The Adventures of Haroun-al-Rashid, Caliph of Baghdad

The Caliph Haroun-al-Rashid sat in his palace, wondering if there was
anything left in the world that could possibly give him a few hours'
amusement, when Giafar the grand-vizir, his old and tried friend,
suddenly appeared before him. Bowing low, he waited, as was his duty,
till his master spoke, but Haroun-al-Rashid merely turned his head and
looked at him, and sank back into his former weary posture.

Now Giafar had something of importance to say to the Caliph, and had no
intention of being put off by mere silence, so with another low bow in
front of the throne, he began to speak.

"Commander of the Faithful," said he, "I have taken on myself to remind
your Highness that you have undertaken secretly to observe for yourself
the manner in which justice is done and order is kept throughout the
city. This is the day you have set apart to devote to this object, and
perhaps in fulfilling this duty you may find some distraction from the
melancholy to which, as I see to my sorrow, you are a prey."

"You are right," returned the Caliph, "I had forgotten all about it.
Go and change your coat, and I will change mine."

A few moments later they both re-entered the hall, disguised as foreign
merchants, and passed through a secret door, out into the open country.
Here they turned towards the Euphrates, and crossing the river in a
small boat, walked through that part of the town which lay along the
further bank, without seeing anything to call for their interference.
Much pleased with the peace and good order of the city, the Caliph and
his vizir made their way to a bridge, which led straight back to the
palace, and had already crossed it, when they were stopped by an old
and blind man, who begged for alms.

The Caliph gave him a piece of money, and was passing on, but the blind
man seized his hand, and held him fast.

"Charitable person," he said, "whoever you may be grant me yet another
prayer. Strike me, I beg of you, one blow. I have deserved it richly,
and even a more severe penalty."

The Caliph, much surprised at this request, replied gently: "My good
man, that which you ask is impossible. Of what use would my alms be if
I treated you so ill?" And as he spoke he tried to loosen the grasp of
the blind beggar.

"My lord," answered the man, "pardon my boldness and my persistence.
Take back your money, or give me the blow which I crave. I have sworn
a solemn oath that I will receive nothing without receiving
chastisement, and if you knew all, you would feel that the punishment
is not a tenth part of what I deserve."

Moved by these words, and perhaps still more by the fact that he had
other business to attend to, the Caliph yielded, and struck him lightly
on the shoulder. Then he continued his road, followed by the blessing
of the blind man. When they were out of earshot, he said to the vizir,
"There must be something very odd to make that man act so--I should
like to find out what is the reason. Go back to him; tell him who I
am, and order him to come without fail to the palace to-morrow, after
the hour of evening prayer."

So the grand-vizir went back to the bridge; gave the blind beggar first
a piece of money and then a blow, delivered the Caliph's message, and
rejoined his master.

They passed on towards the palace, but walking through a square, they
came upon a crowd watching a young and well-dressed man who was urging
a horse at full speed round the open space, using at the same time his
spurs and whip so unmercifully that the animal was all covered with
foam and blood. The Caliph, astonished at this proceeding, inquired of
a passer-by what it all meant, but no one could tell him anything,
except that every day at the same hour the same thing took place.

Still wondering, he passed on, and for the moment had to content
himself with telling the vizir to command the horseman also to appear
before him at the same time as the blind man.

The next day, after evening prayer, the Caliph entered the hall, and
was followed by the vizir bringing with him the two men of whom we have
spoken, and a third, with whom we have nothing to do. They all bowed
themselves low before the throne and then the Caliph bade them rise,
and ask the blind man his name.

"Baba-Abdalla, your Highness," said he.

"Baba-Abdalla," returned the Caliph, "your way of asking alms yesterday
seemed to me so strange, that I almost commanded you then and there to
cease from causing such a public scandal. But I have sent for you to
inquire what was your motive in making such a curious vow. When I know
the reason I shall be able to judge whether you can be permitted to
continue to practise it, for I cannot help thinking that it sets a very
bad example to others. Tell me therefore the whole truth, and conceal
nothing."

