It is related that there was a Badawi man who had a wife and he
dwelt under a tent of hair[FN#168] in the desert where, as is the
fashion of Arabs, he used to shift from site to site for the
purpose of pasturing his camels. Now the woman was of exceeding
beauty and comeliness and perfection, and she had a friend (also
a Badawi man) who at all times would come to her and have his
wicked will of her, after which he would wend his ways. But one
day of the days her lover visited her and said, "Wallahi, 'tis
not possible but that what time we sleep together, I and thou, we
make merry with thy husband looking on."--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 Six Hundred and Fifty-sixth 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 man
which was the friend of the Badawi's wife said to her, "Wall�hi,
'tis not possible but that when we make merry, I and thou, thy
husband shall look upon us." Quoth she, "Why should we suffer at
such time of our enjoyment either my husband or any wight to be
present?" and quoth he, "This must needs be, and unless thou
consent I will take to me a mistress other than thyself." Then
said she, "How shall we enjoy ourselves with my husband looking
on? This is a matter which may not be managed." Hereupon the
woman sat down and took thought of her affair and how she should
do for an hour or so, and presently she arose and dug her
amiddlemost the tent a hole[FN#169] which would contain a man,
wherein she concealed her lover. Now, hard by the tent was a tall
sycamore tree,[FN#170] and as the noodle her husband was
returning from the wild the woman said to him, "Ho thou,
Such-an-one! climb up this tree and bring me therefrom a somewhat
of figs that we may eat them." Said he, "'Tis well;" and arising
he swarmed up the tree-trunk, when she signed to her lover who
came out and mounted and fell to riding upon her. But her mate
considered her and cried aloud, "What is this, O whore: doth a
man cavalcade thee before me and the while I am looking at thee?"
Then he came down from the tree in haste, but he saw no one, for
as soon as the lover had finished his business the good-wife
thrust him into the hole amiddlemost the tent and covered him
with a mat. When the husband went inside to the booth and met his
wife he found no stranger with her so said she to him, "O man,
thou hast sinned against me, saying, 'Verily, some one is riding
thee'; and thou hast slandered me by falsely charging me with
folly." Quoth he, "By Allah I saw thee with my own eyes;" but
quoth she, "Do thou sit here the while I have a look." Hereupon
she arose and swarmed up the trunk and sat upon one of the
branches, and as she peered at her spouse she shrieked aloud
crying, "O man, do thou have some regard for thine honour. Why do
on this wise and lie down and allow a man to ride thee, and at
this moment he worketh his will on thee." Said her husband,
"Beside me there is neither man nor boy." And said she, "Here I
am[FN#171] looking at thee from the top of this tree." Quoth he,
"O woman, this place must be haunted,[FN#172] so let us remove
hence;" and quoth she, "Why change our place? rather let us
remain therein." Hereupon the Caliph said to Manjab, "By Allah,
verily, this woman was an adulteress;" and the youth replied,
"Amongst womankind indeed are many more whorish than this. But of
that anon; and now do thou hear from me and learn of me this
marvellous tale anent