The Adventures of Mercury Ali of Cairo.[FN#214]

Now as regards the works of Mercury ’Alí; there lived once at

Cairo,[FN#215] in the days of Saláh the Egyptian, who was Chief of the

Cairo Police and had forty men under him, a sharper named Ali, for

whom the Master of Police used to set snares and think that he had

fallen therein; but, when they sought for him, they found that he had

fled like zaybak, or quicksilver, wherefore they dubbed him Ali Zaybak

or Mercury Ali of Cairo. Now one day, as he sat with his men in his

hall, his heart became heavy within him and his breast was straitened.

The hall-keeper saw him sitting with frowning face and said to him,

“What aileth thee, O my Chief? If thy breast be straitened take a turn

in the streets of Cairo, for assuredly walking in her markets will do

away with thy irk.” So he rose up and went out and threaded the streets

awhile, but only increased in cark and care. Presently, he came to a

wine-shop and said to himself, “I will go in and drink myself drunken.”

So he entered and seeing seven rows of people in the shop, said,

“Harkye, taverner! I will not sit except by myself.” Accordingly, the

vintner placed him in a chamber alone and set strong pure wine before

him whereof he drank till he lost his senses. Then he sallied forth

again and walked till he came to the road called Red, whilst the

people left the street clear before him, out of fear of him.

Presently, he turned and saw a water-carrier trudging along, with his

skin and gugglet, crying out and saying, “O exchange! There is no

drink but what raisins make, there is no love-delight but what of the

lover we take and none sitteth in the place of honour save the

sensible freke[FN#216]!” So he said to him, “Here, give me to drink!”

The water-carrier looked at him and gave him the gugglet which he took

and gazing into it, shook it up and lastly poured it out on the

ground. Asked the water-carrier, “Why dost thou not drink?”; and he

answered, saying, “Give me to drink.” So the man filled the cup a

second time and he took it and shook it and emptied it on the ground;

and thus he did a third time. Quoth the water-carrier, “An thou wilt

not drink, I will be off.” And Ali said, “Give me to drink.” So he

filled the cup a fourth time and gave it to him; and he drank and gave

the man a dinar. The water-carrier looked at him with disdain and

said, belittling him, “Good luck to thee! Good luck to thee, my lad!

Little folk are one thing and great folk another!”——And Shahrazad

perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say,

When it was the Seven Hundred and Ninth Night,

She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the

water-carrier receiving the dinar, looked at the giver with disdain

and said “Good luck to thee! Good luck to thee! Little folk are one

thing and great folk another.” Now when Mercury Ali heard this, he

caught hold of the man’s gaberdine and drawing on him a poignard of

price, such an one as that whereof the poet speaketh in these two

couplets,

“Watered steel-blade, the world perfection calls, * Drunk with

the viper poison foes appals,

Cuts lively, burns the blood whene’er it falls; * And picks up

gems from pave of marble halls;”[FN#217]

cried to him, “O Shaykh, speak reasonably to me! Thy water-skin is

worth if dear three dirhams, and the gugglets I emptied on the ground

held a pint or so of water.” Replied the water-carrier “’Tis well,”

and Ali rejoined, “I gave thee a golden ducat: why, then dost thou

belittle me? Say me, hast thou ever seen any more valiant than I or

more generous than I?” Answered the water-carrier; “I have indeed, seen

one more valiant than thou and eke more generous than thou; for, never,

since women bare children, was there on earth’s face a brave man who

was not generous.” Quoth Ali, “And who is he thou deemest braver and

more generous than I?” Quoth the other, “Thou must know that I have had

a strange adventure. My father was a Shaykh of the Water-carriers who

give drink in Cairo and, when he died, he left me five male camels,

a he-mule, a shop and a house; but the poor man is never satisfied;

or, if he be satisfied he dieth. So I said to myself:—I will go up to

Al-Hijaz; and, taking a string of camels, bought goods on tick, till

I had run in debt for five hundred ducats, all of which I lost in the

pilgrimage. Then I said in my mind:—If I return to Cairo the folk will

clap me in jail for their goods. So I fared with the pilgrims-caravan

of Damascus to Aleppo and thence I went on to Baghdad, where I sought

out the Shaykh of the Water-carriers of the city and finding his

house I went in and repeated the opening chapter of the Koran to him.

He questioned me of my case and I told him all that had betided me,

whereupon he assigned me a shop and gave me a water-skin and gear. So

I sallied forth a-morn trusting in Allah to provide, and went round

about the city.” I offered the gugglet to one, that he might drink; but

he cried, “I have eaten naught whereon to drink; for a niggard invited

me this day and set two gugglets before me; so I said to him:—O son

of the sordid, hast thou given me aught to eat that thou offerest me

drink after it? Wherefore wend thy ways, O water-carrier, till I have

eaten somewhat: then come and give me to drink.” Thereupon I accosted

another and he said:—Allah provide thee! And so I went on till noon,

without taking hansel, and I said to myself, ‘Would Heaven I had never

come to Baghdad!’ Presently, I saw the folk running as fast as they

could; so I followed them and behold, a long file of men riding two

and two and clad in steel, with double neck-rings and felt bonnets and

burnouses and swords and bucklers. I asked one of the folk whose suite

this was, and he answered, ‘That of Captain Ahmad al-Danaf.’ Quoth I,

‘And what is he?’ and quoth the other, ‘He is town-captain of Baghdad

and her Divan, and to him is committed the care of the suburbs. He

getteth a thousand dinars a month from the Caliph and Hasan Shuman

hath the like. Moreover, each of his men draweth an hundred dinars a

month; and they are now returning to their barrack from the Divan.’

And lo! Calamity Ahmad saw me and cried out, ‘Come give me drink.’ So

I filled the cup and gave it him, and he shook it and emptied it out,

like unto thee; and thus he did a second time. Then I filled the cup

a third time and he took a draught as thou diddest; after which he

asked me, ‘O water-carrier, whence comest thou?’ And I answered, ‘From

Cairo,’ and he, ‘Allah keep Cairo and her citizens! What may bring thee

thither?’ So I told him my story and gave him to understand that I was

a debtor fleeing from debt and distress. He cried, ‘Thou art welcome

to Baghdad’; then he gave me five dinars and said to his men, ‘For the

love of Allah be generous to him.’ So each of them gave me a dinar

and Ahmad said to me, ‘O Shaykh, what while thou abidest in Baghdad

thou shalt have of us the like every time thou givest us to drink.’

Accordingly, I paid them frequent visits and good ceased not to come to

me from the folk till, one day, reckoning up the profit I had made of

them, I found it a thousand dinars and said to myself, The best thing

thou canst do is to return to Egypt. So I went to Ahmad’s house and

kissed his hand, and he said, What seekest thou? Quoth I, I have a

mind to depart; and I repeated these two couplets:—

Sojourn of stranger, in whatever land, * Is like the castle based

upon the wind:

The breaths of breezes level all he raised. * And so on

homeward-way’s the stranger’s mind.

I added, The caravan is about to start for Cairo and I wish to return

to my people. So he gave me a she-mule and an hundred dinars and said

to me, I desire to send somewhat by thee, O Shaykh! Dost thou know

the people of Cairo? Yes, answered I;——And Shahrazad perceived the

dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Seven Hundred and Tenth Night,

She pursued, It bath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Ahmad

al-Danaf had given the water-carrier a she-mule and an hundred dinars

and said to him, “I desire to send a trust by thee. Dost thou know the

people of Cairo?” “I answered (quoth the water-carrier), Yes; and he

said, Take this letter and carry it to Ali Zaybak of Cairo and say to

him, Thy Captain saluteth thee and he is now with the Caliph. So I

took the letter and journeyed back to Cairo, where I paid my debts and

plied my water-carrying trade; but I have not delivered the letter,

because I know not the abode of Mercury Ali.” Quoth Ali, “O elder, be

of good cheer and keep thine eyes cool and clear: I am that Ali, the

first of the lads of Captain Ahmad: here with the letter!” So he gave

him the missive and he opened it and read these two couplets:—

“O adornment of beauties to thee write I * On a paper that

flies as the winds go by:

Could I fly, I had flown to their arms in desire, * But a bird

with cut wings; how shall ever he fly?”

“But after salutation from Captain Ahmad al-Danaf to the eldest of

his sons, Mercury Ali of Cairo. Thou knowest that I tormented Salah

al-Din the Cairene and befooled him till I buried him alive and reduced

his lads to obey me, and amongst them Ali Kitf al-Jamal; and I am now

become town-captain of Baghdad in the Divan of the Caliph who hath made

me over-seer of the suburbs. An thou be still mindful of our covenant,

come to me; haply thou shalt play some trick in Baghdad which may

promote thee to the Caliph’s service, so he may appoint thee stipends

and allowances and assign thee a lodging, which is what thou wouldst

see and so peace be on thee.” When Ali read this letter, he kissed it

and laying it on his head, gave the water-carrier ten dinars; after

which he returned to his barracks and told his comrades and said to

them, “I commend you one to other.” Then he changed all his clothes

and, donning a travelling cloak and a tarboosh, took a case, containing

a spear of bamboo-cane, four-and-twenty cubits long, made in several

pieces, to fit into one another. Quoth his lieutenant, “Wilt thou go

a journey when the treasury is empty?”; and quoth Ali, “When I reach

Damascus I will send you what shall suffice you.” Then he set out and

fared on, till he overtook a caravan about to start, whereof were the

Shah-bandar, or Provost of the Merchants, and forty other traders. They

had all loaded their beasts, except the Provost, whose loads lay upon

the ground, and Ali heard his caravan-leader, who was a Syrian, say

to the muleteers, “Bear a hand, one of you!” But they reviled him and

abused him. Quoth Ali in himself, “None will suit me so well to travel

withal as this leader.” Now Ali was beardless and well-favoured; so

he went up to and saluted the leader who welcomed him and said, “What

seekest thou?” Replied Ali, “O my uncle, I see thee alone with forty

mule-loads of goods; but why hast thou not brought hands to help thee?”