These words troubled the heart of Baba-Abdalla, who prostrated himself
at the feet of the Caliph. Then rising, he answered: "Commander of the
Faithful, I crave your pardon humbly, for my persistence in beseeching
your Highness to do an action which appears on the face of it to be
without any meaning. No doubt, in the eyes of men, it has none; but I
look on it as a slight expiation for a fearful sin of which I have been
guilty, and if your Highness will deign to listen to my tale, you will
see that no punishment could atone for the crime."
----
The Story of the Blind Baba-Abdalla

READ MORE - The Adventures of Haroun-al-Rashid, Caliph of Baghdad

The Story of the Blind Baba-Abdalla

I was born, Commander of the Faithful, in Baghdad, and was left an
orphan while I was yet a very young man, for my parents died within a
few days of each other. I had inherited from them a small fortune,
which I worked hard night and day to increase, till at last I found
myself the owner of eighty camels. These I hired out to travelling
merchants, whom I frequently accompanied on their various journeys, and
always returned with large profits.

One day I was coming back from Basra, whither I had taken a supply of
goods, intended for India, and halted at noon in a lonely place, which
promised rich pasture for my camels. I was resting in the shade under
a tree, when a dervish, going on foot towards Basra, sat down by my
side, and I inquired whence he had come and to what place he was going.
We soon made friends, and after we had asked each other the usual
questions, we produced the food we had with us, and satisfied our
hunger.

While we were eating, the dervish happened to mention that in a spot
only a little way off from where we were sitting, there was hidden a
treasure so great that if my eighty camels were loaded till they could
carry no more, the hiding place would seem as full as if it had never
been touched.

At this news I became almost beside myself with joy and greed, and I
flung my arms round the neck of the dervish, exclaiming: "Good
dervish, I see plainly that the riches of this world are nothing to
you, therefore of what use is the knowledge of this treasure to you?
Alone and on foot, you could carry away a mere handful. But tell me
where it is, and I will load my eighty camels with it, and give you one
of them as a token of my gratitude."

Certainly my offer does not sound very magnificent, but it was great to
me, for at his words a wave of covetousness had swept over my heart,
and I almost felt as if the seventy-nine camels that were left were
nothing in comparison.

The dervish saw quite well what was passing in my mind, but he did not
show what he thought of my proposal.

"My brother," he answered quietly, "you know as well as I do, that you
are behaving unjustly. It was open to me to keep my secret, and to
reserve the treasure for myself. But the fact that I have told you of
its existence shows that I had confidence in you, and that I hoped to
earn your gratitude for ever, by making your fortune as well as mine.
But before I reveal to you the secret of the treasure, you must swear
that, after we have loaded the camels with as much as they can carry,
you will give half to me, and let us go our own ways. I think you will
see that this is fair, for if you present me with forty camels, I on my
side will give you the means of buying a thousand more."

I could not of course deny that what the dervish said was perfectly
reasonable, but, in spite of that, the thought that the dervish would
be as rich as I was unbearable to me. Still there was no use in
discussing the matter, and I had to accept his conditions or bewail to
the end of my life the loss of immense wealth. So I collected my
camels and we set out together under the guidance of the dervish.
After walking some time, we reached what looked like a valley, but with
such a narrow entrance that my camels could only pass one by one. The
little valley, or open space, was shut up by two mountains, whose sides
were formed of straight cliffs, which no human being could climb.

When we were exactly between these mountains the dervish stopped.

"Make your camels lie down in this open space," he said, "so that we
can easily load them; then we will go to the treasure."

I did what I was bid, and rejoined the dervish, whom I found trying to
kindle a fire out of some dry wood. As soon as it was alight, he threw
on it a handful of perfumes, and pronounced a few words that I did not
understand, and immediately a thick column of smoke rose high into the
air. He separated the smoke into two columns, and then I saw a rock,
which stood like a pillar between the two mountains, slowly open, and a
splendid palace appear within.

But, Commander of the Faithful, the love of gold had taken such
possession of my heart, that I could not even stop to examine the
riches, but fell upon the first pile of gold within my reach and began
to heap it into a sack that I had brought with me.

The dervish likewise set to work, but I soon noticed that he confined
himself to collecting precious stones, and I felt I should be wise to
follow his example. At length the camels were loaded with as much as
they could carry, and nothing remained but to seal up the treasure, and
go our ways.

