Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 6.djvu/47

27 him, our brother is yet tenderer over us than she; and if we excuse ourselves to him, he will accept our excuse.’ So they went in to him and he rose to them and saluting them after the friendliest manner, bade them sit and eat. So they ate till they were satisfied, for they were weak with hunger; after which Jouder said to them, ‘O my brothers, take what is left and distribute it to the poor.’ ‘O brother,’ replied they, ‘let us keep it to sup withal.’ But he said, ‘When supper-time comes, ye shall have more than this.’ So they took the rest of the victual and going out, gave of it to every poor man who passed by them, saying, ‘Take and eat,’ till there was nothing left. Then they brought back the dishes and Jouder said to his mother, ‘Put them in the saddle-bags.’

When it was night, he entered the saloon and took forth of the saddle-bags a table of forty dishes; after which he went up [to the upper chamber] and sitting down between his brothers, said to his mother, ‘Bring the supper.’ So she went down to the saloon and finding there the dishes ready, laid the tray and brought up the forty dishes, one after another. Then they ate the evening meal,evening-meal, [sic] and when they had done, Jouder said to his brothers, ‘Take and feed the poor and needy.’ So they took what was left and gave alms thereof, and presently he brought forth to them sweetmeats, whereof they ate, and what was left he bade them give to the neighbours. On the morrow, they broke their fast after the same fashion, and thus they fared ten days, at the end of which time quoth Salim to Selim, ‘How comes it that our brother sets before us a banquet in the morning and another at noon and a third at sundown, besides sweetmeats at night, and all that is left he gives to the poor? Verily, this is the fashion of Sultans. Yet we never see him buy aught, and he hath neither cook nor kitchen, nor doth he light a fire. Whence hath he this great plenty? Hast thou not a mind to enquire the cause