There was a man, a Sh�m�, who came to the God-guarded city of
Misr al-K�hirah--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 Wak�lah."[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,
Wall�hi!" 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 for me." 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 K�im-mak�m[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
The Seven Hundred and Fifty-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, "My mother hath left and bequeathed to me
somewhat, but I will not tell thee thereof till the coming night
when we twain shall be alone." "'Tis well," said he; after which
he continued to address himself, "Would Heaven I knew what hath
been left by the mother of our Har�m!"[FN#390] Now when darkness
came on and he and she had taken seats together, he asked her,
"What may be the legacy thy mother left?" and she answered, "O my
lord, my mother hath bequeathed to me her Coynte being loath that
it be given to other save myself and therefore I have brought it
along with me." Quoth he of his stupidity (for he was like unto a
cosset),[FN#391] "Ho thou, solace me with the sight of thy
mother's Coynte." Hereupon she arose; and, doffing all she had on
her of dress until she was mother-naked, said to him, "O my lord,
I have stuck on my mother's Coynte hard by and in continuation of
mine own cleft and so the twain of them have remained each
adjoining other between my hips." He continued, "Let me see it;"
so she stood up before him and pointing to her parts, said, "This
which faceth thee is my coynte whereof thou art owner;" after
which she raised her backside and bowing her head groundwards
showed the nether end of her slit between the two swelling cheeks
of her sit-upon, her seat of honour, crying, "Look thou! this be
the Coynte of my mother; but, O my lord, 'tis my wish that we wed
it unto some good man and pleasant who is faithful and true and
not likely treason to do, for that the Coynte of my mother must
abide by me and whoso shall intermarry therewith I also must bow
down to him whilst he shall have his will thereof." Quoth the
Kaim-makam, "O sensible say! but we must seek and find for
ourselves a man who shall be agreeable and trustworthy,"
presently adding, "O woman, we will not give the Coynte of thy
mother in marriage to some stranger lest he trouble thee and
trouble me also; so let us bestow this boon upon our own Syce."
Replied the wife of her craft and cursedness, "Haply, O my lord,
the horsekeeper will befit us not;", yet the while she had set
her heart upon him. Rejoined the Kaim-makam her husband, "If so
it be that he have shown thee want of respect we will surely
relieve him of his lot." But after so speaking he said a second
time, "'Tis better that we give the Coynte of thy mother to the
Syce;" and she retorted, "Well and good! but do thou oblige him
that he keep strait watch upon himself." Hereat the man summoned
his servant before him and said to him, "Hear me, O Syce; verily
the mother of my wife to her hath bequeathed her Coynte, and 'tis
our intent to bestow it upon thee in lawful wedlock; yet beware
lest thou draw near that which is our own property." The
horsekeeper answered, "No, O my lord, I never will." Now after
they arrived at that agreement concerning the matter in question,
whenever the wife waxed hot with heat of lust she would send for
the Syce and take him and repair with him, he and she, to a place
of privacy within the Harem, whilst her mate remained sitting
thoroughly satisfied, and they would enjoy themselves to the
uttermost, after which the twain would come forth together. And
the Kaim-makam never ceased saying on such occasions, "Beware, O
Syce, lest thou poach upon that which is my property;" and at
such times the wife would exclaim, "By Allah, O my lord, he is a
true man and a trusty." So they continued for a while[FN#392] in
the enjoyment of their luxury and this was equally pleasurable to
the husband and wife and the lover. Now when the Emir heard this
tale from the Butcher, he began laughing until he fell upon his
back and anon he said to him, "Wend thy ways about thine own
work;" so the Flesher went forth from him not knowing what he
should do in his garb of gaberdine and bonnet. Hereupon the woman
arose and going to the fourth closet threw it open and summoned
and led the Trader man by the hand and set him before her husband
who looked hard at him in his droll's dress and recognised him
and was certified of him that he was his neighbour. So he said,
"Ho Such-an-one! Thou art our neighbour and never did we suspect
that thou wouldst strive to seduce our Har�m;[FN#393] nay rather
did we expect thee to keep watch and ward over us and fend off
from us all evil.[FN#394] Now by Allah, those whom we have
dismissed wrought us no foul wrong even as thou wroughtest us in
this affair; for thou at all events art our neighbour. Thou
deservest in this matter that I slay thee out of hand, but
Default cometh not save from the Defaulter; therefore I will do
thee no harm at all as did I with thy fellows even save that
needs must thou tell us a tale whereby to rejoice us."[FN#395]
Quoth he, "Hearing and obeying," and herewith fell to relating
the story of
The Whorish Wife who Vaunted her Virtue.
