There was once a fuller, who used every day to go forth to the bank of the Tigris, to clean clothes; and his son was wont to go with him and swim about in the river, whilst his father was fulling, nor did the latter forbid him from this. One day, as the boy was swimming, he was taken with cramp in the arms and sank, whereupon the fuller plunged into the water and caught hold of him; but the boy clung about him and pulled him down and so father and son were both drowned. Thus is it with thee, O King. Except thou prevent thy son and do me justice on him, I fear lest both of you sink together, thou and he. Moreover," continued she, "for an instance of the malice of men, I have heard tell that

The Lover"s Trick Against the Chaste Wife

A certain man loved a beautiful and graceful woman, married to a man whom she loved and who loved her. Moreover, she was chaste and virtuous, like unto me, and her lover found no way to her; so, when his patience was at an end, he bethought him of a device to get his will. Now the husband had a young man, whom he had brought up in his house and who was in high trust with him. So the lover addressed himself to the youth and insinuated himself into his favour by presents and fair words, till he became more obedient to him than the hand to the mouth and did whatever he bade him. One day, he said to him, "Harkye, such an one; wilt thou not bring me into thy dwelling some time when thy lady is gone out?" "Yes," answered the steward; so, when his master was at the shop and his mistress gone forth to the bath, he took his friend and bringing him into the house, showed him all that was therein.

Now the lover was minded to play a trick upon the lady; so he took white of egg, that he had brought with him in a vessel, and sprinkled it on the merchant"s bed, unseen of the young man, after which he left the house and went his way. Presently, the merchant came home and going to the bed, to rest himself, found thereon something wet. So he took it up in his hand and looked at it and deemed it human sperm; whereat he looked at the young man with angry eyes and said to him, "Where is thy mistress?" "She is gone forth to the bath and will return forthright," replied he. When the man heard this, his suspicion was confirmed and he said, "Go and bring her back at once." The steward accordingly fetched her and when she came before her husband, the latter sprang upon her and beat her grievously, then, binding her hands behind her, offered to kill her; but she cried out to the neighbours, who came to her, and she said to them, "My husband has beaten me without cause and is minded to kill me, though I know not what I have done." So they said to him, "Why hast thou dealt thus by her?" And he answered, saying, "She is divorced." Said they, "Thou hast no right to maltreat her; either divorce her or use her kindly, for we know her chastity. Indeed, she hath been our neighbour this long time and we know no evil of her." Quoth he, "When I came home, I found on my bed human sperm, and I know not the meaning of this." Upon this, one of those present came forward and said, "Show it to me." When he saw it, he smelt it and calling for fire and a frying-pan, fried the white of egg. Then he made the husband and the others taste of it, and they were certified that it was white of egg. So the husband was convinced of his wife"s innocence and the neighbours made peace between them; and so the lover"s wicked trick came to nought. And know, O King, that this is an instance of the malice of men and their perfidy."

When the King heard this, he bade put his son to death; but the second vizier came forward and kissing the earth before him, said, "O King, hasten not to slay thy son, tor he was not vouchsafed to his mother but after she had despaired, and we trust that he will live to become a treasure to thy realm and a guardian of thy good. Wherefore, have patience, O King; belike he will speak and excuse himself; and if thou make haste to slay him, thou wilt surely repent, even as the merchant repented." Quoth the King, "And how was it with the merchant, O vizier?" "O King," answered the vizier, "I have heard that

The Niggard and the Loaves of Bread

There was once a merchant, who was niggardly in his eating and drinking. One day, he went on a journey to a certain town and as lie walked in the market streets, he came upon an old woman with two cakes of bread. He asked her if they were for sale, and she said, "Yes." So he chaffered with her and bought them at a low price and took them home to his lodging, where he ate them that day. On the morrow, he returned to the same place and finding the old woman there with other two cakes, bought these also; and thus he did twenty days" space, at the end of which time the old woman disappeared. He made enquiry for her, but could hear nothing of her, till, one day, as he was walking about the streets, he chanced upon her; so he accosted her and asked why she had ceased to attend the market and bring him the two cakes of bread. At first, she evaded giving him a reply; but he conjured her to tell him; so she said, "Know, O my lord, that I was attending upon a certain man, who had an ulcer on his spine, and his doctor used to knead flour with butter into a plaster and lay it on the place of the pain, where it abode all night. In the morning, I used to take the flour and make it into two cakes, which I sold to thee or another; but presently the man died and I was cut off from making the cakes." When the merchant heard this, he repented, whenas repentance availed nothing, saying, "Verily, we are God"s and to Him we return! There is no power and no virtue but in Him, the Most High, the Supreme!" And he repeated the saying of the Most High, "Whatsoever betideth thee of good, it is from God, and whatsoever betideth thee of ill, it is from thyself," (70) and vomited till he fell sick.

Moreover, O King," continued the second vizier, "I have heard tell, of the malice of women, that

The Lady and Her Two Lovers

There was once a man, who was swordbearer to one of the kings, and he loved a certain woman of the common people. One day, he sent his page to her with a message, as of wont between them, and the latter sat down with her and toyed with her. She inclined to him and pressed him to her bosom, whereupon he sought to lie with her and she consented unto him; but, as they were thus, the sword bearer knocked at the door. So she clapped the young man into an underground chamber there and opened the door to his master, who came in, sword in hand, and sat down on her bed. Then she came to him and sported and toyed with him, kissing him and pressing him to her bosom, and he took her and lay with her.

Presently her husband knocked at the door and he said to her, "Who is that?" "My husband," replied she. Quoth he, "How shall I do?" And she, "Draw thy sword and stand in the vestibule and rail at me and revile me; and when my husband comes in to thee, do thou go forth and go thy ways." He did as she bade him, and when the husband entered, he saw the king"s swordbearer standing with his drawn sword in his hand, reviling and threatening his wife; but, when the other saw him, he was ashamed and sheathing his sword, went forth the house. Quoth the man to his wife, "What means this?" And she answered, saying, "O man, how blessed is the hour of thy coming! Thou hast saved a true believer from death; and it was on this wise. I was on the housetop, spinning, when there came up to me a youth, panting and distracted for fear of death, fleeing from yonder man, who followed hard upon him with his drawn sword. The young man fell down before me, and kissed my hands and feet, saying, "O my lady, save me from him who would kill me without just cause!" So I hid him in the underground chamber there and presently in came yonder man to me with his naked sword in his hand, demanding the youth. But I denied him to him, whereupon he fell to reviling and threatening me as thou sawest. And praised be God who sent thee to me, for I was at my wits" end and had none to deliver me!"

"Well hast thou done, O woman!" answered the husband. "Thy reward is with God and may He abundantly requite thee!" Then he went to the trapdoor and called to the page, saying, "Come forth and fear not; no harm shall befall thee." So he came out, trembling for fear, and the husband condoled with him on what had befallen him, saying, "Be of good cheer: none shall hurt thee;" whilst the page called down blessings on his head. Then they both went forth, nor was either aware of that which the woman had contrived. This, then, O King," said the vizier, "is one of the tricks of women; so beware lest thou put faith in their speech."

The King was persuaded and turned from putting his son to death, but, next day, the favourite came in to him and kissing the earth before him, said, "O King, do me justice on thy son and be not turned from thy purpose by thy Vizier"s prate, for there is no good in wicked viziers, and be not as the king, who relied on the word of a certain wicked vizier of his." "And how was that? asked the King. Quoth she, "It hath been told me, O august and well-advised King, that