Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 5.djvu/374

340 give thee nothing.” “How so?” asked the cobbler, and the sheikh, “He has but to say to thee, ‘The sultan’s enemies are put to the rout; his foes are become weak and his children and helpers are multiplied. Art thou content or no?’” “If thou say, ‘I am content,’ he will take his shoe and go away; and if thou say, ‘I am not content,’ he will take his shoe and beat thee therewith over the face and neck.” So the cobbler owned himself beaten.

Then came forward the gamester and said, “O Sheikh, I played at forfeits with a man to-day and beat him and adjudged him to drink up the sea or give up to me all his wealth.” “If he will,” replied the sheikh, “he may baffle thee.” “How so?” asked the sharper, and the sheikh, “He has but to say, ‘Take the mouth of the sea in thine hand and give it me and I will drink it.’ But thou wilt not be able to do this; so he will baffle thee with this subterfuge.” When the merchant heard this, he knew how it behoved him to deal with his adversaries. Then the sharpers went their way and the merchant returned to his lodging.

On the morrow, the gamester came to him and summoned him to redeem his forfeit; so he said to him, “Give me the mouth of the sea and I will drink it up.” Whereupon he confessed himself beaten and redeemed his forfeit by paying a hundred dinars. Then came the cobbler and sought of him what should content him. Quoth the merchant, “Our lord the Sultan hath overcome his foes and put his enemies to nought and his children are multiplied. Art thou content or no?” “I am content,” replied the cobbler audand [sic] giving up the shoe without payment, went away. Next came the one-eyed man and demanded the price of his eye. “Pluck out thine eye,” said the merchant, “and I will pluck out one of mine. Then will we weigh them, and if they are equal in weight, I will acknowledge