A Certain hermit worshipped on a certain mountain, where resorted a pair of pigeons; and the worshipper was wont to make two parts of his daily bread,—

When it was the One Hundred and Forty eighth night

for it is recounted that the pigeon says in praise, "Praised be the Creator of all Creatures, the Distributor of daily bread, the Builder of the heavens and Dispreader of the earths!" And that couple did not stop to dwell together in the happiest of life, they and their brood till the holy man died, when the company of the pigeons was broken up and they dispersed among the towns and villages and mountains. Now it is told that on a certain other mountain there dwelt a shepherd, a man of piety and good sense and chastity; and he had flocks of sheep which he, tended, and he made his living by their milk and wool. The mountain which gave him a home abounded in trees and pasturage and also in wild beasts, but these had no power over his flocks; so he did not stop to dwell upon that highland in full security, taking no thought to the things of the world, by reason of his beatitude and his assiduity in prayer and devotion, till Allah ordained that he should fall sick with exceeding sickness. Thereupon he betook himself to a cavern in the mountain and his sheep used to go out in the morning to the pasturage and take refuge at night in the cave. But Allah Almighty, being minded to try him and prove his patience and his obedience, sent him one of His angels, who came in to him in the semblance of a fair woman and sat down before him.

When the shepherd saw that woman seated before him, his flesh shuddered at her with horripilation and he said to her, "O you woman, what was it invited you to this my retreat? I have no need of you, nor is there anything betwixt me and you which calls for your coming in to me." she said, "O man, do you not behold my beauty and loveliness and the fragrance of my breath; and know you not the need women have of men and men of women? So who shall forbid you from me when I have chosen to be near you and desire to enjoy your company? Indeed, I come to you willingly and do not withhold myself from you, and near us there is none whom we need fear; and I wish to abide with you as long as you sojournest in this mountain, and be your companion and your true friend.

I offer myself to you, for you need the service of woman: and if you have carnal connection with me and know me, your sickness shall be turned from you and health return to you; and you will repent you of the past for having foresworn the company of women during the days that are now no more. In very truth, I give you good advice: so incline to my counsel and approach me." the shepherd said, "Go out from me, O woman deceitful and perfidious! I will not incline to you nor approach you. I want not your company nor wish for union with you; he who covets the coming life renouncs you, you seducest mankind, those of past time and those of present time. Allah the Most High lies in wait for His servants and woe unto him who is cursed with your company!" she answered, "O you that errest from the truth and wanderest from the way of reason, turn your face to me and look upon my charms and take your full of my nearness, as did the wise who have gone before you. Indeed, they were richer than you in experience and sharper of wit; as well they rejected not, as you rejectest, the enjoyment of women; nay, they took their pleasure of them and their company even as you renouncest them, and it did them no hurt in things temporal or things spiritual. Why do you recede from your resolve and you will praise the issue of your case."

Rejoined the shepherd, "All you say I deny and abhor, and all you offerest I reject: for you are cunning and perfidious and there is no honesty in you nor is there honour. How much of foulness hide you under your beauty, and how many a pious man have you seduced from his duty and made his end penitence and perdition? Avaunt from me, O you who devotest yourself to corrupt others!" Thereupon, he threw his goat's hair cloak over his head that he might not see her face, and betook himself to calling upon the name of his Lord. And when the angel saw the excellence of his submission to the Divine Will, he went out from him and ascended to heaven. Now close by the hermit's hill was a village in which dwelt a pious man, who knew not the other's station, till one night he heard in a dream a Voice saying to him, "In such a place near to you is a devout man: go you to him and be at his command!" So when morning dawned he set out to go there, and what time the heat was grievous upon him, he came to a tree which grew beside a spring of running water.

So he sat down to rest in the shadow of that tree and behold, he saw beasts and birds coming to that fount to drink; but when they caught sight of the devotee sitting there, they took fright and fled from before his face. Then he said, "There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah! I rest not here but to the hurt of these beasts and fowls." So he arose, blaming himself and saying, "truly my tarrying here this day has wronged these animals, and what excuse have I towards my Creator and the Creator of these birds and beasts for that I was the cause of their flight from their drink and their daily food and their place of pasturage? Alas for my shame before my Lord on the day when He shall avenge the hornless sheep on the sheep with horns!" And he wept and began repeating these couplets,

"Now an, By God, unto man were fully known Why he is made, in careless sleep he never would wone: First Death, then comes Wake and dreadful Day of Doom, Reproof with threats sore terror, frightful malison. Bid we or else forbid we, all of us are like The Cave companions when at length their sleep was done."

Then he again wept for that he had driven the birds and beasts from the spring by sitting down under the tree, and he fared on till he came to the shepherd's dwelling and going in, saluted him. The shepherd returned his salutation and embraced him, weeping and saying, "What has brought you to this place where no man has ever yet come to me." the other devotee said, "I saw in my sleep one who described to me this your stead and bade me repair to you and salute you: so I came, in obedience to the commandment." The shepherd welcomed him, rejoicing in his company and the twain abode upon that mountain, worshipping Allah with the best of worship; and they did not stop serving their Lord in the cavern and living upon the flesh and milk of their sheep, having clean put away from them riches and children and what not, till the Certain, the Inevitable became their lot. And this is the end of their story. Then said King Shahyrar, "O Shahrazad, you would cause me to renounce my kingdom and you make me repent of having slain so many women and maidens. Have you any bird stories?" "Yes," she replied, and began to tell the