Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 5.djvu/303

269 he saw it, he smelt it and calling for fire and a frying-pan, fried the white of egg. Then he made the husband and the others taste of it, and they were certified that it was white of egg. So the husband was convinced of his wife’s innocence and the neighbours made peace between them; and so the lover’s wicked trick came to nought. And know, O King, that this is an instance of the malice of men and their perfidy.’

When the King heard this, he bade put his son to death; but the second vizier came forward and kissing the earth before him, said, ‘O King, hasten not to slay thy son, for he was not vouchsafed to his mother but after she had despaired, and we trust that he will live to become a treasure to thy realm and a guardian of thy good. Wherefore, have patience, O King; belike he will speak and excuse himself; and if thou make haste to slay him, thou wilt surely repent, even as the merchant repented.’ Quoth the King, ‘And how was it with the merchant, O vizier?’ ‘O King,’ answered the vizier, ‘I have heard that THE NIGGARD AND THE LOAVES OF BREAD.

There was once a merchant, who was niggardly in his eating and drinking. One day, he went on a journey to a certain town and as he walked in the market streets, he came upon an old woman with two cakes of bread. He asked her if they were for sale, and she said, “Yes.” So he chaffered with her and bought them at a low price and took them home to his lodging, where he ate them that day. On the morrow, he returned to the same place and finding the old woman there with other two cakes, bought these also; and thus he did twenty days’ space, at the end of which time the old woman disappeared. He made