Before, however, this was done, the dervish went up to a great golden
vase, beautifully chased, and took from it a small wooden box, which he
hid in the bosom of his dress, merely saying that it contained a
special kind of ointment. Then he once more kindled the fire, threw on
the perfume, and murmured the unknown spell, and the rock closed, and
stood whole as before.

The next thing was to divide the camels, and to charge them with the
treasure, after which we each took command of our own and marched out
of the valley, till we reached the place in the high road where the
routes diverge, and then we parted, the dervish going towards Basra,
and I to Baghdad. We embraced each other tenderly, and I poured out my
gratitude for the honour he had done me, in singling me out for this
great wealth, and having said a hearty farewell we turned our backs,
and hastened after our camels.

I had hardly come up with mine when the demon of envy filled my soul.
"What does a dervish want with riches like that?" I said to myself.
"He alone has the secret of the treasure, and can always get as much as
he wants," and I halted my camels by the roadside, and ran back after
him.

I was a quick runner, and it did not take me very long to come up with
him. "My brother," I exclaimed, as soon as I could speak, "almost at
the moment of our leave-taking, a reflection occurred to me, which is
perhaps new to you. You are a dervish by profession, and live a very
quiet life, only caring to do good, and careless of the things of this
world. You do not realise the burden that you lay upon yourself, when
you gather into your hands such great wealth, besides the fact that no
one, who is not accustomed to camels from his birth, can ever manage
the stubborn beasts. If you are wise, you will not encumber yourself
with more than thirty, and you will find those trouble enough."

"You are right," replied the dervish, who understood me quite well, but
did not wish to fight the matter. "I confess I had not thought about
it. Choose any ten you like, and drive them before you."

I selected ten of the best camels, and we proceeded along the road, to
rejoin those I had left behind. I had got what I wanted, but I had
found the dervish so easy to deal with, that I rather regretted I had
not asked for ten more. I looked back. He had only gone a few paces,
and I called after him.

"My brother," I said, "I am unwilling to part from you without pointing
out what I think you scarcely grasp, that large experience of
camel-driving is necessary to anybody who intends to keep together a
troop of thirty. In your own interest, I feel sure you would be much
happier if you entrusted ten more of them to me, for with my practice
it is all one to me if I take two or a hundred."

As before, the dervish made no difficulties, and I drove off my ten
camels in triumph, only leaving him with twenty for his share. I had
now sixty, and anyone might have imagined that I should be content.

But, Commander of the Faithful, there is a proverb that says, "the more
one has, the more one wants." So it was with me. I could not rest as
long as one solitary camel remained to the dervish; and returning to
him I redoubled my prayers and embraces, and promises of eternal
gratitude, till the last twenty were in my hands.

"Make a good use of them, my brother," said the holy man. "Remember
riches sometimes have wings if we keep them for ourselves, and the poor
are at our gates expressly that we may help them."

My eyes were so blinded by gold, that I paid no heed to his wise
counsel, and only looked about for something else to grasp. Suddenly I
remembered the little box of ointment that the dervish had hidden, and
which most likely contained a treasure more precious than all the rest.
Giving him one last embrace, I observed accidentally, "What are you
going to do with that little box of ointment? It seems hardly worth
taking with you; you might as well let me have it. And really, a
dervish who has given up the world has no need of ointment!"

Oh, if he had only refused my request! But then, supposing he had, I
should have got possession of it by force, so great was the madness
that had laid hold upon me. However, far from refusing it, the dervish
at once held it out, saying gracefully, "Take it, my friend, and if
there is anything else I can do to make you happy you must let me know."

Directly the box was in my hands I wrenched off the cover. "As you are
so kind," I said, "tell me, I pray you, what are the virtues of this
ointment?"

"They are most curious and interesting," replied the dervish. "If you
apply a little of it to your left eye you will behold in an instant all
the treasures hidden in the bowels of the earth. But beware lest you
touch your right eye with it, or your sight will be destroyed for ever."

His words excited my curiosity to the highest pitch. "Make trial on
me, I implore you," I cried, holding out the box to the dervish. "You
will know how to do it better than I! I am burning with impatience to
test its charms."

The dervish took the box I had extended to him, and, bidding me shut my
left eye, touched it gently with the ointment. When I opened it again
I saw spread out, as it were before me, treasures of every kind and
without number. But as all this time I had been obliged to keep my
right eye closed, which was very fatiguing, I begged the dervish to
apply the ointment to that eye also.

