Page:Swahili tales.djvu/193

Rh brought a bag in its mouth, and it came where I was, and put it before me, and I took hold of the bag and opened it, and saw that it had gold inside; and I poured out the gold, and counted five hundred pieces, and I laid them out and put them away, and waited until the morning. And when I ate, it came and we used to eat together, and I remained in this state: it going out in the morning and coming back and producing a bag. And many days passed.

"Till one day at night, I was lying down in my chamber, the ape came to me and gave me a salutation, and I answered it. But my heart was troubled, and I was much afraid, because of finding an ape speak. And it said to me, 'Mohammed, be not afraid, as for me, Almighty God has ordered for me to be an ape, but I am not an ape, I am a Jin of the the Marids. Almighty God has ordered for me to be a bringer of good fortune to you, to take you out of poverty, and on your part have no fear. I have a matter I wish to tell you. You used to be one of the poorest, with nothing before and nothing behind. Almighty God made me turn into an ape for your sake, to be the cause of your getting wealth. And now the wealth you have is not completed, for you have no wife. I have got you a wife then, I want to marry you, and if you get this wife you will yourself be at rest, and you will get an increase of wealth.'

"And I asked, 'Who is this wife?' And he said, 'To-morrow in the morning adorn yourself, and put on your best clothes, and let your mule be harnessed with its golden harness, and take with you slave lads of the best from among your slaves, and go to the grass market. Go on as far as the seat of such a one, you will see the Shereef wearing the garments of a devotee. Go up to him and salute him, and explain to him your news of