Page:The jade story book; stories from the Orient (IA jadestorybooksto00cous).pdf/40

24 seen him I will pay him a visit." So he hired a ship and went to Egypt, where his friend met him, and received him with great pleasure.

At the house of the Egyptian the merchant of Bagdad met a girl of wondrous beauty, and so smitten was he with her charms that he fell sick and pined away.

"My friend," said the other, "What is the matter with you that you neither eat nor drink?"

"There is a woman of your household upon whom my heart has fixed itself," returned his comrade, "and unless I may marry her, I shall die." Thereupon the Egyptian summoned all the household before him, save only the girl in question, but the man from Bagdad said: "I care little for any of these; she whom I love is not among them." Then this girl was brought before him, and he said that to her alone must he owe his life.

"My friend," said the other, "I brought up this girl with the intention of making her my wife, and through her I shall obtain much wealth. But, so great is my friendship for you that I give her to you with all