It is related that once upon a time there was a man which was an
astronomer[FN#396] and he had a wife who was singular in beauty
and loveliness. Now she was ever and aye boasting and saying to
him, "O man, there is not amongst womankind my peer in
nobility[FN#397] and chastity;" and as often as she repeated this
saying to him he would give credit to her words and cry,
"Wall�hi, no man hath a wife like unto the lady my wife for high
caste and continence!" Now he was ever singing her praises in
every assembly; but one day of the days as he was sitting in a
s�ance of the great, who all were saying their says anent
womankind and feminine deeds and misdeeds, the man rose up and
exclaimed, "Amongst women there is none like my wife, for that
she is pure of blood and behaviour;" hereat one of those present
said to him, "Thou liest, O certain person!"--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 Fifty-fourth 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 while the
man was singing the praises of his spouse one of those present
rose and said to him, "Wall�hi, thou liest, O certain person!"
"Wherein do I lie?" quoth he, and quoth the other, "I will teach
thee and show thee manifestly whether thy wife be a lady or a
whore. Do thou rise up from amongst us and hie thee home and go
thou in to her and say, 'O woman, I am intent upon travelling to
a certain place and being absent for a matter of four days and
after will return; so do thou arise, O woman, and bring me some
bread and a mould of cheese by way of viaticum.' Then go thou
forth from beside her and disappear for a while; and presently
returning home hide thee in a private place without uttering a
word." Cried those present, "By Allah, indeed these words may not
be blamed." Accordingly, the man went forth from them and fared
till he entered his house where he said, "O woman, bring me
something of provision for a journey: my design is to travel and
to be absent for a space of four days or haply six." Cried the
wife, "O my lord, thou art about to desolate me nor can I on any
wise bear parting from thee; and if thou needs must journey do
thou take me with thee." Now when the man heard these the words
of his wife he said to himself, "By Allah, there cannot be the
fellow of my spouse amongst the sum of womankind," presently
adding to her, "I shall be away from four to six days but do thou
keep watch and ward upon thyself and open not my door to anyone
at all." Quoth she, "O Man, how canst thou quit me?[FN#398] and
indeed I cannot suffer such separation." Quoth he, "I shall not
long be separated from thee;" and so saying he fared forth from
her and disappeared for the space of an hour, after which he
returned home softly walking and hid himself in a place where
none could see him. Now after the space of two hours behold, a
Costermonger[FN#399] came into the house and she met him and
salam'd to him and said, "What hast thou brought for me?" "Two
lengths of sugar-cane," said he, and said she, "Set them down in
a corner of the room." Then he asked her, "Whither is thy husband
gone?" and she answered, "On a journey: may Allah never bring him
back nor write his name among the saved and our Lord deliver me
from him as soon as possible!" After this she embraced him and he
embraced her and she kissed him and he kissed her and enjoyed her
favours till such time as he had his will of her; after which he
went his ways. When an hour had passed a Poulterer[FN#400] came
to the house, whereupon she arose and salam'd to him and said,
"What hast thou brought me?" He answered, "A pair of
pigeon-poults;" so she cried, "Place them under yon
vessel."[FN#401] Then the man went up to the woman and he
embraced her and she embraced him and he tumbled[FN#402] her and
she tumbled him; after which he had his will of her and presently
he went off about his own business. When two hours or so had gone
by there came to her another man which was a Gardener;[FN#403] so
she arose and met him with a meeting still fairer than the first
two and asked him, "What hast thou brought with thee?" "A
somewhat of pomegranates," answered he; so she took them from him
and led him to a secret place where she left him and changed her
dress and adorned herself and perfumed herself and Kohl'd[FN#404]
her eyes. After that she returned to the pomegranate-man and fell
a-toying with him and he toyed with her and she hugged him and he
hugged her and at last he rogered and had his wicked will of her
and went his ways. Hereupon the woman doffed her sumptuous dress
and garbed herself in her everyday garment. All this and the
husband was looking on through the chinks of the door behind
which he was lurking and listening to whatso befel, and when all
was ended he went forth softly and waited awhile and anon
returned home. Hereupon the wife arose and her glance falling
upon her husband she noted him and accosted him and salam'd to
him and said, "Hast thou not been absent at all?" Said he, "O
Woman, there befel me a tale on the way which may not be written
on any wise, save with foul water upon disks of dung,[FN#405] and
indeed I have endured sore toil and travail, and had not Allah
(be He praised and exalted!) saved me therefrom, I had never
returned." Quoth his wife, "What hath befallen 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
The Seven Hundred and Fifty-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 wife
asked the husband saying, "What hath befallen thee on thy way?"
