The Lady And The Bear.

There lived once in Cairo, in the days of the Caliph al-Hákim bi' Amri'llah, a butcher named Wardán, who dealt in sheep's flesh; and there came to him every day a lady and gave him a dinar, whose weight was near two and a half Egyptian dinars, saying, "Give me a lamb." So he took the money and gave her the lamb which she delivered to a porter she had with her; and he put it in his crate and she went away with him to her own place. Next day she came in the forenoon and this went on for a long time, the butcher gaining a dinar by her every day, till at last he began to be curious about her case and said to himself, "This woman buys of me a ducat worth of meat every morning, paying ready money and never misses a single day. truly, this is a strange thing! So he took an occasion of questioning the porter, in her absence, and asked him, "where go you every day with that woman?"; and he answered, "I know not what to make of her for surprise; in as much as every day, after she has taken the lamb of you, she buys necessaries of the table, fresh and dried fruits and grow candles a dinar's worth, and takes of a certain person, which is a Nazarene, two flagons of wine, worth another dinar; and the she leads me with the whole and I go with her to the Wazir's Gardens, where she blindfolds me, so that I cannot see on what part of earth I set my feet; and, taking me by the hand, she leads me I know not where. Presently, she says, 'Set down here;' and when I have done so, she gives me an empty crate she has ready and, taking my hand, leads me back to the Wazir's Gardens, the place where she bound my eyes, and there removs the bandage and gives me ten silver bits." "Allah be her helper!" Said Wardan; but he redoubled in curiosity about her case; disquietude increased upon him and he passed the night in exceeding restlessness. And the said,butcher:—Next morning she came to me as of custom and taking the lamb, for which she paid the dinar, delivered it to the porter and went away. So I gave my shop in charge to a lad and followed her without her seeing me;"—

When it was the Three Hundred and Fifty fourth night

When it was the Three Hundred and Fifty fifth night

And (says he who tells the tale) "this market is still extant and is known as Wardan's Market." And I have heard recount another story of