"If you insist upon it I will do it," answered the dervish, "but you
must remember what I told you just now--that if it touches your right
eye you will become blind on the spot."

Unluckily, in spite of my having proved the truth of the dervish's
words in so many instances, I was firmly convinced that he was now
keeping concealed from me some hidden and precious virtue of the
ointment. So I turned a deaf ear to all he said.

"My brother," I replied smiling, "I see you are joking. It is not
natural that the same ointment should have two such exactly opposite
effects."

"It is true all the same," answered the dervish, "and it would be well
for you if you believed my word."

But I would not believe, and, dazzled by the greed of avarice, I
thought that if one eye could show me riches, the other might teach me
how to get possession of them. And I continued to press the dervish to
anoint my right eye, but this he resolutely declined to do.

"After having conferred such benefits on you," said he, "I am loth
indeed to work you such evil. Think what it is to be blind, and do not
force me to do what you will repent as long as you live."

It was of no use. "My brother," I said firmly, "pray say no more, but
do what I ask. You have most generously responded to my wishes up to
this time, do not spoil my recollection of you for a thing of such
little consequence. Let what will happen I take it on my own head, and
will never reproach you."

"Since you are determined upon it," he answered with a sigh, "there is
no use talking," and taking the ointment he laid some on my right eye,
which was tight shut. When I tried to open it heavy clouds of darkness
floated before me. I was as blind as you see me now!

"Miserable dervish!" I shrieked, "so it is true after all! Into what
a bottomless pit has my lust after gold plunged me. Ah, now that my
eyes are closed they are really opened. I know that all my sufferings
are caused by myself alone! But, good brother, you, who are so kind
and charitable, and know the secrets of such vast learning, have you
nothing that will give me back my sight?"

"Unhappy man," replied the dervish, "it is not my fault that this has
befallen you, but it is a just chastisement. The blindness of your
heart has wrought the blindness of your body. Yes, I have secrets;
that you have seen in the short time that we have known each other.
But I have none that will give you back your sight. You have proved
yourself unworthy of the riches that were given you. Now they have
passed into my hands, whence they will flow into the hands of others
less greedy and ungrateful than you."

The dervish said no more and left me, speechless with shame and
confusion, and so wretched that I stood rooted to the spot, while he
collected the eighty camels and proceeded on his way to Basra. It
was in vain that I entreated him not to leave me, but at least to take
me within reach of the first passing caravan. He was deaf to my
prayers and cries, and I should soon have been dead of hunger and
misery if some merchants had not come along the track the following day
and kindly brought me back to Baghdad.

From a rich man I had in one moment become a beggar; and up to this
time I have lived solely on the alms that have been bestowed on me.
But, in order to expiate the sin of avarice, which was my undoing, I
oblige each passer-by to give me a blow.

This, Commander of the Faithful, is my story.
----
When the blind man had ended the Caliph addressed him: "Baba-Abdalla,
truly your sin is great, but you have suffered enough. Henceforth
repent in private, for I will see that enough money is given you day by
day for all your wants."

At these words Baba-Abdalla flung himself at the Caliph's feet, and
prayed that honour and happiness might be his portion for ever.

----
The Story of Sidi-Nouman

READ MORE - The Story of the Blind Baba-Abdalla

The Story of Sidi-Nouman

The Caliph, Haroun-al-Rashid, was much pleased with the tale of the
blind man and the dervish, and when it was finished he turned to the
young man who had ill-treated his horse, and inquired his name also.
The young man replied that he was called Sidi-Nouman.

"Sidi-Nouman," observed the Caliph, "I have seen horses broken all my
life long, and have even broken them myself, but I have never seen any
horse broken in such a barbarous manner as by you yesterday. Every one
who looked on was indignant, and blamed you loudly. As for myself, I
was so angry that I was very nearly disclosing who I was, and putting a
stop to it at once. Still, you have not the air of a cruel man, and I
would gladly believe that you did not act in this way without some
reason. As I am told that it was not the first time, and indeed that
every day you are to be seen flogging and spurring your horse, I wish
to come to the bottom of the matter. But tell me the whole truth, and
conceal nothing."

