Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 4.djvu/19

 THE BOOK OF THE THOUSAND NIGHTS AND ONE NIGHT.

HOW THE IMAM ABOU YOUSUF EXTRICATED THE KHALIF HAROUN ER RESHID AND HIS VIZIER JAAFER FROM A DILEMMA.

It is said that Jaafer the Barmecide was one night carousing with Er Reshid, when the latter said to him, ‘O Jaafer, I hear that thou hast bought such and such a slave-girl. Now I have long sought her and my heart is taken up with love of her, for she is passing fair; so do thou sell her to me.’ ‘O Commander of the Faithful,’ replied Jaafer, ‘I will not sell her.’ ‘Then give her to me,’ rejoined the Khalif. ‘Nor will I give her,’ answered Jaafer. ‘Be Zubeideh triply divorced,’ exclaimed Haroun, ‘if thou shalt not either sell or give her to me!’ Quoth Jaafer, ‘Be my wife triply divorced, if I either sell or give her to thee!’ After awhile they recovered from their intoxication and were ware that they had fallen into a grave dilemma, but knew not how to extricate themselves. Then said Er Reshid, ‘None can help us in this strait but Abou Yousuf.’ So they sent for him, and this was in the middle of the night. When the messenger reached the Imam, he arose in alarm, saying in himself, ‘I should not be sent for at this hour, save by reason of

VOL IV.