Rejoined the other, “O my son, I hired two lads and clothed them and

put in each one’s pocket two hundred dinars; and they helped me till

we came to the Dervishes’ Convent,[FN#218] when they ran away.” Quoth

Ali, “Whither are you bound?” and quoth the Syrian, “to Aleppo,” when

Ali said, “I will lend thee a hand.” Accordingly they loaded the beasts

and the Provost mounted his she-mule and they set out he rejoicing in

Ali; and presently he loved him and made much of him and on this wise

they fared on till nightfall, when they dismounted and ate and drank.

Then came the time of sleep and Ali lay down on his side and made as if

he slept; whereupon the Syrian stretched himself near him and Ali rose

from his stead and sat down at the door of the merchant’s pavilion.

Presently the Syrian turned over and would have taken Ali in his arms,

but found him not and said to himself, “Haply he hath promised another

and he hath taken him; but I have the first right and another night I

will keep him.” Now Ali continued sitting at the door of the tent till

nigh upon daybreak, when he returned and lay down near the Syrian, who

found him by his side, when he awoke, and said to himself, “If I ask

him where he hath been, he will leave me and go away.” So he dissembled

with him and they went on till they came to a forest, in which was a

cave, where dwelt a rending lion. Now whenever a caravan passed, they

would draw lots among themselves and him on whom the lot fell they

would throw to the beast. So they drew lots and the lot fell not save

upon the Provost of the Merchants. And lo! the lion cut off their way

awaiting his prey, wherefore the Provost was sore distressed and said

to the leader, “Allah disappoint the fortunes[FN#219] of the far one

and bring his journey to naught! I charge thee, after my death, give

my loads to my children.” Quoth Ali the Clever One, “What meaneth all

this?” So they told him the case and he said, “Why do ye run from the

tom-cat of the desert? I warrant you I will kill him.” So the Syrian

went to the Provost and told him of this and he said, “If he slay him,

I will give him a thousand dinars,” and said the other merchants, “We

will reward him likewise one and all.” With this Ali put off his mantle

and there appeared upon him a suit of steel; then he took a chopper

of steel[FN#220] and opening it turned the screw; after which he went

forth alone and standing in the road before the lion, cried out to

him. The lion ran at him, but Ali of Cairo smote him between the eyes

with his chopper and cut him in sunder, whilst the caravan-leader and

the merchants looked on. Then said he to the leader, “Have no fear, O

nuncle!” and the Syrian answered, saying, “O my son, I am thy servant

for all future time.” Then the Provost embraced him and kissed him

between the eyes and gave him the thousand dinars, and each of the

other merchants gave him twenty dinars. He deposited all the coin with

the Provost and they slept that night till the morning, when they

set out again, intending for Baghdad, and fared on till they came to

the Lion’s Clump and the Wady of Dogs, where lay a villain Badawi, a

brigand and his tribe, who sallied forth on them. The folk fled from

the highwaymen, and the Provost said, “My monies are lost!”; when, lo!

up came Ali in a buff coat hung with bells, and bringing out his long

lance, fitted the pieces together. Then he seized one of the Arab’s

horses and mounting it cried out to the Badawi Chief, saying, “Come out

to fight me with spears!” Moreover he shook his bells and the Arab’s

mare took fright at the noise and Ali struck the Chief’s spear and

broke it. Then he smote him on the neck and cut off his head.[FN#221]

When the Badawin saw their chief fall, they ran at Ali, but he cried

out, saying, “Allaho Akbar—God is Most Great!”—and, falling on them

broke them and put them to flight. Then he raised the Chief’s head

on his spear-point and returned to the merchants, who rewarded him

liberally and continued their journey, till they reached Baghdad.

Thereupon Ali took his money from the Provost and committed it to the

Syrian caravan-leader, saying, “When thou returnest to Cairo, ask for

my barracks and give these monies to my deputy.” Then he slept that

night and on the morrow he entered the city and threading the streets

enquired for Calamity Ahmad’s quarters; but none would direct him

thereto.[FN#222] So he walked on, till he came to the square Al-Nafz,

where he saw children at play, and amongst them a lad called Ahmad

al-Lakít,[FN#223] and said to himself, “O my Ali, thou shalt not get

news of them but from their little ones.” Then he turned and seeing a

sweetmeat seller bought Halwá of him and called to the children; but

Ahmad al-Lakit drove the rest away and coming up to him, said, “What

seekest thou?” Quoth Ali, “I had a son and he died and I saw him in

a dream asking for sweetmeats: wherefore I have bought them and wish

to give each child a bit.” So saying, he gave Ahmad a slice, and he

looked at it and seeing a dinar sticking to it, said “Begone! I am no

catamite: seek another than I.” Quoth Ali, “O my son, none but a sharp

fellow taketh the hire, even as he is a sharp one who giveth it. I have

sought all day for Ahmad al-Danaf’s barrack, but none would direct me

thereto; so this dinar is thine an thou wilt guide me thither.” Quoth

the lad, “I will run before thee and do thou keep up with me, till I

come to the place, when I will catch up a pebble with my foot[FN#224]

and kick it against the door; and so shalt thou know it.” Accordingly

he ran on and Ali after him, till they came to the place, when the boy

caught up a pebble between his toes and kicked it against the door so

as to make the place known.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day

and ceased saying her permitted say.

When it was the Seven Hundred and Eleventh Night,

She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Ahmad the

Abortion had made known the place, Ali laid hold of him and would have

taken the dinar from him, but could not; so he said to him, “Go: thou

deservest largesse for thou art a sharp fellow, whole of wit and stout

of heart. Inshallah, if I become a captain to the Caliph, I will make

thee one of my lads.” Then the boy made off and Ali Zaybak went up to

the door and knocked; whereupon quoth Ahmad al-Danaf, “O doorkeeper,

open the door; that is the knock of Quicksilver Ali the Cairene.” So

he opened the door and Ali entered and saluted with the salam Ahmad

who embraced him, and the Forty greeted him. Then Calamity Ahmad gave

him a suit of clothes, saying, “When the Caliph made me captain, he

clothed my lads and I kept this suit[FN#225] for thee.” Then they

seated him in the place of honour and setting on meat they ate well

and drink they drank hard and made merry till the morning, when Ahmad

said to Ali, “Beware thou walk not about the streets of Baghdad, but

sit thee still in this barrack.” Asked Ali, “Why so? Have I come hither

to be shut up? No, I came to look about me and divert myself.”

Replied Ahmad, “O my son, think not that Baghdad be like Cairo.

Baghdad is the seat of the Caliphate; sharpers abound therein and

rogueries spring therefrom as worts spring out of earth.” So Ali abode

in the barrack three days when Ahmad said to him, “I wish to present

thee to the Caliph, that he may assign thee an allowance.” But he

replied, “When the time cometh.” So he let him go his own way. One

day, as Ali sat in the barrack, his breast became straitened and his

soul troubled and he said in himself, “Come, let us up and thread the

ways of Baghdad and broaden my bosom.” So he went out and walked from

street to street, till he came to the middle bazar, where he entered a

cook-shop and dined;[FN#226] after which he went out to wash his

hands. Presently he saw forty slaves, with felt bonnets and steel

cutlasses, come walking, two by two; and last of all came Dalilah the

Wily, mounted on a she-mule, with a gilded helmet which bore a ball of

polished steel, and clad in a coat of mail, and such like. Now she was

returning from the Divan to the Khan of which she was portress; and

when she espied Ali, she looked at him fixedly and saw that he

resembled Calamity Ahmad in height and breadth. Moreover, he was clad

in a striped Abá-cloak and a burnous, with a steel cutlass by his side

and similar gear, while valour shone from his eyes, testifying in

favour of him and not in disfavour of him. So she returned to the Khan

and going in to her daughter, fetched a table of sand, and struck a

geomantic figure, whereby she discovered that the stranger’s name was

Ali of Cairo and that his fortune overcame her fortune and that of her

daughter. Asked Zaynab, “O my mother, what hath befallen thee that

thou hast recourse to the sand-table?” Answered Dalilah, “O my

daughter, I have seen this day a young man who resembleth Calamity

Ahmad, and I fear lest he come to hear how thou didst strip Ahmad and

his men and enter the Khan and play us a trick, in revenge for what we

did with his chief and the forty; for methinks he has taken up his

lodging in Al-Danaf’s barrack.” Zaynab rejoined, “What is this?