And he answered, "O Woman, when I went forth the town and took
the road, behold, a basilisk issued from his den and coming to
the highway stretched himself therealong, so I was unable to step
a single footstep; and indeed, O Woman, his length was that of
yon sugar cane, brought by the Costermonger and which thou
placedst in the corner. Also he had hair upon his head like the
feathers of the pigeon-poults presented to thee by the
Poulterer-man, and which thou hast set under the vessel; and
lastly, O Woman, his head was like the pomegranates which thou
tookest from the Market Gardener[FN#406] and carriedst within the
house." Whenas the wife heard these words, she lost command of
herself and her right senses went wrong and she became purblind
and deaf, neither seeing nor hearing, because she was certified
that her spouse had sighted and eye-witnessed what she had
wrought of waywardness and frowardness. Then the man continued to
her, "O Whore! O Fornicatress! O Adulteress! How durst thou say
to me, 'There is not amongst womankind my better in nobility and
purity?' and this day I have beheld with my own eyes what thy
chastity may be. So do thou take thy belongings and go forth from
me and be off with thyself to thine own folk." And so saying he
divorced her with the triple divorce and thrust her forth the
house. Now when the Emir heard the aforetold tale from his
neighbour, he rejoiced therein; this being a notable wile of the
guiles of womankind which they are wont to work with men for
"Verily great is their craft."[FN#407] And presently he dismissed
the fourth lover, his neighbour, even as he had freed the other
three, and never again did such trouble befal him and his wife,
or from Kazi or from any other.[FN#408] And to the same purport
(quoth Shahrazad), to wit, the slights and snares of the sex,
they also tell the tale of
CLEBS THE DROLL AND HIS WIFE AND HER
FOUR LOVERS.
There lived at the Court of a certain King a man wherewith he was
wont to jest and this droll was unmated. So one day of the days
the Sultan said to him, "O Man, thou art a bachelor, so suffer us
to marry thee," and said the buffoon, "No, O King of the Age;
allow me to remain in single blessedness, for in womankind there
is no rest and they work many a wile, and indeed I fear lest
haply we fall upon one who shall be of the fornicatresses, the
adulteresses." Quoth the King, "There is no help but that thou
wed;" and quoth the Droll, "'Tis well, O King of the Age."
Hereupon the Sultan sent to summon the Wazir and bade him betroth
the man to a woman of righteous conduct and come of decent folk.
Now the Minister had with him an old nurse, and he commanded her
to find a match for the Sultan's Jester; whereupon she rose and
went out from him and engaged for the man a beautiful woman. And
presently the marriage-tie was tied between these twain and he
went in unto the bride and she tarried with him a while of time
even half a year or may be seven months. Now one day of the days
the King's Jester went forth his house ere the dawn-prayer had
been called on some business for the Sultan, intending to return
before rise of sun. Such was the case with him; but as regards
his wife, she had known when yet unmarried four men who to her
were the liefest of her companions and who, during the earlier
days of her wedding, had not been able to possess her. However,
on the morning when her husband fared forth from her before the
call to dawn-prayers, each and every of these four favoured
lovers made up their minds to visit their playmate. Now one of
them was a Pieman[FN#409] and the second was an Herbalist[FN#410], the third was a Flesher and the fourth was the Shaykh of the Pipers[FN#411]. When the Droll went forth from his wife behold, the Pieman came and rapped at the door, whereat she
opened to him and said, "Thou hast come betimes," and said he, "I
have minced the meat and I desired to work it up when I found
that the hour was too early and that no one was in the market. So
I said to myself, 'Up with thee and go to Such-and-such a woman.'" "'Tis well," quoth she; but when they desired to make merry together, of a sudden the door was knocked; so quoth he to her, "Who is this?" and quoth she to him, "I know not, but do thou hie
and hide thee in yonder closet." He did her bidding, whereupon
she went forth and threw open the door when behold, it was the
Herbalist and she said to him, "This is a time betimes." Said he,
"By Allah, I was nighting in the garden and I have brought these
sweet-scented herbs, and as the hour was over-early I said to
myself, 'Go thou to Such-and-such a woman and make merry, thou
and she, for a wee.'" So she let him in; but hardly had he
settled himself in his seat when suddenly the door was again
rapped and he asked her, "Who is this?" and she answered, "I know
not, but do thou hie and hide thee in yonder closet." So he went
in and found the Pieman there seated and said to him, "What thing
mayest thou be?"[FN#412] and said the other, "I and thou are each
like other." Meanwhile the woman had gone forth and opened the
door when behold, she was met by the Flesher whom she led within
and then said to him, "This is a time betimes." Quoth he, "By
Allah, I arose from sleep and slaughtered a ram[FN#413] and
prepared the flesh for selling when I found that the hour was
over-early and said I to myself, 'Take thee a piece of mutton-flesh and go thou in to a certain person and enjoy yourselves,
thou and she, until the Bazar shall have opened.'" But hardly had
he taken seat when came a fourth knock at the door, and as he
heard this he was wonderstruck; so she said to him, "Fear not,
but hie thee and hide thee within yonder closet." Accordingly he
went in and found the Pieman and the Herbalist there sitting and
he salam'd to the twain who returned his salute; then he asked
them, "What hath brought you hither?" and they answered, "That
which brought us brought also thee." He took seat with them while
the woman went and threw open the door and behold, she was met by
her friend the Shaykh of the Pipers belonging to the Sultan, so
she brought him in and said to him, "Indeed thy time is betimes."
