Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 7.djvu/357

329 the Lady Cout el Culoub’s orders. As for Khelif, he concluded, of his lack of wit, that the bath was a prison and said to the bathmen, ‘What have I done, that ye should imprison me?’ They laughed at him and made him sit on the edge of the tank, whilst the bathman took hold of his legs, that he might rub them. Khelif thought he meant to wrestle with him and said in himself, ‘This is a wrestling-place and I knew not of it.’ Then he arose and seizing the bathman’s legs, lifted him up and threw him on the ground and broke his ribs. The man cried out for help, whereupon the other bathmen fell upon Khelif and overcoming him by dint of numbers, delivered their comrade from his clutches [and tended him], till he came to himself.

Then they knew that the fisherman was a simpleton and served him, till Aboulhusn came back with a dress of rich stuff and clad him therein; after which he brought him a handsome mule, ready saddled, and taking him by the hand, carried him forth of the bath and bade him mount. Quoth he, ‘How shall I mount? I fear lest she throw me and break my ribs in my body.’ Nor did he mount the mule, save after much pressure and trouble, and they fared on, till they came to the place which Aboulhusn had set apart for the Lady Cout el Culoub.

Khelif entered and found her sitting, with slaves and servants about her and the porter at the door, staff in hand. When the latter saw the fisherman, he sprang up and kissing his hand, went before him, till he brought him within the saloon, where he saw what amazed his wit, and his eyes were dazzled by that which he beheld of riches past count and slaves and servants, who kissed his hand and said, ‘[God grant thee] solace of the bath!’

When he entered the saloon and drew near unto Cout el Culoub, she sprang up to him and taking him by the hand, seated him on a high divan. Then she brought him