Methinks thou hast taken his measure.” Then she donned her fine

clothes and went out into the streets. When the people saw her, they

all made love to her and she promised and sware and listened and

coquetted and passed from market to market, till she saw Ali the

Cairene coming, when she went up to him and rubbed her shoulder

against him. Then she turned and said “Allah give long life to folk of

discrimination!” Quoth he, “How goodly is thy form! To whom dost thou

belong?”; and quoth she, “To the gallant[FN#227] like thee;” and he

said, “Art thou wife or spinster?” “Married,” said she. Asked Ali,

“Shall it be in my lodging or thine?”[FN#228] and she answered, “I am a

merchant’s daughter and a merchant’s wife and in all my life I have

never been out of doors till to-day, and my only reason was that when

I made ready food and thought to eat, I had no mind thereto without

company. When I saw thee, love of thee entered my heart: so wilt thou

deign solace my soul and eat a mouthful with me?” Quoth he, “Whoso is

invited, let him accept.” Thereupon she went on and he followed her

from street to street, but presently he bethought himself and said,

“What wilt thou do and thou a stranger? Verily ’tis said, ‘Whoso doth

whoredom in his strangerhood, Allah will send him back disappointed.’

But I will put her off from thee with fair words.” So he said to her,

“Take this dinar and appoint me a day other than this;” and she said,

“By the Mighty Name, it may not be but thou shalt go home with me as

my guest this very day and I will take thee to fast friend.” So he

followed her till she came to a house with a lofty porch and a wooden

bolt on the door and said to him, “Open this lock.”[FN#229] Asked he

“Where is the key?”; and she answered, “’Tis lost.” Quoth he, “Whoso

openeth a lock without a key is a knave whom it behoveth the ruler to

punish, and I know not how to open doors without keys?”[FN#230] With

this she raised her veil and showed him her face, whereat he took one

glance of eyes that cost him a thousand sighs. Then she let fall her

veil on the lock and repeating over it the names of the mother of

Moses, opened it without a key and entered. He followed her and saw

swords and steel-weapons hanging up; and she put off her veil and sat

down with him. Quoth he to himself, “Accomplish what Allah hath

decreed to thee,” and bent over her, to take a kiss of her cheek; but

she caught the kiss upon her palm, saying, “This beseemeth not but by

night.” Then she brought a tray of food and wine, and they ate and

drank; after which she rose and drawing water from the well, poured it

from the ewer over his hands, whilst he washed them. Now whilst they

were on this wise, she cried out and beat upon her breast, saying, “My

husband had a signet-ring of ruby, which was pledged to him for five

hundred dinars, and I put it on; but ’twas too large for me, so I

straitened it with wax, and when I let down the bucket,[FN#231] that

ring must have dropped into the well. So turn thy face to the door,

the while I doff my dress and go down into the well and fetch it.”

Quoth Ali, “’Twere shame on me that thou shouldst go down there I

being present; none shall do it save I.” So he put off his clothes and

tied the rope about himself and she let him down into the well. Now

there was much water therein and she said to him, “The rope is too

short; loose thyself and drop down.” So he did himself loose from the

rope and dropped into the water, in which he sank fathoms deep without

touching bottom; whilst she donned her mantilla and taking his

clothes, returned to her mother— And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of

day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When is was the Seven Hundred and Twelfth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Ali of Cairo

was in the well, Zaynab donned her mantilla and, taking his clothes,

returned to her mother and said, “I have stripped Ali the Egyptian and

cast him into the Emir Hasan’s well, whence alas for his chance of

escaping!”[FN#232] Presently, the Emir Hasan, the master of the house,

who had been absent at the Divan, came home and, finding the door open,

said to his Syce, “Why didst thou not draw the bolt?” “O my lord,”

replied the groom, “indeed I locked it with my own hand.” The Emir

cried, “As my head liveth, some robber hath entered my house!” Then he

went in and searched, but found none and said to the groom, “Fill the

ewer, that I may make the Wuzu-ablution.” So the man lowered the

bucket into the well but, when he drew it up, he found it heavy and

looking down, saw something therein sitting; whereupon he let it fall

into the water and cried out, saying, “O my lord, an Ifrit came up to

me out of the well!” Replied the Emir, “Go and fetch four doctors of

the law, that they may read the Koran over him, till he go away.” So

he fetched the doctors and the Emir said to them, “Sit round this well

and exorcise me this Ifrit.” They did as he bade them; after which the

groom and another servant lowered the bucket again and Ali clung to it

and hid himself under it patiently till he came near the top, when he

sprang out and landed among the doctors, who fell a-cuffing one

another and crying out, “Ifrit! Ifrit!” The Emir looked at Ali and

seeing him a young man, said to him, “Art thou a thief?” “No,” replied

Ali; “Then what dost thou in the well?” asked the Emir; and Ali

answered, “I was asleep and dreamt a wet dream;[FN#233] so I went down

to the Tigris to wash myself and dived, whereupon the current carried

me under the earth and I came up in this well.” Quoth the other, “Tell

the truth.”[FN#234] So Ali told him all that had befallen him, and the

Emir gave him an old gown and let him go. He returned to Calamity

Ahmad’s lodging and related to him all that had passed. Quoth Ahmad,

“Did I not warn thee that Baghdad is full of women who play tricks upon

men?” And quoth Ali Kitf al-Jamal, “I conjure thee by the Mighty

Name, tell me how it is that thou art the chief of the lads of Cairo

and yet hast been stripped by a girl?” This was grievous to Ali and he

repented him of not having followed Ahmad’s advice. Then the Calamity

gave him another suit of clothes and Hasan Shuman said to him, “Dost

thou know the young person?” “No,” replied Ali; and Hasan rejoined,

“’Twas Zaynab, the daughter of Dalilah the Wily, the portress of the

Caliph’s Khan; and hast thou fallen into her toils, O Ali?” Quoth he,

“Yes,” and quoth Hasan, “O Ali, ’twas she who took thy Chief’s clothes

and those of all his men.” “This is a disgrace to you all!” “And what

thinkest thou to do?” “I purpose to marry her.” “Put away that thought

far from thee, and console thy heart of her.” “O Hasan, do thou

counsel me how I shall do to marry her.” “With all my heart: if thou

wilt drink from my hand and march under my banner, I will bring thee

to thy will of her.” “I will well.” So Hasan made Ali put off his

clothes; and, taking a cauldron heated therein somewhat as it were

pitch, wherewith he anointed him and he became like unto a blackamoor

slave. Moreover, he smeared his lips and cheeks and pencilled his eyes

with red Kohl.[FN#235] Then he clad him in a slave’s habit and giving

him a tray of kabobs and wine, said to him, “There is a black cook in

the Khan who requires from the bazar only meat; and thou art now

become his like; so go thou to him civilly and accost him in friendly

fashion and speak to him in the blacks’ lingo, and salute him, saying,

’Tis long since we met in the beer-ken. He will answer thee, I have

been too busy: on my hands be forty slaves, for whom I cook dinner and

supper, besides making ready a tray for Dalilah and the like for her

daughter Zaynab and the dogs’ food. And do thou say to him, Come,

let us eat kabobs and lush swipes.[FN#236] Then go with him into the

saloon and make him drunken and question him of his service, how many

dishes and what dishes he hath to cook, and ask him of the dogs’ food

and the keys of the kitchen and the larder; and he will tell thee; for

a man, when he is drunken, telleth all he would conceal were he sober.

When thou hast done this drug him and don his clothes and sticking the

two knives in thy girdle, take the vegetable-basket and go to the

market and buy meat and greens, with which do thou return to the Khan

and enter the kitchen and the larder and cook the food. Dish it up and

put Bhang in it, so as to drug the dogs and the slaves and Dalilah and

Zaynab and lastly serve up. When all are asleep, hie thee to the upper

chamber and bring away every suit of clothes thou wilt find hanging

there. And if thou have a mind to marry Zaynab, bring with thee also

the forty carrier-pigeons.” So Ali went to the Khan and going in to

the cook, saluted him and said, “’Tis long since I have met thee in

the beer-ken.” The slave replied, “I have been busy cooking for the

slaves and the dogs.” Then he took him and making him drunken,

questioned him of his work. Quoth the kitchener, “Every day I cook

five dishes for dinner and the like for supper; and yesterday they

sought of me a sixth dish,[FN#237] yellow rice,[FN#238] and a seventh,

a mess of cooked pomegranate seed.” Ali asked, “And what is the order

of thy service?” and the slave answered, “First I serve up Zaynab’s

tray, next Dalilah’s; then I feed the slaves and give the dogs their

sufficiency of meat, and the least that satisfies them is a pound

each.” But, as fate would have it, he forgot to ask him of the keys.

Then he drugged him and donned his clothes; after which he took the

basket and went to the market. There he bought meat and greens.——And

Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted

say.

When it was the Seven Hundred and Thirteenth Night,

She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Ali of

Cairo, after drugging the cook-slave with Bhang, took the two knives

which he stuck in his belt and, carrying the vegetable-basket, went to

the market where he bought meat and greens; and, presently returning

to the Khan, he saw Dalilah seated at the gate, watching those who

went in and came out, and the forty slaves with her, armed. So he

heartened his heart and entered; but Dalilah knew him and said to him,

“Back, O captain of thieves! Wilt thou play a trick on me in the

Khan?” Thereupon he (dressed as a slave) turned and said to her, “What

sayest thou, O portress?” She asked, “What hast thou done with the

slave, our cook?; say me if thou hast killed or drugged him?” He

answered, “What cook? Is there here another slave-cook than I?” She

rejoined, “Thou liest, thou art Mercury Ali the Cairene.” And he said

to her, in slaves’ patois, “O portress, are the Cairenes black or

white? I will slave for you no longer.” Then said the slaves to him,

“What is the matter with thee, O our cousin?” Cried Dalilah, “This is

none of your uncle’s children, but Ali Zaybak the Egyptian; and

meseems he hath either drugged your cousin or killed him.” But they

said, “Indeed this is our cousin Sa’adu’llah the cook;” and she, “Not

so, ’tis Mercury Ali, and he hath dyed his skin.” Quoth the sharper,

“And who is Ali? I am Sa’adu’llah.” Then she fetched unguent of proof,

with which she anointed Ali’s forearm and rubbed it; but the black did

not come off; whereupon quoth the slaves “Let him go and dress us our

dinner.” Quoth Dalilah, “If he be indeed your cousin, he knoweth what

you sought of him yesternight[FN#239] and how many dishes he cooketh

every day.” So they asked him of this and he said, “Every day I cook

you five dishes for the morning and the like for the evening meal,

lentils and rice and broth and stew[FN#240] and sherbet of roses; and

yesternight ye sought of me a sixth dish and a seventh, to wit yellow

rice and cooked pomegranate seed.” And the slaves said “Right!” Then

quoth Dalilah, “In with him and if he know the kitchen and the larder,

he is indeed your cousin; but, if not, kill him.” Now the cook had a

cat which he had brought up, and whenever he entered the kitchen it

would stand at the door and spring to his back, as soon as he went in.

