Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 8.djvu/187

175 have no more profit of me.” “Whether is dearer to thee,” asked the ambassador, “this Muslim or thy husband the knight such an one?” And she answered him even as she had answered the Sultan. Then said he to the Franks with him, “Heard ye her words?” They answered, “Yes.” And he said to me, “Take thy wife and depart with her.” So I took her and went away; but the ambassador sent after me in haste and said, “Her mother sent her a charge by me, saying, ‘My daughter is a captive and naked: and I would have thee carry her this chest.’ So take it thou and deliver it to her.”

Accordingly I carried the chest home and gave it to her. She opened it and found in it all her clothes, and therein I saw the two purses of fifty and a hundred dinars, that I had given her, untouched and tied up with my own tying, wherefore I praised God the Most High. These are my children by her and she is yet alive and it was she dressed you this food.’ And we marvelled at his story and at that which had befallen him of good fortune, and God [alone] is [All-]knowing. THE RUINED MAN OF BAGHDAD AND HIS SLAVE-GIRL.

There was once at Baghdad, of old time, a man of condition, who had inherited wealth galore from his father. He fell in love with a slave-girl; so he bought her and she loved him as he loved her; and he ceased not to spend upon her, till all his wealth was gone and nought remained thereof; wherefore he sought a means of getting his livelihood, but availed not thereunto. Now he had been used, in the days of his wealth, to frequent the assemblies of those who were versed in the art of singing and had thus attained to the utmost skill therein.