A certain hunter used to chase wild beasts in wold, and one day he came
upon a grotto in the mountains, where he found a hollow full of bees’
honey. So he took somewhat thereof in a water-skin he had with him and,
throwing it over his shoulder, carried it to the city, followed by a
hunting dog which was dear to him. He stopped at the shop of an oilman
and offered him the honey for sale and he bought it. Then he emptied it
out of the skin, that he might see it, and in the act a drop fell to
the ground, whereupon the flies flocked to it and a bird swooped down
upon the flies. Now the oilman had a cat, which sprang upon the bird,
and the huntsman’s dog, seeing the cat, sprang upon it and slew it;
whereupon the oilman sprang upon the dog and slew it, and the huntsman
in turn sprang upon the oilman and slew him. Now the oilman was of one
village and the huntsman of another; and when the people of the two
places heard what had passed, they took up arms and weapons and rose
one on other in wrath and the two lines met; nor did the sword leave to
play amongst them, till there died of them much people, none knoweth
their number save Almighty Allah. “And amongst other stories of the
malice of women” (continued the Wazir) “I have heard tell, O King, one
concerning