So, when Ali entered, the cat saw him and jumped on his shoulders;

but he threw it off and it ran before him to the door of the kitchen

and stopped there. He guessed that this was the kitchen door; so he

took the keys and seeing one with traces of feathers thereon, knew it

for the kitchen key and therewith opened the door. Then he entered and

setting down the greens, went out again, led by the cat, which ran

before him and stopped at another door. He guessed that this was the

larder and seeing one of the keys marked with grease, knew it for the

key and opened the door therewith; whereupon quoth the slaves, “O

Dalilah, were he a stranger, he had not known the kitchen and the

larder, nor had he been able to distinguish the keys thereof from the

rest; verily, he is our cousin Sa’adu’llah.” Quoth she, “He learned

the places from the cat and distinguished the keys one from the other

by the appearance: but this cleverness imposeth not upon me.” Then he

returned to the kitchen where he cooked the dinner and, carrying

Zaynab’s tray up to her room, saw all the stolen clothes hanging up;

after which he went down and took Dalilah her tray and gave the slaves

and the dogs their rations. The like he did at sundown and drugged

Dalilah’s food and that of Zaynab and the slaves. Now the doors of the

Khan were opened and shut with the sun. So Ali went forth and cried

out, saying, “O dwellers in the Khan, the watch is set and we have

loosed the dogs; whoso stirreth out after this can blame none save

himself.” But he had delayed the dogs’ supper and put poison therein;

consequently when he set it before them, they ate of it and died while

the slaves and Dalilah and Zaynab still slept under Bhang. Then he

went up and took all the clothes and the carrier-pigeons and, opening

the gate made off to the barrack of the Forty, where he found Hasan

Shuman the Pestilence who said to him, “How hast thou fared?” Thereupon

he told him what had passed and he praised him. Then he caused him to

put off his clothes and boiled a decoction of herbs wherewith he

washed him, and his skin became white as it was; after which he donned

his own dress and going back to the Khan, clad the cook in the habit

he had taken from him and made him smell to the counter-drug; upon

which the slave awoke and going forth to the greengrocer’s, bought

vegetables and returned to the Khan. Such was the case with Al-Zaybak

of Cairo; but as regards Dalilah the Wily, when the day broke, one of

the lodgers in the Khan came out of his chamber and, seeing the gate

open and the slaves drugged and the dogs dead, he went in to her and

found her lying drugged, with a scroll on her neck and at her head a

sponge steeped in the counter-drug. He set the sponge to her nostrils

and she awoke and asked, “Where am I?” The merchant answered, “When I

came down from my chamber I saw the gate of the Khan open and the dogs

dead and found the slaves and thee drugged.” So she took up the paper

and read therein these words, “None did this deed save Ali the

Egyptian.” Then she awoke the slaves and Zaynab by making them smell

the counter-Bhang and said to them, “Did I not tell you that this was

Ali of Cairo?”; presently adding to the slaves, “But do ye conceal the

matter.” Then she said to her daughter, “How often have I warned thee

that Ali would not forego his revenge? He hath done this deed in

requital of that which thou diddest with him and he had it in his

power to do with thee other than this thing; but he refrained

therefrom out of courtesy and a desire that there should be love and

friendship between us.” So saying, she doffed her man’s gear and donned

woman’s attire[FN#241] and, tying the kerchief of peace about her

neck, repaired to Ahmad al-Danaf’s barrack. Now when Ali entered with

the clothes and the carrier-pigeons, Hasan Shuman gave the hall-keeper

the price of forty pigeons and he bought them and cooked them amongst

the men. Presently there came a knock at the door and Ahmad said,

“That is Dalilah’s knock: rise and open to her, O hall-keeper.” So he

admitted her and——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to

say her permitted say.

When it was the Seven Hundred and Fourteenth Night,

She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Dalilah

was admitted, Hasan asked her, “What bringeth thee hither, O ill-omened

old woman? Verily, thou and thy brother Zurayk the fishmonger are of a

piece!”; and she answered, “O captain I am in the wrong and this my

neck is at thy mercy; but tell me which of you it was that played me

this trick?” Quoth Calamity Ahmad, “’Twas the first of my lads.”

Rejoined Dalilah, “For the sake of Allah intercede with him to give me

back the carrier-pigeons and what not, and thou wilt lay me under

great obligation.” When Hasan heard this he said, “Allah requite thee,

O Ali! Why didst thou cook the pigeons?”; and Ali answered, “I knew

not that they were carrier-pigeons.” Then said Ahmad, “O hall-keeper

bring us the cooked pigeons.” So he brought them and Dalilah took a

piece and tasting it, said, “This is none of the carrier-pigeons’

flesh, for I fed them on grains of musk and their meat is become even

as musk.” Quoth Shuman, “An thou desire to have the carrier-pigeons,

comply with Ali’s will.” Asked she “What is that?” And Hasan answered,

“He would have thee marry him to thy daughter Zaynab.” She said, “I

have not command over her except of affection”; and Hasan said to Ali

the Cairene “Give her the pigeons.” So he gave them to her, and she

took them and rejoiced in them. Then quoth Hasan to her, “There is no

help but thou return us a sufficient reply”; and Dalilah rejoined, “If

it be indeed his wish to marry her, it availed nothing to play this

clever trick upon us: it behoveth him rather to demand her in marriage

of her mother’s brother and her guardian, Captain Zurayk, him who

crieth out, saying, ‘Ho! a pound of fish for two farthings!’ and who

hangeth up in his shop a purse containing two thousand dinars.” When

the Forty heard this, they all rose and cried out, saying, “What

manner of blather is this, O harlot? Dost thou wish to bereave us of

our brother Ali of Cairo?” Then she returned to the Khan and said to

her daughter, “Ali the Egyptian seeketh thee in marriage.” Whereat

Zaynab rejoiced, for she loved him because of his chaste forbearance

towards her,[FN#242] and asked her mother what had passed. So she told

her, adding, “I made it a condition that he should demand thy hand of

thine uncle, so I might make him fall into destruction.” Meanwhile Ali

turned to his fellows and asked them, “What manner of man is this

Zurayk?”; and they answered, “He was chief of the sharpers of Al-Irak

land and could all but pierce mountains and lay hold upon the stars.

He would steal the Kohl from the eye and, in brief, he had not his

match for roguery; but he hath repented his sins and foresworn his old

way of life and opened him a fishmonger’s shop. And now he hath

amassed two thousand dinars by the sale of fish and laid them in a

purse with strings of silk, to which he hath tied bells and rings and

rattles of brass, hung on a peg within the doorway. Every time he

openeth his shop he suspendeth the said purse and crieth out, saying,

‘Where are ye, O sharpers of Egypt, O prigs of Al-Irak, O tricksters

of Ajam-land? Behold, Zurayk the fishmonger hath hung up a purse in

front of his shop, and whoso pretendeth to craft and cunning, and can

take it by sleight, it is his.’ So the long fingered and greedy-minded

come and try to take the purse, but cannot; for, whilst he frieth his

fish and tendeth the fire, he layeth at his feet scone-like circles of

lead; and whenever a thief thinketh to take him unawares and maketh a

snatch at the purse he casteth at him a load of lead and slayeth him or

doeth him a damage. So O Ali, wert thou to tackle him, thou wouldst be

as one who jostleth a funeral cortège, unknowing who is dead;[FN#243]

for thou art no match for him, and we fear his mischief for thee.

Indeed, thou hast no call to marry Zaynab, and he who leaveth a thing

alone liveth without it.” Cried Ali, “This were shame, O comrades;

needs must I take the purse: but bring me a young lady’s habit.” So

they brought him women’s clothes and he clad himself therein and

stained his hands with Henna, and modestly hung down his veil. Then he

took a lamb and killing it, cut out the long intestine[FN#244] which

he cleaned and tied up below; moreover he filled it with the blood and

bound it between his thighs; after which he donned petticoat-trousers

and walking boots. He also made himself a pair of false breasts with

birds’ crops and filled them with thickened milk and tied round his

hips and over his belly a piece of linen, which he stuffed with cotton,

girding himself over all with a kerchief of silk well starched. Then

he went out, whilst all who saw him exclaimed, “What a fine pair of

hind cheeks!” Presently he saw an ass-driver coming, so he gave him a

dinar and mounting, rode till he came to Zurayk’s shop, where he saw

the purse hung up and the gold glittering through it. Now Zurayk was

frying fish, and Ali said, “O ass-man, what is that smell?” Replied

he, “It’s the smell of Zurayk’s fish.” Quoth Ali, “I am a woman with

child and the smell harmeth me; go, fetch me a slice of the fish.” So

the donkey-boy said to Zurayk, “What aileth thee to fry fish so early

and annoy pregnant women with the smell? I have here the wife of the

Emir Hasan Sharr al-Tarik, and she is with child; so give her a bit of

fish, for the babe stirreth in her womb. O Protector, O my God, avert

from us the mischief of this day!” Thereupon Zurayk took a piece of

fish and would have fried it, but the fire had gone out and he went in

to rekindle it. Meanwhile Ali dismounted and sitting down, pressed

upon the lamb’s intestine till it burst and the blood ran out from

between his legs. Then he cried aloud, saying, “O my back! O my side!”