Sidi-Nouman changed colour as he heard these words, and his manner grew
confused; but he saw plainly that there was no help for it. So he
prostrated himself before the throne of the Caliph and tried to obey,
but the words stuck in his throat, and he remained silent.

The Caliph, accustomed though he was to instant obedience, guessed
something of what was passing in the young man's mind, and sought to
put him at his ease. "Sidi-Nouman," he said, "do not think of me as
the Caliph, but merely as a friend who would like to hear your story.
If there is anything in it that you are afraid may offend me, take
courage, for I pardon you beforehand. Speak then openly and without
fear, as to one who knows and loves you."

Reassured by the kindness of the Caliph, Sidi-Nouman at length began
his tale.

"Commander of the Faithful," said he, "dazzled though I am by the
lustre of your Highness' presence, I will do my best to satisfy your
wishes. I am by no means perfect, but I am not naturally cruel,
neither do I take pleasure in breaking the law. I admit that the
treatment of my horse is calculated to give your Highness a bad opinion
of me, and to set an evil example to others; yet I have not chastised
it without reason, and I have hopes that I shall be judged more worthy
of pity than punishment."

Commander of the Faithful, I will not trouble to describe my birth; it
is not of sufficient distinction to deserve your Highness' attention.
My ancestors were careful people, and I inherited enough money to
enable me to live comfortably, though without show.

Having therefore a modest fortune, the only thing wanting to my
happiness was a wife who could return my affection, but this blessing I
was not destined to get; for on the very day after my marriage, my
bride began to try my patience in every way that was most hard to bear.

Now, seeing that the customs of our land oblige us to marry without
ever beholding the person with whom we are to pass our lives, a man has
of course no right to complain as long as his wife is not absolutely
repulsive, or is not positively deformed. And whatever defects her
body may have, pleasant ways and good behaviour will go far to remedy
them.

The first time I saw my wife unveiled, when she had been brought to my
house with the usual ceremonies, I was enchanted to find that I had not
been deceived in regard to the account that had been given me of her
beauty. I began my married life in high spirits, and the best hopes of
happiness.

The following day a grand dinner was served to us but as my wife did
not appear, I ordered a servant to call her. Still she did not come,
and I waited impatiently for some time. At last she entered the room,
and she took our places at the table, and plates of rice were set
before us.

I ate mine, as was natural, with a spoon, but great was my surprise to
notice that my wife, instead of doing the same, drew from her pocket a
little case, from which she selected a long pin, and by the help of
this pin conveyed her rice grain by grain to her mouth.

"Amina," I exclaimed in astonishment, "is that the way you eat rice at
home? And did you do it because your appetite was so small, or did you
wish to count the grains so that you might never eat more than a
certain number? If it was from economy, and you are anxious to teach
me not to be wasteful, you have no cause for alarm. We shall never
ruin ourselves in that way! Our fortune is large enough for all our
needs, therefore, dear Amina, do not seek to check yourself, but eat as
much as you desire, as I do!"

In reply to my affectionate words, I expected a cheerful answer; yet
Amina said nothing at all, but continued to pick her rice as before,
only at longer and longer intervals. And, instead of trying the other
dishes, all she did was to put every now and then a crumb, of bread
into her mouth, that would not have made a meal for a sparrow.

I felt provoked by her obstinacy, but to excuse her to myself as far as
I could, I suggested that perhaps she had never been used to eat in the
company of men, and that her family might have taught her that she
ought to behave prudently and discreetly in the presence of her
husband. Likewise that she might either have dined already or intend
to do so in her own apartments. So I took no further notice, and when
I had finished left the room, secretly much vexed at her strange
conduct.

The same thing occurred at supper, and all through the next day,
whenever we ate together. It was quite clear that no woman could live
upon two or three bread-crumbs and a few grains of rice, and I
determined to find out how and when she got food. I pretended not to
pay attention to anything she did, in the hope that little by little
she would get accustomed to me, and become more friendly; but I soon
saw that my expectations were quite vain.

One night I was lying with my eyes closed, and to, all appearance sound
asleep, when Amina arose softly, and dressed herself without making the
slightest sound. I could not imagine what she was going to do, and as
my curiosity was great I made up my mind to follow her. When she was
fully dressed, she stole quietly from the room.

