Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night - Volume 5.djvu/109



THE KAZI ABU YUSUF WITH HARUN AL-RASHID AND QUEEN ZUBAYDAH

The Caliph Harun al-Rashid went up one noon-tide to his couch, to lie down; and mounting, found upon the bed-clothes semen freshly emitted; whereat he was startled and troubled with sore trouble. So he called the Lady Zubaydah and said to her, What is that spilt on the bed?  She looked at it and replied, O Commander of the Faithful, it is semen.  Quoth he, Tell me truly what this meaneth or I will lay violent hands on thee forthright.  Quoth she, By Allah, O Commander of the Faithful, indeed I know not how it came there and I am guiltless of that whereof you suspectest me.  So he sent for the Kazi Abú Yúsuf and acquainted him of the case. The Judge raised his eyes to the ceiling and, seeing a crack therein, said to the Caliph, O Commander of the Faithful, in very sooth the bat hath seed like that of a man, [FN#121] and this is bats semen.  Then he called for a spear and thrust it into the crevice, whereupon down fell the bat. In this manner the Caliphs suspicions were dispelled, -- And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

When it was the Three hundred and Eighty-ninth Night

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the Kazi Abu Yusuf took the spear and thrust it into the crevice, down fell the bat, and thus the Caliphs suspicions were dispelled and the innocence of Zubaydah was made manifest; whereat she gave loud and liberal vent to her joy and promised Abu Yusuf a magnificent reward. Now there were with her certain delicious fruits, out of their season, and she knew of others in the garden;