Whereupon the driver turned and seeing the blood running, said, “What

aileth thee, O my lady?” Replied Ali, “I have miscarried”; whereupon

Zurayk looked out and seeing the blood fled affrighted into the inner

shop. Quoth the donkey-driver, “Allah torment thee, O Zurayk! The lady

hath miscarried and thou art no match for her husband. Why must thou

make a stench so early in the morning? I said to thee, ‘Bring her a

slice,’ but thou wouldst not.” Thereupon, he took his ass and went his

way and, as Zurayk still did not appear, Ali put out his hand to the

purse; but no sooner had he touched it than the bells and rattles and

rings began to jingle and the gold to chink. Quoth Zurayk, who

returned at the sound, “Thy perfidy hath come to light, O gallows-bird!

Wilt thou put a cheat on me and thou in a woman’s habit? Now take what

cometh to thee!” And he threw a cake of lead at him, but it went agley

and lighted on another; whereupon the people rose against Zurayk and

said to him, “Art thou a tradesman or a swashbuckler? An thou be a

tradesman, take down thy purse and spare the folk thy mischief.” He

replied, “Bismillah, in the name of Allah! On my head be it.” As for

Ali, he made off to the barrack and told Hasan Shuman what had

happened, after which he put off his woman’s gear and donning a

groom’s habit which was brought to him by his chief took a dish and

five dirhams. Then he returned to Zurayk’s shop and the fishmonger

said to him, “What dost thou want, O my master?”[FN#245] He showed him

the dirhams and Zurayk would have given him of the fish in the tray,

but he said, “I will have none save hot fish.” So he set fish in the

earthen pan and finding the fire dead, went in to relight it;

whereupon Ali put out his hand to the purse and caught hold of the end

of it. The rattles and rings and bells jingled and Zurayk said, “Thy

trick hath not deceived me. I knew thee for all thou art disguised as

a groom by the grip of thy hand on the dish and the dirhams.”— And

Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted

say.

When it was the Seven Hundred and Fifteenth Night,

She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Ali of

Egypt put out his hand to the purse, the bells and rings jingled and

Zurayk said, “Thy trick hath not deceived me for all thou comest

disguised as a groom I knew thee by the grip of thy hand on the dish

and the dirhams!” So saying, he threw the lead at him, but he avoided

it and it fell into the pan full of hot fish and broke it and

overturned it, fat and all, upon the breast and shoulders of the Kazi,

who was passing. The oil ran down inside his clothes to his privy

parts and he cried out, “O my privities! What a sad pickle you are in!

Alas, unhappy I! Who hath played me this trick?” Answered the people,

“O our lord, it was some small boy that threw a stone into the pan:

but for Allah’s word, it had been worse.” Then they turned and seeing

the loaf of lead and that it was Zurayk who had thrown it, rose

against him and said to him, “O Zurayk, this is not allowed of Allah!

Take down the purse or it shall go ill for thee.” Answered he, “I will

take it down, Inshallah!” Meanwhile Ali returned to the barrack and

told his comrades who cried, “Where is the purse?”, all that had

passed and they said, “Thou hast exhausted two-thirds of his

cunning.” Then he changed his groom’s dress for the garb of a merchant

and going out, met a snake-charmer, with a bag of serpents and a

wallet containing his kit to whom said he, “O charmer, come and amuse

my lads, and thou shalt have largesse.” So he accompanied him to the

barrack, where he fed him and drugging him with Bhang, doffed his

clothes and put them on. Then he took the bags and repairing to

Zurayk’s shop began to play the reed-pipe. Quoth Zurayk, “Allah provide

thee!” But Ali pulled out the serpents and cast them down before him;

whereat the fishseller, who was afraid of snakes, fled from them into

the inner shop. Thereupon Ali picked up the reptiles and, thrusting

them back into the bag, stretched out his hand and caught hold of the

end of the purse. The rings again rang and the bells and rattles

jangled, and Zurayk cried, “Wilt thou never cease to play me tricks?

Now thou feignest thyself a serpent-charmer!” So saying, he took up a

piece of lead, and hurled it at Ali; but it missed him and fell on the

head of a groom, who was passing by, following his master, a trooper,

and knocked him down. Quoth the soldier, “Who felled him?”; and the

folk said, “’Twas a stone fell from the roof.” So the soldier passed

on and the people, seeing the piece of lead, went up to Zurayk and

cried to him, “Take down the purse!”; and he said, “Inshallah, I will

take it down this very night!” Ali ceased not to practice upon Zurayk

till he had made seven different attempts but without taking the

purse. Then he returned the snake-charmer his clothes and kit and gave

him due benevolence; after which he went back to Zurayk’s shop and

heard him say, “If I leave the purse here to-night, he will dig

through the shop-wall and take it; I will carry it home with me.” So

he arose and shut the shop; then he took down the purse and putting it

in his bosom set out home, till he came near his house, when he saw a

wedding in a neighbour’s lodging and said to himself, “I will hie me

home and give my wife the purse and don my fine clothes and return to

the marriage.” And Ali followed him. Now Zurayk had married a black

girl, one of the freed women of the Wazir Ja’afar and she had borne

him a son, whom he named Abdallah, and he had promised her to spend

the money in the purse on the occasion of the boy’s circumcision and

of his marriage-procession. So he went into his house and, as he

entered, his wife saw that his face was overcast and asked him, “What

hath caused thy sadness?” Quoth he, “Allah hath afflicted me this day

with a rascal who made seven attempts to get the purse, but without

avail;” and quoth she, “Give it to me, that I may lay it up against

the boy’s festival-day.” (Now Ali, who had followed him lay hidden in

a closet whence he could see and hear all.) So he gave her the purse

and changed his clothes, saying, “Keep the purse safely, O Umm

Abdallah, for I am going to the wedding.” But she said, “Take thy

sleep awhile.” So he lay down and fell asleep. Presently, Ali rose and

going on tiptoe to the purse, took it and went to the house of the

wedding and stood there, looking on at the fun. Now meanwhile, Zurayk

dreamt that he saw a bird fly away with the purse and awaking in

affright, said to his wife, “Rise; look for the purse.” So she looked

and finding it gone, buffeted her face and said, “Alas the blackness

of thy fortune, O Umm Abdallah! A sharker hath taken the purse.” Quoth

Zurayk, “By Allah it can be none other than rascal Ali who hath

plagued me all day! He hath followed me home and seized the purse; and

there is no help but that I go and get it back.” Quoth she, “Except

thou bring it, I will lock on thee the door and leave thee to pass the

night in the street.” So he went up to the house of the wedding, and

seeing Ali looking on, said to himself, “This is he who took the

purse; but he lodgeth with Ahmad al-Danaf.” So he forewent him to the

barrack and, climbing up at the back, dropped down into the saloon,

where he found every one asleep. Presently there came a rap at the

door and Zurayk asked, “Who is there!” “Ali of Cairo,” answered the

knocker; and Zurayk said, “Hast thou brought the purse?” So Ali thought

it was Hasan Shuman and replied, “I have brought it;[FN#246] open the

door.” Quoth Zurayk, “Impossible that I open to thee till I see the

purse; for thy chief and I have laid a wager about it.” Said Ali, “Put

out thy hand.” So he put out his hand through the hole in the

side-door and Ali laid the purse in it; whereupon Zurayk took it and

going forth, as he had come in, returned to the wedding. Ali stood for

a long while at the door, but none opened to him; and at last he gave

a thundering knock that awoke all the men and they said, “That is Ali

of Cairo’s peculiar rap.” So the hall-keeper opened to him and Hasan

Shuman said to him, “Hast thou brought the purse?” Replied Ali, “Enough

of jesting, O Shuman: didst thou not swear that thou wouldest not open

to me till I showed thee the purse, and did I not give it thee through

the hole in the side door? And didst thou not say to me, I am sworn

never to open the door till thou show me the purse?” Quoth Hasan, “By

Allah, ’twas not I who took it, but Zurayk!” Quoth Ali, “Needs must I

get it again,” and repaired to the house of the wedding, where he

heard the buffoon[FN#247] say, “Bravo,[FN#248] O Abu Abdallah! Good

luck to thee with thy son!” Said Ali, “My luck is in the ascendant,”

