Page:Three crump twin-brothers of Damascus.pdf/14

 14 HISTORY OF THE THREE the Caliph, Watik-billah, for it was he himſelf, that by the example of Haroun · Arr:S:hid, his grandfather, walked out very often in the night- time in the ſtreets of Bagdad, to ſee what paſſed, and to be capable of taking a jadgement himſelf How the people liked his government; this Caliph, I ſay, who was diſguiſed like a merchant; was in the utmoſt ſurpriſe at theſe words of the porter's : he had been out that night with his prime Viziar, and having met a fiſheman he aſked him whither he went ? I am going, anſwered he, to draw tip my nets, which I have left ever ſince yeſterday morning in the Tygris. And what will you do with the fiſh you catch! replied the Caliph. To- morrow, said he, I will go felt it in the market of Bagdad, to help to maintain my wife and three children. Will you bargain with the for your whole draught? replied Watik-bills. With all my heart, anſwered the fiſherman. Well, ſaid the Caliph, there are ten ſequins of gold for it; will that ſatisfy you? the fiſherman was ſo amaz- ed at ſuch a piece of generoſity, that he almoſt imagined he was in a dream: but putting the ſe- quing in his pocket, my lord, replied he tranſport- ed, if I were to have as much for every draught, I ſould ſoon be richer and more powerful than the ſovereign commander of the faithful. The Caliph ſmiled at this compariſon : he went to the more of the Tygris, entered into the fiſher- man's boat, and, with his Viziar, having helped him to draw up his nets, he was very much amaz- ed at finding in the the two little crumps of Damafcus, and a ſack in which was the third. An adventure ſurpriſing, ſtruck him with admiration. Since this draught belongs to me, ſaid he to the fiſhermen, who was as much ſur- priſed as himſelf, I am reſolved to carry it home with