Said he, "Wall�hi, I went forth my home intending to fare and
prepare the band[FN#414] in the Royal Palace when I found the
hour was over-early, so said I to myself, 'Hie thee to a certain
person and make ye merry, thou and she, until the sun shall rise
and thou art bound to wend palacewards.'" "'Tis well," quoth
she and seated him and designed to take seat beside him when
behold, came a rap at the door and he cried, "Who is that?" and
she replied, "Allah only is Omniscient, but haply 'tis my
husband." So he was startled and afeard, and when she whispered
to him, "Up and enter yon closet," he did her bidding and found a-facing him therein the Pieman and the Herbalist and the Flesher
to whom he said, "Peace be upon you," and when they returned his
greeting he asked them, "Ye, who brought you?" They answered him
saying, "That which brought us also brought thee." After this he
sat beside them and the four remained seated in the closet and
huddled together, whilst each addressed himself saying, "What now
wilt thou do?" Meanwhile the woman suddenly went forth and opened
the door when behold, it was her mate the Droll who walked in and
took seat; whereupon she asked him, "And thou, why hast thou come
at such an hour? 'tis not often thy wont to return early from the
King's presence. Haply thou art unwell, for thy custom is not to
appear until near supper-tide and now thou hast forestalled our
meeting-time and hast returned a-morn. I suspect that he hath
bespoken thee concerning some matter of urgent matters that thou
comest home at this hour; but haply thou wilt finish off such
business and hie thee back to the Sultan." Quoth he, "By Allah, O
Woman, when I fared forth hence and went to the King I found that
he had many and important affairs to settle, so he said, 'Hie
thee to thy home and abide therein, nor return to me till after
the third 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 Fifty-eighth 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's Jester went in to his wife she said, "Thou, wherefore hast
thou come so early?" and said he, "By Allah, the Sultan hath much
and important business and said to me, 'Hie thee home, and tarry
there and return not to me save after the third day.'" Now when
the four men who were closeted together heard these words they
were perplext as to their affair, and said one to other, "What
shall we do? Indeed we are unable to sit out three days in this
stead." Hereupon the Pieman said to them, "Nay, rather let us
play a prank whereby we may escape," and said they, "What may be
the device thou wouldest devise?" Quoth he, "Whatso I do that do
ye look upon and then act in like guise," and so speaking he
arose and taking his minced meat fell to sticking it upon his
skin until he was like a leper covered with sores.[FN#415] Then
he went forth the closet to the husband of the mistress, and
cried, "The Peace be upon you!" The man returned his salute and
asked him, "What art thou?" to which he made answer, "I am the
Prophet Job the Ulcered, where is the way out of this?" "Here,"
cried the Jester, upon which Job passed out of the door and went
about his business and on such wise made his escape. Next the
Herbalist stood up and opening his basket brought out fragrant
herbs and fell to scattering them over his sconce and about it
and over his ears,[FN#416] till such time as all his face was
hidden in greens, after which he also went out and accosting the
house-master said, "The Peace be upon you!" And when the man
returned the salam he asked him, "Hath Job the Ulcered passed by
thee on this path?" "Indeed he hath," said the other; "but what
mayst thou be?" "I am Al-Khizr, the Green Prophet" (upon whom be
The Peace),[FN#417] and so saying he brushed by the Droll and
passed through the door. Now when the second lover had gone forth
and escaped, the Flesher arose and donning the ram's skin set its
horns upon his head and began crawling out of the closet upon all
fours, hands and knees, until he stood before the husband of his
beloved, and said to him, "The Peace be upon you!" "And upon you
be The Peace," returned the other, "What mayst thou be?" "I am
Iskandar, Lord of the Two Horns," cried the other; "say me, have
there passed by thee Job the Ulcered and Al-Khizr the Green
Prophet (upon whom be The Peace)?" Quoth the house-master, "They
went by this place and forewent thee." So the third lover passed
through the doorway and escaped, and presently the Shaykh of the
Pipers rose to his feet and applying the mouthpiece of his pipe
to his lips went up to his mistress's mate and said, "The Peace
be upon you!" and on the man returning his salam, asked him,
"Hath it so happened that Job the Ulcered and Al-Khizr the Green
Prophet and Iskandar Lord of the Two Horns passed this way?"