The instant she had let the curtain fall behind her, I flung a garment
on my shoulders and a pair of slippers on my feet. Looking from a
lattice which opened into the court, I saw her in the act of passing
through the street door, which she carefully left open.

It was bright moonlight, so I easily managed to keep her in sight, till
she entered a cemetery not far from the house. There I hid myself
under the shadow of the wall, and crouched down cautiously; and hardly
was I concealed, when I saw my wife approaching in company with a
ghoul--one of those demons which, as your Highness is aware, wander
about the country making their lairs in deserted buildings and
springing out upon unwary travellers whose flesh they eat. If no live
being goes their way, they then betake themselves to the cemeteries,
and feed upon the dead bodies.

I was nearly struck dumb with horror on seeing my wife with this
hideous female ghoul. They passed by me without noticing me, began to
dig up a corpse which had been buried that day, and then sat down on
the edge of the grave, to enjoy their frightful repast, talking quietly
and cheerfully all the while, though I was too far off to hear what
they said. When they had finished, they threw back the body into the
grave, and heaped back the earth upon it. I made no effort to disturb
them, and returned quickly to the house, when I took care to leave the
door open, as I had previously found it. Then I got back into bed, and
pretended to sleep soundly.

A short time after Amina entered as quietly as she had gone out. She
undressed and stole into bed, congratulating herself apparently on the
cleverness with which she had managed her expedition.

As may be guessed, after such a scene it was long before I could close
my eyes, and at the first sound which called the faithful to prayer, I
put on my clothes and went to the mosque. But even prayer did not
restore peace to my troubled spirit, and I could not face my wife until
I had made up my mind what future course I should pursue in regard to
her. I therefore spent the morning roaming about from one garden to
another, turning over various plans for compelling my wife to give up
her horrible ways; I thought of using violence to make her submit, but
felt reluctant to be unkind to her. Besides, I had an instinct that
gentle means had the best chance of success; so, a little soothed, I
turned towards home, which I reached about the hour of dinner.

As soon as I appeared, Amina ordered dinner to be served, and we sat
down together. As usual, she persisted in only picking a few grains of
rice, and I resolved to speak to her at once of what lay so heavily on
my heart.

"Amina," I said, as quietly as possible, "you must have guessed the
surprise I felt, when the day after our marriage you declined to eat
anything but a few morsels of rice, and altogether behaved in such a
manner that most husbands would have been deeply wounded. However I
had patience with you, and only tried to tempt your appetite by the
choicest dishes I could invent, but all to no purpose. Still, Amina,
it seems to me that there be some among them as sweet to the taste as
the flesh of a corpse?"

I had no sooner uttered these words than Amina, who instantly
understood that I had followed her to the grave-yard, was seized with a
passion beyond any that I have ever witnessed. Her face became purple,
her eyes looked as if they would start from her head, and she
positively foamed with rage.

I watched her with terror, wondering what would happen next, but little
thinking what would be the end of her fury. She seized a vessel of
water that stood at hand, and plunging her hand in it, murmured some
words I failed to catch. Then, sprinkling it on my face, she cried
madly:

"Wretch, receive the reward of your prying, and become a dog."

The words were not out of her mouth when, without feeling conscious
that any change was passing over me, I suddenly knew that I had ceased
to be a man. In the greatness of the shock and surprise--for I had no
idea that Amina was a magician--I never dreamed of running away, and
stood rooted to the spot, while Amina grasped a stick and began to beat
me. Indeed her blows were so heavy, that I only wonder they did not
kill me at once. However they succeeded in rousing me from my stupor,
and I dashed into the court-yard, followed closely by Amina, who made
frantic dives at me, which I was not quick enough to dodge. At last
she got tired of pursuing me, or else a new trick entered into her
head, which would give me speedy and painful death; she opened the gate
leading into the street, intending to crush me as I passed through.
Dog though I was, I saw through her design, and stung into presence of
mind by the greatness of the danger, I timed my movements so well that
I contrived to rush through, and only the tip of my tail received a
squeeze as she banged the gate.

I was safe, but my tail hurt me horribly, and I yelped and howled so
loud all along the streets, that the other dogs came and attacked me,
which made matters no better. In order to avoid them, I took refuge in
a cookshop, where tongues and sheep's heads were sold.