and going to the fishmonger’s lodging, climbed over the back wall of

the house and found his wife asleep. So he drugged her with Bhang and

clad himself in her clothes. Then he took the child in his arms and

went round, searching, till he found a palm-leaf basket containing

buns,[FN#249] which Zurayk of his niggardliness, had kept from the

Greater Feast. Presently, the fishmonger returned and knocked at the

door, whereupon Ali imitated his wife’s voice and asked, “Who is at

the door?” “Abu Abdallah,” answered Zurayk and Ali said, “I swore that

I would not open the door to thee, except thou broughtest back the

purse.” Quoth the fishmonger, “I have brought it.” Cried Ali, “Here

with it into my hand before I open the door;” and Zurayk answered,

saying, “Let down the basket and take it therein.” So Sharper Ali let

down the basket and the other put the purse therein, whereupon Ali

took it and drugged the child. Then he aroused the woman and making

off by the back way as he had entered, returned with the child and the

purse and the basket of cakes to the barrack and showed them all to

the Forty, who praised his dexterity. Thereupon he gave them cakes,

which they ate, and made over the boy to Hasan Shuman, saying, “This

is Zurayk’s child; hide it by thee.” So he hid it and fetching a lamb,

gave it to the hall-keeper who cooked it whole, wrapped in a cloth,

and laid it out shrouded as it were a dead body. Meanwhile Zurayk

stood awhile, waiting at the door, then gave a knock like thunder and

his wife said to him, “Hast thou brought the purse?” He replied, “Didst

thou not take it up in the basket thou diddest let down but now?”; and

she rejoined, “I let no basket down to thee, nor have I set eyes on

the purse.” Quoth he, “By Allah the sharper hath been beforehand with

me and hath taken the purse again!” Then he searched the house and

found the basket of cakes gone and the child missing and cried out,

saying, “Alas, my child!” whereupon the woman beat her breast and

said, “I and thee to the Wazir, for none hath killed my son save this

sharper, and all because of thee.” Cried Zurayk, “I will answer for

him.” So he tied the kerchief of truce about his neck and going to

Ahmad al-Danaf’s lodging, knocked at the door. The hall-keeper

admitted him and as he entered Hasan Shuman asked him, “What bringeth

thee here?” He answered, “Do ye intercede with Ali the Cairene to

restore me my child and I will yield to him the purse of gold.” Quoth

Hasan, “Allah requite thee, O Ali! Why didst thou not tell me it was

his child?” “What hath befallen him?” cried Zurayk, and Hasan replied,

“We gave him raisins to eat, and he choked and died and this is he.”

Quoth Zurayk “Alas, my son! What shall I say to his mother?” Then he

rose and opening the shroud, saw it was a lamb barbecued and said,

“Thou makest sport of me, O Ali!” Then they gave him the child and

Calamity Ahmad said to him, “Thou didst hang up the purse, proclaiming

that it should be the property of any sharper who should be able to

take it, and Ali hath taken it; so ’tis the very property of our

Cairene.” Zurayk answered “I make him a present of it;” but Ali said

to him, “Do thou accept it on account of thy niece Zaynab.” And Zurayk

replied, “I accept it.” Then quoth the Forty, “We demand of thee

Zaynab in marriage for Ali of Cairo;” but quoth he, “I have no control

over her save of kindness.” Hasan asked, “Dost thou grant our suit?”;

and he answered, “Yes, I will grant her in marriage to him who can

avail to her mahr or marriage-settlement.” “And what is her dowry?”

enquired Hasan; and Zurayk replied, “She hath sworn that none shall

mount her breast save the man who bringeth her the robe of Kamar,

daughter of Azariah the Jew and the rest of her gear.”——And Shahrazad

perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Seven Hundred and Sixteenth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Zurayk

replied to Shuman, “She hath sworn that none shall ride astraddle upon

her breast save the man who bringeth her the clothes of Kamar, daughter

of Azariah the Jew and her crown and girdle and pantoufle[FN#250] of

gold,” Ali cried, “If I do not bring her the clothes this very night,

I renounce my claim to her.” Rejoined Zurayk, “O Ali, thou art a dead

man if thou play any of thy pranks on Kamar.” “Why so?” asked Ali and

the other answered, “Her father, Jew Azariah, is a skilful, wily,

perfidious magician who hath the Jinn at his service. He owneth

without the city a castle, whose walls are one brick of gold and one

of silver and which is visible to the folk only whilst he is therein:

when he goeth forth, it disappeareth. He brought his daughter this

dress I speak of from an enchanted treasure, and every day he layeth

it in a charger of gold and, opening the windows of the palace, crieth

out, ‘Where are the sharpers of Cairo, the prigs of Al-Irak, the

master-thieves of Ajam-land? Whoso prevaileth to take this dress, ’tis

his.’ So all the long-fingered ones essayed the adventure, but failed

to take it, and he turned them by his magic into apes and asses.” But

Ali said, “I will assuredly take it, and Zaynab shall be displayed

therein.”[FN#251] So he went to the shop of the Jew and found him a

man of stern and forbidding aspect, seated with scales and

stone-weights and gold and silver and nests of drawers and so forth

before him, and a she-mule tethered hard by. Presently he rose and

shutting his shop, laid the gold and silver in two purses, which he

placed in a pair of saddle-bags and set on the she-mule’s back. Then

he mounted and rode till he reached the city-outskirts followed,

without his knowledge, by Ali, when he took out some dust from a

pocket-purse and, muttering over it, sprinkled it upon the air. No

sooner had he done this than sharper Ali saw a castle which had not

its like, and the Jew mounted the steps upon his beast which was a

subject Jinni; after which he dismounted and taking the saddle-bags

off her back, dismissed the she-mule and she vanished. Then he entered

the castle and sat down. Presently, he arose and opening the lattices,

took a wand of gold, which he set up in the open window and, hanging

thereto a golden charger by chains of the same metal, laid in it the

dress, whilst Ali watched him from behind the door, and presently he

cried out, saying, “Where are the sharpers of Cairo? Where are the

prigs of Al-Irak, the master-thieves of the Ajam-land? Whoso can take

this dress by his sleight, ’tis his!” Then he pronounced certain

magical words and a tray of food spread itself before him. He ate and

conjured a second time, whereupon the tray disappeared; and yet a

third time, when a table of wine was placed between his hands and he

drank. Quoth Ali, “I know not how I am to take the dress except if he

be drunken.” Then he stole up behind the Jew whinger in grip; but the

other turned and conjured, saying to his hand, “Hold with the sword;”

whereupon Ali’s right arm was held and abode half-way in the air

hending the hanger. He put out his left hand to the weapon, but it

also stood fixed in the air, and so with his right foot, leaving him

standing on one foot. Then the Jew dispelled the charm from him and Ali

became as before. Presently Azariah struck a table of sand and found

that the thief’s name was Mercury Ali of Cairo; so he turned to him

and said, “Come nearer! Who art thou and what dost thou here?” He

replied, “I am Ali of Cairo, of the band of Ahmad al-Danaf. I sought

the hand of Zaynab, daughter of Dalilah the Wily, and she demanded thy

daughter’s dress to her dowry; so do thou give it to me and become a

Moslem, an thou wouldst save thy life.” Rejoined the Jew, “After thy

death! Many have gone about to steal the dress, but failed to take it

from me; wherefore an thou deign be advised, thou wilt begone and save

thyself; for they only seek the dress of thee, that thou mayst fall

into destruction; and indeed, had I not seen by geomancy that thy

fortune overrideth my fortunes I had smitten thy neck.” Ali rejoiced

to hear that his luck overcame that of the Jew and said to him, “There

is no help for it but I must have the dress and thou must become a

True Believer.” Asked the Jew, “Is this thy will and last word,” and

Ali answered, “Yes.” So the Jew took a cup and filling it with water,

conjured over it and said to Ali, “Come forth from this shape of a man

into the form of an ass.” Then he sprinkled him with the water and

straightway he became a donkey, with hoofs and long ears, and fell to

braying after the manner of asinines. The Jew drew round him a circle

which became a wall over against him, and drank on till the morning,

when he said to Ali, “I will ride thee to-day and give the she-mule a

rest.” So he locked up the dress, the charger, the rod and the charms

in a cupboard[FN#252] and conjured over Ali, who followed him. Then he

set the saddle-bags on his back and mounting, fared forth of the

Castle, whereupon it disappeared from sight and he rode into Baghdad,

till he came to his shop, where he alighted and emptied the bags of

gold and silver into the trays before him. As for Ali, he was tied up

by the shop-door, where he stood in his asinine form hearing and

understanding all that passed, without being able to speak. And

behold, up came a young merchant with whom fortune had played the

tyrant and who could find no easier way of earning his livelihood than

water-carrying. So he brought his wife’s bracelets to the Jew and said

to him, “Give me the price of these bracelets, that I may buy me an

ass.” Asked the Jew, “What wilt thou do with him?”; and the other

answered, “O master, I mean to fetch water from the river on his back,

and earn my living thereby.” Quoth the Jew, “Take this ass of mine.”

So he sold him the bracelets and received the ass-shaped Ali of Cairo

in part payment and carried him home. Quoth Ali to himself, “If the

Ass-man clap the pannel on thee and load thee with water-skins and go

with thee half a score journeys a day he will ruin thy health and thou

wilt die.” So, when the water-carrier’s wife came to bring him his

fodder, he butted her with his head and she fell on her back;

whereupon he sprang on her and smiting her brow with his mouth, put

out and displayed that which his begetter left him. She cried aloud

and the neighbours came to her assistance and beat him and raised him

off her breast. When her husband the intended water-carrier came home,

she said to him, “Now either divorce me or return the ass to his

owner.” He asked, “What hath happened?”; and she answered, “This is a

devil in the guise of a donkey. He sprang upon me, and had not the

neighbours beaten him off my bosom he had done with me a foul thing.”

