It is said that the Caliph Harun al-Rashid, being restless one night, sent for his Wazir and said to him, "O Ja'afar, I am sore wakeful and heavy hearted this night, and I desire of you what may solace my spirit and cause my breast to broaden with amusement." Ja'afar said, "O Commander of the Faithful, I have a friend, by name Ali the Persian, who has store of tales and pleasant stories, such as lighten the heart and make care depart." the Caliph said, "Fetch him to me," and Ja'afar said, "I hear and I obey;" and, going out from before him, sent to seek Ali the Persian and when he came said to him, "Answer the summons of the Commander of the Faithful." "I hear and I obey," answered Ali;—

When it was the Two Hundred and Ninety fifth night

and at once followed the Wazir into the presence of the Caliph who bade him be seated and said to him, "O Ali, my heart is heavy within me this night and it has come to my ear that you have great store of tales and anecdotes; so I desire of you that you let me hear what will relieve my despondency and brighten my melancholy." He said, "O Commander of the Faithful, shall I tell you what I have seen with my eyes or what I have heard with my ears?" He replied, "If you have seen anything worth the telling, let me hear that." Re plied Ali: "I hear and I obey. Know you, O Commander of the Faithful, that some years ago I left this my native city of Baghdad on a journey, having with me a lad who carried a light leathern bag. Presently, we came to a certain city, where, as I was buying and selling, behold, a rascally Kurd fell on me and seized my wallet Of necessity, saying, 'This is my bag, and all which is in it is my property.' Thereupon, I cried aloud 'Ho Moslems, one and all, deliver me from the hand of the vilest of oppressors!'

But the folk said, 'Come both of you, to the Kazi and abide you by his judgment with joint consent.' So I agreed to submit myself to such decision and we both presented ourselves before the Kazi, who said, 'What brings you here and what is your case and your quarrel?' I said, 'We are men at difference, who appeal to you and make complaint and submit ourselves to your judgment.' Asked the Kazi, 'Which of you is the complainant?'; so the Kurd came forward and said, 'Allah preserve our lord the Kazi! Truly, this bag is my bag and all that is in it is my swag. It was lost from me and I found it with this man my enemy.' The Kazi asked, 'When did you lose it?'; and the Kurd answered, 'But yesterday, and I passed a sleepless night by reason of its loss.' 'If it be your bag,' the Kazi said, 'tell me what is in it.' the Kurd said, 'There were in my bag two silver styles for eye powder and antimony for the eyes and a kerchief for the hands, in which I had laid two gilt cups and two candlesticks. Moreover it contained two tents and two platters and two spoons and a cushion and two leather rugs and two ewers and a brass tray and two basins and a cooking pot and two water jars and a ladle and a sacking needle and a she cat and two bitches and a wooden trencher and two sacks and two saddles and a gown and two fur pelisses and a cow and two calves and a she goat and two sheep and an ewe and two lambs and two green pavilions and a camel and two she camels and a lioness and two lions and a she bear and two jackals and a mattrass and two sofas and an upper chamber and two saloons and a portico and two sitting rooms and a kitchen with two doors and a company of Kurds who will bear witness that the bag is my bag.'

Then said the Kazi to me, 'And you, sirrah, what say you?' So I came forward, O commander of the Faithful (and indeed the Kurd's speech had bewildered me) and said, 'Allah advance our lord the Kazi! Truly, there was nothing in this my wallet, save a little ruined tenement and another without a door and a dog house and a boys' school and youths playing dice and tents and tent ropes and the cities of Bassorah and Baghdad and the palace of Shaddad bin Ad and an ironsmith's forge and a fishing net and cudgels and pickets and girls and boys and a thousand pimps who will testify that the bag is my bag.' Now when the Kurd heard my words, he wept and wailed and said,

Ali The Persian. 151

'O my lord the Kazi, this my bag is known and what is in it is a matter of renown; for in this bag there be castles and citadels and cranes and beasts of prey and men playing chess and draughts. Furthermore, in this my bag is a brood mare and two colts and a stallion and two blood steeds and two long lances; and it contains eke a lion and two hares and a city and two villages and a whore and two sharking panders and an hermaphrodite and two gallows birds and a blind man and two people with good sight and a limping cripple and two lameters and a Christian ecclesiastic and two deacons and a patriarch and two monks and a Kazi and two assessors, who will be evidence that the bag is my bag.' the Kazi to me said, 'And what sayst you, O Ali?' So, O Commander of the Faithful, being filled with rage, I came forward and said, 'Allah keep our lord the Kazi!' "—

When it was the Two Hundred and Ninety sixth night

Now when the Caliph heard this tale from Ali the Persian, he laughed till he fell on his back and made him a handsome present. And men also relate a

Harun Al-Rashid and The Slave Girl. 153