At first the owner showed me great kindness, and drove away the other
dogs that were still at my heels, while I crept into the darkest
corner. But though I was safe for the moment, I was not destined to
remain long under his protection, for he was one of those who hold all
dogs to be unclean, and that all the washing in the world will hardly
purify you from their contact. So after my enemies had gone to seek
other prey, he tried to lure me from my corner in order to force me
into the street. But I refused to come out of my hole, and spent the
night in sleep, which I sorely needed, after the pain inflicted on me
by Amina.

I have no wish to weary your Highness by dwelling on the sad thoughts
which accompanied my change of shape, but it may interest you to hear
that the next morning my host went out early to do his marketing, and
returned laden with the sheep's heads, and tongues and trotters that
formed his stock in trade for the day. The smell of meat attracted
various hungry dogs in the neighbourhood, and they gathered round the
door begging for some bits. I stole out of my corner, and stood with
them.

In spite of his objection to dogs, as unclean animals, my protector was
a kind-hearted man, and knowing I had eaten nothing since yesterday, he
threw me bigger and better bits than those which fell to the share of
the other dogs. When I had finished, I tried to go back into the shop,
but this he would not allow, and stood so firmly at the entrance with a
stout stick, that I was forced to give it up, and seek some other home.

A few paces further on was a baker's shop, which seemed to have a gay
and merry man for a master. At that moment he was having his
breakfast, and though I gave no signs of hunger, he at once threw me a
piece of bread. Before gobbling it up, as most dogs are in the habit
of doing, I bowed my head and wagged my tail, in token of thanks, and
he understood, and smiled pleasantly. I really did not want the bread
at all, but felt it would be ungracious to refuse, so I ate it slowly,
in order that he might see that I only did it out of politeness. He
understood this also, and seemed quite willing to let me stay in his
shop, so I sat down, with my face to the door, to show that I only
asked his protection. This he gave me, and indeed encouraged me to
come into the house itself, giving me a corner where I might sleep,
without being in anybody's way.

The kindness heaped on me by this excellent man was far greater than I
could ever have expected. He was always affectionate in his manner of
treating me, and I shared his breakfast, dinner and supper, while, on
my side, I gave him all the gratitude and attachment to which he had a
right.

I sat with my eyes fixed on him, and he never left the house without
having me at his heels; and if it ever happened that when he was
preparing to go out I was asleep, and did not notice, he would call
"Rufus, Rufus," for that was the name he gave me.

Some weeks passed in this way, when one day a woman came in to buy
bread. In paying for it, she laid down several pieces of money, one of
which was bad. The baker perceived this, and declined to take it,
demanding another in its place. The woman, for her part, refused to
take it back, declaring it was perfectly good, but the baker would have
nothing to do with it. "It is really such a bad imitation," he
exclaimed at last, "that even my dog would not be taken in. Here
Rufus! Rufus!" and hearing his voice, I jumped on to the counter. The
baker threw down the money before me, and said, "Find out if there is a
bad coin." I looked at each in turn, and then laid my paw on the false
one, glancing at the same time at my master, so as to point it out.

The baker, who had of course been only in joke, was exceedingly
surprised at my cleverness, and the woman, who was at last convinced
that the man spoke the truth, produced another piece of money in its
place. When she had gone, my master was so pleased that he told all
the neighbours what I had done, and made a great deal more of it than
there really was.

The neighbours, very naturally, declined to believe his story, and
tried me several times with all the bad money they could collect
together, but I never failed to stand the test triumphantly.

Soon, the shop was filled from morning till night, with people who on
the pretence of buying bread came to see if I was as clever as I was
reported to be. The baker drove a roaring trade, and admitted that I
was worth my weight in gold to him.

Of course there were plenty who envied him his large custom, and many
was the pitfall set for me, so that he never dared to let me out of his
sight. One day a woman, who had not been in the shop before, came to
ask for bread, like the rest. As usual, I was lying on the counter,
and she threw down six coins before me, one of which was false. I
detected it at once, and put my paw on it, looking as I did so at the
woman. "Yes," she said, nodding her head. "You are quite right, that
is the one." She stood gazing at me attentively for some time, then
paid for the bread, and left the shop, making a sign for me to follow
her secretly.