"They have," answered the other, "What art thou?" Cried he, "I am
Isr�f�l,[FN#418] and 'tis my design forthright to blow the Last
Trump." Hereupon the Droll straightway arose and laid hands upon
him crying, "Y�llah, Y�llah,[FN#419] O my brother, blow not at
all until we shall have gone, I and thou, to the Sultan." So
saying he took him by the hand and fared forth with him and
ceased not faring until he had carried him into the presence,
when the King asked, "Wherefore hast thou arrested this man?"
Answered he, "O King of the Age, this is our Lord Israfil and
'twas his intent to blow the Last Trump, so I forbade him
therefrom until such time as I had brought him for thee to look
upon, lest haply he might so have done without thy knowledge, and
said I to myself, 'By Allah, better set him before the Sultan ere
he sound his Trumpet.' Furthermore I do pray for thy welfare, O
King of the Age, inasmuch as thou hast married me to this dame
because I had fear of her lest she company with strange men. But
I found her a saintly woman who admitted none of mankind save
that to-day when I went forth from thee at morning-tide I turned
me homewards and going into my house caught with her three
Prophets and one Archangel and this is he who intended to blow
the Last Trump." Hereupon quoth the Sultan to him, "O Man, art
thou Jinn-mad? How canst thou have found with thy spouse any of
the Prophets as thou sayest?" And quoth he, "By Allah, O King of
the Age, whatso hath befallen me that I have reported to thee nor
have I hidden from thee aught." The King asked, "Which was he of
the Prophets thou foundest beside thy wife?" and he answered,
"The Prophet Job (on whom be The Peace) and after him came forth
to me from a closet the Prophet Al-Khizr (on whom be the Peace!),
and after him Iskandar Lord of the Two Horns (on whom be the
Peace!) and lastly this the fourth is the Archangel Israfil." The
Sultan marvelled at his words, and exclaimed, "Laud to the Lord!
Verily this man whom thou entitlest Israfil is naught but the
Shaykh of my Pipers." "I wist naught, O King of the Age," said
the other, "but I have related to thee what hath occurred and
what I beheld and eyewitnessed." Hereupon the Sultan understood
that the wife had friends who forgathered with her, and who had
served her husband with such sleight, so he said to the musician,
"O man, unless thou tell me truly what happened I will cut off
thy head." Thereupon the Shaykh of the Pipers arose, and kissing
ground before the Sultan, said to him, "O King of the Age, give
me promise of immunity and I will relate to thee all that befel."
Quoth the King, "'Tis upon condition that thou tell no lies;" and
quoth the other, "O King of the Age, verily, I will shun
leasing."[FN#420] So the King gave him a pledge of safety, and
the Shaykh described everything that had been done and kept
nothing back, and when the King heard the story and the trick
which had been wrought by the woman's friends he marvelled
thereat and cried, "Allah kill all womankind,[FN#421] the
fornicatresses, the adulteresses, the traitresses!" After which
he despatched a posse of the Chamberlains to bring into his
presence the four persons.--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 Sixtieth 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 King
despatched a posse of his Chamberlains to bring into his presence
the four persons who were lovers to the Droll's wife, and he
found the first to be a Pieman who had claimed the rank of our
lord Job (on whom be The Peace!), and the second to be a
Market-Gardener who sold savoury herbs and all manner fragrant
growths, and he had made himself out to be Al-Khizr (on whom be
The Peace!), and the third to be a Butcher who had passed himself
off as Iskandar, Lord of the Two Horns (on whom be The Peace!);
whilst the fourth, whom the Jester had brought, and who declared
that he was the Archangel Israfil, and was about to blow the Last
Trump, proved to be the Shaykh of the Pipers. Now when the four
were before the King he gave orders to castrate them all save the
Shaykh[FN#422] this being the award of him who lewdly frequenteth
the women of the royal household. Hereupon they gelded them, and
each one who was made a eunuch died without stay and delay; and
the Droll divorced his wife and sent her about her business.
