Four merchants once owned in common a thousand gold pieces; so
they laid them mingled together in one purse and set out to buy
merchandise therewith. They happened as they wended their way on
a beautiful garden; so they left the purse with a woman who had
care of the garden, saying to here, "Mind thee, thou shalt not
give it back save when all four of us in person demand it of
thee." She agreed to this and they entered and strolled awhile
about the garden-walks and ate and drank and made merry, after
which one of them said to the others, "I have with me scented
fuller's-earth; come, let us wash our heads therewith in this
running water." Quoth another, "We lack a comb;" and a third,
"Let us ask the keeper; belike she hath a comb." Thereupon one of
them arose and accosting the care-taker, said to her, "Give me
the purse." Said she, "Not until ye be all present or thy fellows
bid me give it thee." Then he called to his companions (who could
see him but not hear him) saying, "She will not give it me;" and
they said to her, "Give it him," thinking he meant the comb. So
she gave him the purse and he took it and made off as fast as he
could. When the three others were wary of waiting, they went to
the keeper and asked her, "Why wilt thou not give him the comb?"
Answered she, "He demanded naught of me save the purse, and I
gave not that same but with your consent, and he went his way
with it." When they heard her words they buffeted their faces
and, laying hands upon her, said, "We authorized thee only to
give him the comb;" and she rejoined, "He named not a comb to
me." Then they seized her and haled her before the Kazi, to whom
they related their claim and he condemned her to make good the
the purse and bound over sundry of her debtors to answer for her.
---And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her
permitted say.
When it was the Six Hundred and Sixth Night
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Kazi
condemned the care-taker to make good the purse and bound over
sundry of her debtors to answer for her. So she went forth,
confounded and knowing not her way out of difficulty. Presently
she met a five-year-old boy who, seeing her troubled, said to
her, "What ails thee, O my mother?" But she gave him no answer,
contemning him because of his tender age, and he repeated his
question a second time and a third time till, at last, she told
him all that had passed,
[FN#254] not forgetting the condition
that she was to keep the purse until all four had demanded it of
her. Said the boy, "Give me a dirham to buy sweetmeats withal and
I will tell the how thou mayst acquit thyself." So she gave him a
silver and said to him, "What hast thou to say?" Quoth he,
"Return to the Kazi, and say to him, It was agreed between myself
and them that I should not give them the purse, except all four
of them were present. Let them all four come and I will give them
the purse, as was agreed." So she went back to the Kazi and said
to him as the boy had counselled; and he asked the merchants,
"Was it thus agreed between you and this woman?"; and they
answered, "Yes." Quoth the Kazi, "Then bring me your comrade and
take the purse." So they went in quest of their fellow, whilst
the keeper came off scot-free and went her way without let or
hindrance. And Allah is Omniscient!
[FN#255] When the King and his
Wazir and those present in the assembly heard the Prince's words
they said to his father, "O our lord the King, in very sooth thy
son is the most accomplished man of his time;" and they called
down blessings upon the King and the Prince. Then the King
strained his son to his bosom and kissed him between the eyes and
questioned him of what had passed between the favourite and
himself; and the Prince sware to him, by Almighty Allah and by
His Holy Prophet that it was she who had required him of love
which he refused, adding, "Moreover, she promised me that she
would give thee poison to drink and kill the, so should the
kingship be mine; whereupon I waxed wroth and signed to her, 'O
accursed one, whenas I can speak I will requite thee!' So she
feared me and did what she did." The King believed his words and
sending for the favourite said to those present, "How shall we
put this damsel to death?" Some counselled him to cut out her
tongue and other some to burn it with fire; but, when she came
before the King, she said to him, "My case with thee is like unto
naught save the tale of the fox and the folk." "How so?" asked
he; and she said, "I have heard, O King, tell a
Story of the Fox and the Folk.