So he carried the ass back to the Jew, who said to him, “Wherefore hast

thou brought him back?” and he replied, “He did a foul thing with my

wife.” So the Jew gave him his money again and he went away; and

Azariah said to Ali, “Hast thou recourse to knavery, unlucky wretch

that thou art, in order that”——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day

and ceased saying her permitted say.

When it was the Seven Hundred and Seventeenth Night,

She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the

water-carrier brought back the ass, its Jew owner returned to him the

monies and turning to Ali of Cairo said, “Hast thou recourse to

knavery, unlucky wretch that thou art, in order that he may return

thee to me? But since it pleaseth thee to be an ass, I will make thee

a spectacle and a laughing stock to great and small.” Then he mounted

him and rode till he came without the city, when he brought out the

ashes in powder and conjuring over it sprinkled it upon the air and

immediately the Castle appeared. He entered and taking the saddle-bags

off the ass’s back set up the rod and hung to it the charger wherein

were the clothes proclaiming aloud, “Where be the clever ones of all

quarters who may avail to take this dress?” Then he conjured as before

and meat was set before him and he ate and then wine when he drank;

after which he took a cup of water and muttering certain words

thereover, sprinkled it on the ass Ali, saying, “Quit this form and

return to thy former shape.” Ali straightway became a man once more

and Azariah said to him, “O Ali, take good advice and be content with

my mischief. Thou hast no call to marry Zaynab nor to take my

daughter’s dress, for ’tis no easy matter for thee: so leave greed and

’twill be better for thee; else will I turn thee into a bear or an ape

or set on thee an Ifrit, who will cast thee behind the Mountain Kaf.”

He replied, “I have engaged to take the dress and needs must I have it

and thou must Islamize or I will slay thee.” Rejoined the Jew, “O Ali,

thou art like a walnut; unless it be broken it cannot be eaten.” Then

he took a cup of water and conjuring over it, sprinkled Ali with

somewhat thereof, saying, “Take thou shape of bear;” whereupon he

instantly became a bear and the Jew put a collar about his neck,

muzzled him and chained him to a picket of iron. Then he sat down and

ate and drank, now and then throwing him a morsel of his orts and

emptying the dregs of the cup over him, till the morning, when he rose

and laid by the tray and the dress and conjured over the bear, which

followed him to the shop. There the Jew sat down and emptied the gold

and silver into the trays before Ali, after binding him by the chain;

and the bear there abode seeing and comprehending but not able to

speak. Presently up came a man and a merchant, who accosted the Jew and

said to him, “O Master, wilt thou sell me yonder bear? I have a wife

who is my cousin and is sick; and they have prescribed for her to eat

bears’ flesh and anoint herself with bears’ grease.” At this the Jew

rejoiced and said to himself, “I will sell him to this merchant, so he

may slaughter him and we be at peace from him.” And Ali also said in

his mind, “By Allah, this fellow meaneth to slaughter me; but

deliverance is with the Almighty.” Then said the Jew, “He is a present

from me to thee.” So the merchant took him and carried him to the

butcher, to whom he said, “Bring thy tools and company me.” The

butcher took his knives and followed the merchant to his house, where

he bound the beast and fell to sharpening his blade: but, when he went

up to him to slaughter him, the bear escaped from his hands and rising

into the air, disappeared from sight between heaven and earth; nor did

he cease flying till he alighted at the Jew’s castle. Now the reason

thereof was on this wise. When the Jew returned home, his daughter

questioned him of Ali and he told her what had happened; whereupon she

said, “Summon a Jinni and ask him of the youth, whether he be indeed

Mercury Ali or another who seeketh to put a cheat on thee.” So Azariah

called a Jinni by conjurations and questioned him of Ali; and he

replied, “’Tis Ali of Cairo himself. The butcher hath pinioned him and

whetted his knife to slaughter him.” Quoth the Jew, “Go, snatch him up

and bring him hither, ere the butcher cut his throat.” So the Jinni

flew off and, snatching Ali out of the butcher’s hands, bore him to the

palace and set him down before the Jew, who took a cup of water and

conjuring over it, sprinkled him therewith, saying, “Return to thine

own shape.” And he straightway became a man again as before. The Jew’s

daughter Kamar,[FN#253] seeing him to be a handsome young man, fell in

love with him and he fell in love with her; and she said to him, “O

unlucky one, why dost thou go about to take my dress, enforcing my

father to deal thus with thee?” Quoth he, “I have engaged to get it

for Zaynab the Coney-catcher, that I may wed her therewith.” And she

said, “Others than thou have played pranks with my father to get my

dress, but could not win to it,” presently adding, “So put away this

thought from thee.” But he answered, “Needs must I have it, and thy

father must become a Moslem, else I will slay him.” Then said the Jew,

“See, O my daughter, how this unlucky fellow seeketh his own

destruction,” adding, “Now I will turn thee into a dog.” So he took a

cup graven with characters and full of water and conjuring over it,

sprinkled some of it upon Ali, saying, “Take thou form of dog.”

Whereupon he straightway became a dog, and the Jew and his daughter

drank together till the morning, when the father laid up the dress and

charger and mounted his mule. Then he conjured over the dog, which

followed him, as he rode towards the town, and all dogs barked at

Ali[FN#254] as he passed, till he came to the shop of a broker, a

seller of second-hand goods, who rose and drove away the dogs, and Ali

lay down before him. The Jew turned and looked for him, but finding

him not, passed onwards. Presently, the broker shut up his shop and

went home, followed by the dog, which, when his daughter saw enter the

house, she veiled her face and said, “O my papa, dost thou bring a

strange man in to me?” He replied, “O my daughter, this is a dog.”

Quoth she, “Not so, ’tis Ali the Cairene, whom the Jew Azariah hath

enchanted;” and she turned to the dog and said to him, “Art not Ali of

Cairo?” And he signed to her with his head, “Yes.” Then her father

asked her, “Why did the Jew enchant him?”; and she answered, “Because

of his daughter Kamar’s dress; but I can release him.” Said the broker,

“An thou canst indeed do him this good office, now is the time,” and

she, “If he will marry me, I will release him.” And he signed to her

with his head, “Yes.” So she took a cup of water, graven with certain

signs and conjuring over it, was about to sprinkle Ali therewith, when

lo and behold! she heard a great cry and the cup fell from her hand.

She turned and found that it was her father’s handmaid, who had cried

out; and she said to her, “O my mistress, is’t thus thou keepest the

covenant between me and thee? None taught thee this art save I, and

thou didst agree with me that thou wouldst do naught without

consulting me and that whoso married thee should marry me also, and

that one night should be mine and one night thine.” And the broker’s

daughter said, “’Tis well.” When the broker heard the maid’s words, he

asked his daughter, “Who taught the maid?”; and she answered, “O my

papa, enquire of herself.” So he put the question and she replied,

“Know, O my lord, that, when I was with Azariah the Jew, I used to spy

upon him and listen to him, when he performed his gramarye; and when

he went forth to his shop in Baghdad, I opened his books and read in

them, till I became skilled in the Cabbala-science. One day, he was

warm with wine and would have me lie with him, but I objected, saying,

‘I may not grant thee this except thou become a Moslem.’ He refused and

I said to him, ‘Now for the Sultan’s market.’[FN#255] So he sold me to

thee and I taught my young mistress, making it a condition with her

that she should do naught without my counsel, and that whoso might wed

her should wed me also, one night for me and one night for her.” Then

she took a cup of water and conjuring over it, sprinkled the dog

therewith; saying, “Return thou to form of man.” And he straightway

was restored to his former shape; whereupon the broker saluted him with

the salam and asked him the reason of his enchantment. So Ali told him

all that had passed——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and

ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Seven Hundred and Eighteenth Night,