Now my thoughts were always running on some means of shaking off the
spell laid on me, and noticing the way in which this woman had looked
at me, the idea entered my head that perhaps she might have guessed
what had happened, and in this I was not deceived. However I let her
go on a little way, and merely stood at the door watching her. She
turned, and seeing that I was quite still, she again beckoned to me.

The baker all this while was busy with his oven, and had forgotten all
about me, so I stole out softly, and ran after the woman.

When we came to her house, which was some distance off, she opened the
door and then said to me, "Come in, come in; you will never be sorry
that you followed me." When I had entered she fastened the door, and
took me into a large room, where a beautiful girl was working at a
piece of embroidery. "My daughter," exclaimed my guide, "I have
brought you the famous dog belonging to the baker which can tell good
money from bad. You know that when I first heard of him, I told you I
was sure he must be really a man, changed into a dog by magic. To-day
I went to the baker's, to prove for myself the truth of the story, and
persuaded the dog to follow me here. Now what do you say?"

"You are right, mother," replied the girl, and rising she dipped her
hand into a vessel of water. Then sprinkling it over me she said, "If
you were born dog, remain dog; but if you were born man, by virtue of
this water resume your proper form." In one moment the spell was
broken. The dog's shape vanished as if it had never been, and it was a
man who stood before her.

Overcome with gratitude at my deliverance, I flung myself at her feet,
and kissed the hem of her garment. "How can I thank you for your
goodness towards a stranger, and for what you have done? Henceforth I
am your slave. Deal with me as you will!"

Then, in order to explain how I came to be changed into a dog, I told
her my whole story, and finished with rendering the mother the thanks
due to her for the happiness she had brought me.

"Sidi-Nouman," returned the daughter, "say no more about the obligation
you are under to us. The knowledge that we have been of service to you
is ample payment. Let us speak of Amina, your wife, with whom I was
acquainted before her marriage. I was aware that she was a magician,
and she knew too that I had studied the same art, under the same
mistress. We met often going to the same baths, but we did not like
each other, and never sought to become friends. As to what concerns
you, it is not enough to have broken your spell, she must be punished
for her wickedness. Remain for a moment with my mother, I beg," she
added hastily, "I will return shortly."

Left alone with the mother, I again expressed the gratitude I felt, to
her as well as to her daughter.

"My daughter," she answered, "is, as you see, as accomplished a
magician as Amina herself, but you would be astonished at the amount of
good she does by her knowledge. That is why I have never interfered,
otherwise I should have put a stop to it long ago." As she spoke, her
daughter entered with a small bottle in her hand.

"Sidi-Nouman," she said, "the books I have just consulted tell me that
Amina is not home at present, but she should return at any moment. I
have likewise found out by their means, that she pretends before the
servants great uneasiness as to your absence. She has circulated a
story that, while at dinner with her, you remembered some important
business that had to be done at once, and left the house without
shutting the door. By this means a dog had strayed in, which she was
forced to get rid of by a stick. Go home then without delay, and await
Amina's return in your room. When she comes in, go down to meet her,
and in her surprise, she will try to run away. Then have this bottle
ready, and dash the water it contains over her, saying boldly, "Receive
the reward of your crimes." That is all I have to tell you."

Everything happened exactly as the young magician had foretold. I had
not been in my house many minutes before Amina returned, and as she
approached I stepped in front of her, with the water in my hand. She
gave one loud cry, and turned to the door, but she was too late. I had
already dashed the water in her face and spoken the magic words. Amina
disappeared, and in her place stood the horse you saw me beating
yesterday.

This, Commander of the Faithful, is my story, and may I venture to hope
that, now you have heard the reason of my conduct, your Highness will
not think this wicked woman too harshly treated?
----
"Sidi-Nouman," replied the Caliph, "your story is indeed a strange one,
and there is no excuse to be offered for your wife. But, without
condemning your treatment of her, I wish you to reflect how much she
must suffer from being changed into an animal, and I hope you will let
that punishment be enough. I do not order you to insist upon the young
magician finding the means to restore your wife to her human shape,
because I know that when once women such as she begin to work evil they
never leave off, and I should only bring down on your head a vengeance
far worse than the one you have undergone already."

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