I have also by me (said Shahrazad) another tale concerning the
wiles of womankind, and it is that of
THE GATE-KEEPER OF CAIRO AND THE CUNNING
SHE-THIEF.[FN#423]
It is related that in Misr of K�hir there was a man who had
reached the age of fourscore and ten years, and he was a
chief-watchman of the ward in the service of the W�li; a brave
man withal, and one not wont to be startled or afeard. Now one
night as he was going around about the city with the Chief of
Police, and he was returning to the guard-house[FN#424] before
break o' day that he might perform the Wuz�-ablution, and at the
call to dawn-prayers he might rise and repeat them, it so
fortuned that when he was about to stand up to his orisons,
according to the custom of him, suddenly a purse fell before him
upon the ground. As soon as he had done with his devotions he
arose and gazed around to see who had thrown him that bag of
money, but he could find nobody; so he took it up and opened it,
when an hundred dinars met his sight. Hereat he wondered; but on
the following day when he had washed and was praying, behold, a
second purse was cast at his feet; so he waited until he had
finished his orisons and then stood up and looked around to see
who had thrown it. Thereupon, as he failed to find any, he took
it up and opened it and again beheld an hundred dinars, a matter
which filled him with wonder. This continued till the third day
at morning-tide, when he had washed as was his wont and stood up
to his prayers, and lo and behold! another purse was dropped at
his feet. Herewith he cut short his devotions, and turning him
round saw beside him a girl whose years had reached fifteen; so
he seized her and said, "Who art thou, and what is the reason of
thy throwing at my feet every day a purse of an hundred gold
pieces, and this is the third time; argal the sum amounteth to
three hundred. What may be this case?" Said she, "O my lord, my
name is F�timah, and my wish and will is a matter which thou
canst bring to an end for me by means of thy tongue!" Quoth he,
"What is't thou wantest of me?" and quoth she, "'Tis my intent
that on the morrow I sham drunkenness with wine and cast myself
before the mansion of the Kazi of the Army.[FN#425] Thou shalt
find me there strown upon the ground and dressed in all the best
of my clothes and finest ornaments. So when thou shalt come to
that quarter and espy me lying there in drink do thou bid the
Linkman move the links to and fro; then come forward, O
Mukaddam,[FN#426] and investigate the case and examine me, and
say the Wali, 'This girl is in liquor.' The Chief of Police shall
reply to thee, 'Take her and carry her to the watch-house and
keep her there till day-break.'"--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 Sixty-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
girl to the Mukaddam, "And when thou shalt have found me drunken
with wine, the Wali shall bid thee, 'Take her to the watch-house
and there keep her till daybreak.' Hereto do thou object, 'No!
this were not suitable: I will cry upon someone of the quarter
and will awake the Kazi of the Army, for that she belongeth to
his ward.' Then assemble all thy folk and say to them, 'Verily
this girl is in liquor and not mistress of herself at such time;
needs must she be of a great family and daughter to grandees;
therefore 'twere not proper that we take her with us to the
watch-house; nor let any hold her in his charge save the Kazi of
the Army till morning and until such time as she shall have
recovered her senses and can fare to her own folk.'" Hereupon
quoth the Mukaddam to her, "Easy enough!" and quoth she, "An thou
act on this wise and my success be from thy hand, I will give
thee five hundred dinars besides the three hundred." "This matter
is not far to us,"[FN#427] said he; so she left him and went
away. Now when it was the season after night-prayers, the Chief
of Police came forth his quarters and, repairing to the
watch-house and taking the Mukaddam and his men, would have
threaded the highways of Cairo as was his wont, but the head
Gate-Keeper forewent him and took the direction of the quarter
wherein dwelt the Kazi of the Army; the Wali unknowing the while
what was in the man's thought. They ceased not faring until they
entered that part of the town wherein stood the Judge's house,
and when they approached it, lo and behold! the Mukaddam found a
something strown upon the ground. So said he to the Linkman who
carried the light, "O my son, do thou shake the torch," and when
he moved the link to and fro it illumined the whole quarter. Then
the Gate-Keeper came forward; and, looking at what was lying
there, found it to be a damsel in liquor dressed out with
sumptuous dress and adorned with all her ornaments: so he said to
the Wali, "O my Chief,[FN#428] this girl is drunken with wine and
hath fallen on the ground;" and said the Chief of Police, "Take
her up and carry her to the watch-house until morning." Hereupon
quoth the Mukaddam, "No! this were not fitting; nor is it
possible for the like of this girl. She is in the ward of the
Kazi al-'Askar, to whose household haply she belongeth or to some
great man in the quarter, and we fear lest befal her of evil
matters some matter and we shall come to be transgressors."
