Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 8.djvu/348

332 will suffice thee?’ ‘Ten paras’ worth,’ replied the fisherman.

So he gave him ten paras’ worth of bread and ten paras in money, saying, ‘Take these ten paras and cook thyself a mess of meat therewith; so wilt thou owe me twenty paras, for which bring me fish to-morrow; but, if thou catch nothing again, come and take thy bread and thy ten paras, and I will have patience with thee till better luck betide thee, when thou shalt bring me fish for all thou owest me.’ ‘May God the Most High reward thee,’ said the fisherman, ‘and requite thee for me with all good!’ Then he took the bread and the money and went away, glad at heart, and buying what he could [of meat and vegetables], returned to his wife, whom he found sitting up, soothing the children, who were weeping for hunger, and saying to them, ‘Your father will be here anon with what ye may eat.’ So he set the bread before them and they ate, whilst he told his wife what had befallen him, and she said, ‘God is bountiful.’

On the morrow, he shouldered his net and went forth of his house, saying, ‘I beseech thee, O Lord, to vouchsafe me this day what shall whiten my face with the baker!’ When he came to the sea-shore, he proceeded to cast his net and pull it in; but there came up no fish therein; and he toiled thus till ended day and caught nothing. Then he set out homeward, in sore concern, and the way to his house lay past the baker’s shop; so he said in himself, ‘How shall I go home? But I will hasten past that the baker may not see me.’ When he reached the shop, he saw a crowd about it and quickened his pace, being ashamed to face the baker; but the latter raised his eyes to him and cried out to him, saying, ‘Ho, fisherman! Come and take thy bread and spending-money. Meseems thou forgettest.’ ‘By Allah,’ answered Abdallah, ‘I had not forgotten; but I was ashamed to face thee,