Page:Tales from the Arabic, Vol 1.djvu/26

8 seating himself by his side, fell to filling and giving him to drink and entertaining him with discourse.

His hospitality pleased the Khalif and the goodliness of his fashion, and he said to him, “O youth, who art thou? Make me acquainted with thyself, so I may requite thee thy kindness.” But Aboulhusn smiled and said, “O my lord, far be it that what is past should recur and that I be in company with thee at other than this time!” “Why so?” asked the Khalif. “And why wilt thou not acquaint me with thy case?” And Aboulhusn said, “Know, O my lord, that my story is extraordinary and that there is a cause for this affair.” Quoth the Khalif, “And what is the cause?” And he answered, “The cause hath a tail.” The Khalif laughed at his words and Aboulhusn said, “I will explain to thee this [saying] by the story of the lackpenny and the cook. Know, O my lord, that