She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the broker,

having saluted Ali of Cairo with the salam, asked him the reason of

his enchantment and what had befallen him; and he answered by telling

him all that had passed, when the broker said to him, “Will not my

daughter and the handmaid suffice thee?” but he answered, “Needs must

I have Zaynab also.” Now suddenly there came a rap at the door and the

maid said, “Who is at the door?” The knocker replied, “Kamar, daughter

of Azariah the Jew; say me, is Ali of Cairo with you?” Replied the

broker’s daughter, “O thou daughter of a dog! If he be with us, what

wilt thou with him? Go down, O maid, and open to her.” So the maid

let her in, and when she looked upon Ali and he upon her, he said,

“What bringeth thee hither O dog’s daughter?” Quoth she, “I testify

that there is no god but _the_ God and I testify that Mohammed is the

Apostle of God.” And, having thus Islamised, she asked him, “Do men

in the Faith of Al-Islam give marriage portions to women or do women

dower men?” Quoth he, “Men endow women.” “Then,” said she, “I come

and dower myself for thee, bringing thee, as my marriage-portion, my

dress together with the rod and charger and chains and the head of

my father, the enemy of thee and the foeman of Allah.” And she threw

down the Jew’s head before him. Now the cause of her slaying her sire

was as follows. On the night of his turning Ali into a dog, she saw,

in a dream, a speaker who said to her, “Become a Moslemah.” She did

so; and as soon as she awoke next morning she expounded Al-Islam to

her father who refused to embrace the Faith; so she drugged him with

Bhang and killed him. As for Ali, he took the gear and said to the

broker, “Meet we to-morrow at the Caliph’s Divan, that I may take

thy daughter and the handmaid to wife.” Then he set out rejoicing,

to return to the barrack of the Forty. On his way he met a sweetmeat

seller, who was beating hand upon hand and saying, “There is no Majesty

and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great! Folk’s

labour hath waxed sinful and man is active only in fraud!” Then said

he to Ali, “I conjure thee, by Allah, taste of this confection!” So

Ali took a piece and ate it and fell down senseless, for there was

Bhang therein; whereupon the sweetmeat-seller seized the dress and

the charger and the rest of the gear and thrusting them into the box

where he kept his sweetmeats hoisted it up and made off. Presently

he met a Kazi, who called to him, saying, “Come hither, O sweetmeat

seller!” So he went up to him and setting down his sack laid the tray

of sweetmeats upon it and asked, “What dost thou want?” “Halwá and

dragées,[FN#256]” answered the Kazi and, taking some in his hand,

said, “Both of these are adulterated.” Then he brought out sweetmeats

from his breast-pocket[FN#257] and gave them to the sweetmeat-seller,

saying, “Look at this fashion; how excellent it is! Eat of it and make

the like of it.” So he ate and fell down senseless, for the sweetmeats

were drugged with Bhang, whereupon the Kazi bundled him into the sack

and made off with him, charger and chest and all, to the barrack of the

Forty. Now the Judge in question was Hasan Shuman and the reason of

this was as follows. When Ali had been gone some days in quest of the

dress and they heard no news of him, Calamity Ahmad said to his men,

“O lads, go and seek for your brother Ali of Cairo.” So they sallied

forth in quest of him and among the rest Hasan Shuman the Pestilence,

disguised in a Kazi’s gear. He came upon the sweetmeat-seller and,

knowing him for Ahmad al-Lakit[FN#258] suspected him of having played

some trick upon Ali; so he drugged him and did as we have seen.

Meanwhile, the other Forty fared about the streets and highways making

search in different directions, and amongst them Ali Kitf al-Jamal,

who espying a crowd, made towards the people and found the Cairene Ali

lying drugged and senseless in their midst. So he revived him and he

came to himself and seeing the folk flocking around him asked, “Where

am I?” Answered Ali Camel-shoulder and his comrades, “We found thee

lying here drugged but know not who drugged thee.” Quoth Ali, “’Twas a

certain sweetmeat-seller who drugged me and took the gear from me; but

where is he gone?” Quoth his comrades, “We have seen nothing of him;

but come, rise and go home with us.” So they returned to the barrack,

where they found Ahmad al-Danaf, who greeted Ali and enquired if he had

brought the dress. He replied, “I was coming hither with it and other

matters, including the Jew’s head, when a sweetmeat-seller met me and

drugged me with Bhang and took them from me.” Then he told him the

whole tale ending with, “If I come across that man of goodies again, I

will requite him.” Presently Hasan Shuman came out of a closet and said

to him, “Hast thou gotten the gear, O Ali?” So he told him what had

befallen him and added, “If I know whither the rascal is gone and where

to find the knave, I would pay him out. Knowest thou whither he went?”

Answered Hasan, “I know where he is,” and opening the door of the

closet, showed him the sweetmeat-seller within, drugged and senseless.

Then he aroused him and he opened his eyes and finding himself in

presence of Mercury Ali and Calamity Ahmad and the Forty, started up

and said, “Where am I and who hath laid hands on me?” Replied Shuman,

“’Twas I laid hands on thee;” and Ali cried, “O perfidious wretch, wilt

thou play thy pranks on me?” And he would have slain him: but Hasan

said to him, “Hold thy hand for this fellow is become thy kinsman.”

“How my kinsman?” quoth Ali; and quoth Hasan, “This is Ahmad al-Lakit

son of Zaynab’s sister.” Then said Ali to the prisoner, “Why didst thou

thus, O Lakit?” and he replied, “My grandmother, Dalilah the Wily, bade

me do it; only because Zurayk the fishmonger foregathered with the old

woman and said, ‘Mercury Ali of Cairo is a sharper and a past master

in knavery, and he will certainly slay the Jew and bring hither the

dress.’ So she sent for me and said to me, ‘O Ahmad, dost thou know

Ali of Cairo?’ Answered I, ‘Indeed I do and ’twas I directed him to

Ahmad al-Danaf’s lodging when he first came to Baghdad.’ Quoth she, ‘Go

and set thy nets for him, and if he have brought back the gear, put a

cheat on him and take it from him.’ So I went round about the highways

of the city, till I met a sweetmeat-seller and buying his clothes and

stock-in-trade and gear for ten dinars, did what was done.” Thereupon

quoth Ali, “Go back to thy grandmother and Zurayk, and tell them that

I have brought the gear and the Jew’s head and say to them:—Meet me

to-morrow at the Caliph’s Divan, there to receive Zaynab’s dowry.”

And Calamity Ahmad rejoiced in this and said, “We have not wasted our

pains in rearing thee, O Ali!” Next morning Ali took the dress, the

charger, the rod and the chains of gold, together with the head of

Azariah the Jew mounted on a pike, and went up, accompanied by Ahmad

al-Danaf and the Forty, to the Divan, where they kissed ground before

the Caliph——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying

her permitted say.

When it was the Seven Hundred and Nineteenth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Ali the

Cairene went up to the Caliph’s Divan, accompanied by his uncle Ahmad

al-Danaf and his lads they kissed ground before the Caliph who turned

and seeing a youth of the most valiant aspect, enquired of Calamity

Ahmad concerning him and he replied, “O Commander of the Faithful, this

is Mercury Ali the Egyptian captain of the brave boys of Cairo, and he

is the first of my lads.” And the Caliph loved him for the valour that

shone from between his eyes, testifying for him and not against him.

Then Ali rose; and, casting the Jew’s head down before him, said, “May

thine every enemy be like this one, O Prince of True Believers!”

Quoth Al-Rashid, “Whose head is this?”; and quoth Ali, “’Tis the head

of Azariah the Jew.” “Who slew him?” asked the Caliph. So Ali related

to him all that had passed, from first to last, and the Caliph said,

“I had not thought thou wouldst kill him, for that he was a sorcerer.”

Ali replied, “O Commander of the Faithful, my Lord made me prevail to

his slaughter.” Then the Caliph sent the Chief of Police to the Jew’s

palace, where he found him lying headless; so he laid the body on a

bier,[FN#259] and carried it to Al-Rashid, who commanded to burn it.

Whereat, behold, up came Kamar and kissing the ground before the

Caliph, informed him that she was the daughter of Jew Azariah and that

she had become a Moslemah. Then she renewed her profession of Faith

before the Commander of the Faithful and said to him “Be thou my

intercessor with Sharper Ali that he take me to wife.” She also

appointed him her guardian to consent to her marriage with the

Cairene, to whom he gave the Jew’s palace and all its contents,

saying, “Ask a boon of me.” Quoth Ali, “I beg of thee to let me stand

on thy carpet and eat of thy table;” and quoth the Caliph, “O Ali,

hast thou any lads?” He replied, “I have forty lads; but they are in

Cairo.” Rejoined the Caliph, “Send to Cairo and fetch them hither,”

presently adding, “But, O Ali, hast thou a barrack for them?” “No,”

answered Ali; and Hasan Shuman said, “I make him a present of my

barrack with all that is therein, O Commander of the Faithful.”

However, the Caliph retorted, saying, “Thy lodging is thine own, O

Hasan;” and he bade his treasurer give the court architect ten thousand

dinars, that he might build Ali a hall with four daïses and forty

sleeping-closets for his lads. Then said he, “O Ali, hast thou any

further wish, that we may command its fulfilment?”; and said Ali, “O

King of the age, be thou my intercessor with Dalilah the Wily that she

give me her daughter Zaynab to wife and take the dress and gear of

Azariah’s girl in lieu of dower.” Dalilah accepted the Caliph’s

intercession and accepted the charger and dress and what not, and they

drew up the marriage contracts between Ali and Zaynab and Kamar, the

Jew’s daughter and the broker’s daughter and the handmaid. Moreover,

the Caliph assigned him a solde with a table morning and evening, and

stipends and allowances for fodder; all of the most liberal. Then Ali

the Cairene fell to making ready for the wedding festivities and,

after thirty days, he sent a letter to his comrades in Cairo, wherein

he gave them to know of the favours and honours which the Caliph had

bestowed upon him and said, “I have married four maidens and needs

must ye come to the wedding.” So, after a reasonable time the forty

lads arrived and they held high festival; he homed them in his barrack

and entreated them with the utmost regard and presented them to the

Caliph, who bestowed on them robes of honour and largesse. Then the

tiring-women displayed Zaynab before Ali in the dress of the Jew’s

daughter, and he went in unto her and found her a pearl unthridden and

a filly by all save himself unridden. Then he went in unto the three

other maidens and found them accomplished in beauty and loveliness.

After this it befel that Ali of Cairo was one night on guard by the

Caliph who said to him, “I wish thee O Ali, to tell me all that hath

befallen thee from first to last with Dalilah the Wily and Zaynab the

Coney-catcher and Zurayk the Fishmonger.” So Ali related to him all his

adventures and the Commander of the Faithful bade record them and lay

them up in the royal muniment-rooms. So they wrote down all that had

befallen him and kept it in store with other histories for the people

of Mohammed the Best of Men. And Ali and his wives and comrades abode

in all solace of life, and its joyance, till there came to them the

Destroyer of Delights and Sunderer of Societies; and Allah (be He

extolled and exalted!) is All-knowing![FN#260] And also men relate

the tale of