure. And she
put the wine towards me, saying. Take it ; for it will dispel
thine anxiety ; and thou must drink, and tell me thy story. I
replied, therefore. If it must be so, give me to drink with thy
hand. And she filled a cup and drank it; and tlien filled it
again and handed it to me, and I took it from her with my
left hand, and, while tears ran from my eyes, I repeated these
verses : —

When God willeth an event lo befall a man who is endowed with

reason and hearing and sight,
He deafeneth his ears, and blindeth his heart, and draweth his

reason from him as a hair.
Till, having fulfilled his purpose against him, He restoreth him his

reason that he may be admonished.

Having thus said, I wept again; and when she saw me
do so, she uttered a loud cry, and said. What is the reason
of thy weeping? Thou hast burned my heart! And where-
fore didst thou take the cup with thy left hand? — I answered
her, I have a boil upon my right hand. — Then put it forth,
said she, that I may open it for thee. — It is not yet, I replied,
the proper time for opening it ; and continue not to ask me ;
for I will not put it forth at present. I then drank the con-
tents of the cup, and she continued to hand me the wine until
intoxication overcame me, and I fell asleep in the place
where I was sitting ; upon which she discovered that my right
arm was without a hand, and, searching me, saw the purse
containing the gold.

Grief, such as none else experienceth, overcame her at the
sight; and she suffered incessant torment on my account until
the morning, when I awoke, and found that she had pre-
pared for me a dish composed of four boiled fowls, which
she placed before me. She then gave me to drink a cup
of wine ; and I ate and drank, and put down the purse, and
was about to depart ; but she said, Whither wouldst thou go ?
I answered. To such a place, to dispel somewhat of the
anxiety which oppresseth my heart. — Go not, said she; but
rather sit down again. So I sat down, and she said to me.
Hath thy love of me become so excessive that thou hast ex-
pended all thy wealth upon me, and lost thy hand ? I take thee,
then, as witness against me, and God also is witness, that
I will never desert thee; and thou shalt see the truth of my
words, — Immediately, therefore, she sent for witnesses, who
came; and she said to them, Write my contract of marriage
to this young man, and bear witness that I have received the
dowry. And they did as she desired them; after which she
said. Bear witness that all my property which is in this chest,
and all my memluks and female slaves, belong to this young
man. Accordingly, they declared themselves witnesses of her
declaration, and I accepted the property, and they departed
after they had received their fees. She then took me by my
hand, and, having led me to a closet, opened a large chest,
and said to me, See what is containeth in this chest. I looked,
therefore; and lo, it was full of handkerchiefs; and she said,
This is thy property, which I have received from thee: for
every time that thou gavest me a handkerchief containing
fifty pieces of gold, I wrapped it up, and threw it into this
chest: take, then, thy property; for God hath restored it to
thee, and thou art now of high estate. Fate hath afflicted
thee on my account so that thou hast lost thy right hand, and
I am unable to compensate thee: if I should sacrifice my life,
it would be but a small thing, and thy generosity would still
have surpassed mine. — She then added, Now take possession
of thy property. So I received it ; and she transferred the
contents of her chest to mine, adding her property to mine
which I had given her. My heart rejoiced, my anxiety
ceased, and I approached and kissed her, and made myself
merry by drinking with her ; after which she said again, Thou
hast sacrificed all thy wealth and thy hand through love of
me, and how can I compensate thee? By Allah, if I gave my
life for love of thee, it were but a small thing, and I should
not do justice to thy claims upon me. — She then wrote a deed
of gift transferring to me all her apparel, and her ornaments
of gold and jewels, and her houses and other possessions; and
she passed that night in grief on my account, having heard
my relation of the accident that had befallen me.

Thus we remained less than a month, during which time
she became more and more infirm and disordered; and she
endured no more than fifty days before she was numbered
among the people of the other world. So I prepared her
funeral, and deposited her body in the earth, and having
caused recitations of the Kur'an to be performed for her, and
given a considerable sum of money in alms for her sake, re-
turned from the tomb. I found that she had possessed abun-
dant wealth, and houses and lands, and among her property
were the store-rooms of sesame of which I sold to thee the
contents of one ; and I was not prevented from settling with
thee during this period but by my being busied in selling the
remainder, the price of which I have not yet entirely re-
ceived. Now I desire of thee that thou wilt not oppose me in
that which I am about to say to thee; since I have eaten of
thy food: I gi\^e thee the price of the sesame, which is in
thy hands. — This which I have told thee was the cause of
my eating with my left hand.

I replied, Thou hast treated me with kindness and gen-
erosity: — and he then said. Thou must travel with me to my
country: for I have bought merchandise of Cairo and Alex-
andria. Wilt thou accompany me? — I answered, Yes: — and
promised him that I would be ready by the first day of the
following month. So I sold all that I possessed, and, having
bought merchandise with the produce, travelled with the
young man to this thy country, where he sold his merchandise
and bought other in its stead, after which he returned to the
land of Egypt: but it was my lot to remain here, and to ex-
perience that which hath befallen me this night during my
absence from my native country. — Now is not this, O King
of the age, more Avondcrful than the story of the humpback?
The King replied, Ye must be hanged, all of you ! — And
upon this, the Sultan's steward advanced towards the King,
ai d said. If thou permit me. I will relate to thee a story
that I happened to hear just before I found this humpback;
and if it be more wonderful than the events relating to him,
wilt thou grant us our lives? — The King answered. Tell thy
story : — and he began thus "The Story Told by the Sultan's Steward."