Hereupon, after applying some remedy to the damsel, they made her
sit up and presently they called aloud upon the people of the
quarter and awoke the Judge and when all the folk came out in a
body the Wali said to them, "Look ye upon this girl; peradventure
you may know whose daughter she is." They came forward and
examined her and found her garbed in sumptuous garments and
trickt out with the whole of her ornaments, whereupon the Chief
of Police and the Mukaddam of the Watchmen said to them, "Indeed
'tis not possible for us to remove yon maiden from this place; so
do you take her to your homes until morning-tide when she shall
recover and be able to care for herself and then fare to her own
folk." Hereat they made agreement that none should lodge her in
his house save the Kazi of the Army; so a party of the servants
raised her and led her to his mansion and set her in a chamber
hard by the open saloon; after which each and every of them fared
forth to sleep in his own place. On this wise it befel the Wali
and the Mukaddam and the Kazi and the folk of the ward; but as
regards the affair of the damsel whom they found stretched on the
ground as one drunken, she on entering the Kazi's abode pulled
herself together and recovered herself, for that she had wrought
all this wily work for the special purpose of being led into the
house there to carry out her wish and will. Presently the Judge
lay down and was drowned in slumber and knew not what Allah had
destined to him from the plans and projects of the girl who,
rising up at midnight, opened the door of her chamber leading
into the saloon where the Kazi al-'Askar kept all his hoards and
coin[FN#429] and dresses and belongings. Now she had appointed
her people to meet her at that house, so they came and carried
off the whole of what was in the saloon nor did they leave aught
therein, at all, at all, save only the matting. And when dawned
the morn, the Kazi of the Army arose and repaired to the saloon,
as was his wont, for the purpose of dressing, but he found
therein nothing except the matting. So he buffeted his face with
his palms and wailed aloud whereat a party of his servants came
to him and asked, "What is the matter with thee, O our lord the
Kazi?" then, on going into the saloon they remarked that it had
been gutted of everything. So they went from him and threw open
the door of the chamber wherein they had placed the damsel but
they found her nowhere.--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 Sixty-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 Kazi's
folk went and threw open the door of the chamber wherein the
damsel had slept; and, when they found nothing therein, they were
certified it was she who had carried away the goods. After such
fashion it happened to these; but as regards the action of the
Judge, he took horse and wended his way to the Sultan, and he
ceased not wending till he had entered the presence and salam'd
and blessed the Sovran who returned his salute. Then cried he, "O
King of the Age, there hath befallen me that which is so-and-so,
and I have a claim on the Chief of Police and the Mukaddam of the
watch, for that indeed they were the men who bade me admit the
girl into my home, and this guest of mine hath left me nor muchel
nor little." Hereupon the King bade summon the men with their
many, and when they came before him, he bade strike off the heads
of the two head men; but they said to him, "O King of the Age,
grant us three days' respite and, if aught discover itself to us
and we rid ourselves of the responsibility, we shall be saved;
but an we avail not thereto, the sword of the Sultan is long."
"Go forth," cried the King; "I have granted you a three days'
delay; if you bring the offender 'tis well, and if not, your
heads shall be in lieu thereof and eke so your families and your
properties." Hearing this they sued for dismissal, and the Wali
went forth to search in this way and wander in one direction and
the Mukaddam in another. They roamed about Cairo for two
full-told days, but naught happened to them until the third about
the call to noontide-prayers, when the Mukaddam entered a narrow
street on the side of the city to the west, and behold, a door
opened and a speaker spake saying, "O Mukaddam, who is behind the
door?" So he turned towards the sound and said, "'Tis well," and
the other cried, "Come thou and draw near to me." He did so and
approached the entrance when suddenly he saw the damsel who had
shammed drunkenness[FN#430] and whom they had introduced into the
Kazi al-'Askar's house. Now when he accosted her and recognised
her, he seized her and she asked him, "Wherefore dost thou arrest
me and what is thine intent to do with me?" "We will carry thee
to the Sultan," answered he, "and I and the Wali shall be set
free. During the last three days I have done nothing but wander
about in search of thee who hast wrought for us such work and
after hast fled from us." Quoth the girl, "O clever one, had I
designed the ruin of you I had never made myself manifest to
thee, nor couldst thou have met me or forgathered with me:
however, I will now work at freeing you from the hands of the
Sultan, that both thou and the Wali may escape and that you twain
may take from the Judge of the Army whatever of good you want and
will." Quoth he, "How shall we do?" and quoth she, "I have by me
a white slave-girl the very likeness of myself and at this time I
have dressed her in my dresses and decorations and have cut her
throat, and by my cleverness and force of heart I have caused her
to be carried to a ruin hard by the Kazi's house and have had her
buried therein and have set over her a slab. So do thou fare
hence and taking the Wali seek the Sultan and say him, 'We
have wandered about Misr, the whole thereof, but we have found
naught of our want, and now nothing remaineth to us save the
house of the Kazi al-'Askar; so we desire to search therein and,
if we find that damsel murthered, we will gather together the
folk of the quarter who saw us before that they may look upon
her; and be the Judge also standing by that we may ask the
people, 'What say ye concerning this maiden?' when haply they may
reply, 'This is the girl which was drunken with wine.' And as
soon as they shall bear witness that it is the same, you twain
shall stay behind to converse with the Judge as ye desire and
take from him whatever you wish and will; and he shall sue you
for grace and for aidance. Then will he go up to the King and
report to him saying, 'I have found my debtor and I have
recovered from him all my good;' whereupon you shall be set free
and eke I shall be freed. And finally do ye come hither to me and
we will divide all the plunder I have taken from the Kazi's
house." Now when the damsel had made the old Watchman understand
these words, he left her, and going to the Wali, informed him of
the whole affair and reported all that the girl had communicated
to him of treachery and plottings, whereupon the Chief of Police
took horse, and accompanied by the Mukaddam, rode to the
Palace,--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 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 Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night
and that was
The Seven Hundred and Sixty-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 Wali
rode to the Palace, he and the chief Watchman, seeking the
Sultan, and they ceased not riding until they entered the
presence and saluted the Sovran, praying for the endurance of his
glory and the continuance of his life-tide. He returned their
salute and asked concerning the affair of his Judge and they
answered him, "O King of the Age, verily we have wandered about
Misr and the entirety thereof, without finding any and now there
remaineth for our search naught save the quarters occupied by the
Kazi al-'Askar. So we design to examine it that if aught be found
therein we may be set free, and if not that thou work upon us
thine own intent." Hereupon the Sultan sent to summon the Judge;
and, when he made act of presence, commanded him suffer the Wali
and the Mukaddam to search his quarters and he replied, "Hearing
and obeying." The whole forty then fared from the Palace and
reaching the Judge's mansion rummaged it until they came upon the
ruined stead described by the damsel; so thither they went and
seeing a slab newly laid, pulled it up and found beneath it a
white girl full-dressed and ornamented.[FN#431] The Watchman
fared forth and summoned all the ward-folk who considered
narrowly the corpse of the murthered damsel, and they all cried
with a single voice, "Indeed this be the girl which was drunken
with wine and which was carried into the Kazi's quarters." And
they bore official testimony to such effect what while the Judge,
who was standing in that stead looking and listening, said to
himself, "How can such case have occurred to us without cause?"
And when this business was finished, the Wali turned to the Kazi
and said "O Shaykh of Islam,[FN#432] we left this damsel in thy
charge and to thine honour until morning-tide, deeming that haply
she might be the daughter of a grandee house and yet hast thou
cut her throat and hidden her within thy premises." But the Judge
could return to him no reply nor attempt any address, for he
feared lest the King should hear thereof; so he inclined to the
Master of Police and got ready for him an hundred purses and
twenty for the Mukaddam that they might keep silence and not
report such matter of scandal to the Sultan. Accordingly they
accepted that amount of money from him and the Kazi went forth
from him and took horse and informed the Sultan that he had found
his debtor and had recovered his due; but he spoke not these
words save for fear of the Chief of Police and the Head of the
Watchmen lest they inform the King that they had found the
murthered damsel within his demesne. Then the Mukaddam repaired
to the house where the She-thief had bespoken him and standing at
the door knocked thereat when those inside asked, "Who mayest
thou be?" and he answered, "I am seeking Fatimah!" "Who is
Fatimah?" cried they, "we have here nor Fatimah nor
Hal�mah."[FN#433] Thereupon quoth the Mukaddam, "Indeed this
Fornicatress, this Adulteress hath wrought upon us and hath
escaped us; but, seeing that we also have won free by virtue of
the wile she pointed out to us, we will leave her to time and
doubtless during the length of days we twain shall forgather
again." On this wise endeth the story (quoth Shahrazad); but I
will now relate a very different adventure and 'tis the