There was once a woman who had no equal in her day for beauty and loveliness and grace and perfection, and a certain lewd youth and an obscene setting eyes on her, fell in love with her and loved her with exceeding passion, but she was chaste and inclined not to adultery. It chanced one day that her husband went on a journey to a certain town, whereupon the young man fell to sending to her many times a day; but she made him no reply. At last, he resorted to an old woman, who dwelt close by, and after saluting her he sat down and complained to her of his sufferings for love of the woman and his longing to enjoy her. she said, "I will warrant you this; no harm shall befall you, for I will surely bring you to your desire, God willing, If it please Allah the Most High!" At these words he gave her a dinar and went his way. When the morning morrowed she appeared before the woman and, renewing an old acquaintance with her, fell to visiting her daily, eating the undertime with her and the evening meal and carrying away food for her children. Moreover, she used to sport and jest with her, till the wife became corrupted and could not endure an hour without her company.

Now she was wont, when she left the lady's house, to take bread and fat wherewith she mixed a little pepper and to feed a bitch, that was in that quarter; and thus she did day by day, till the bitch became fond of her and followed her wherever she went. One day she took a cake of dough and, putting within it an overdose of pepper, gave it to the bitch to eat, whereupon the beast's eyes began to shed tears, for the heat of the pepper, and she followed the old woman, weeping. When the lady saw this she was amazed and asked the ancient, "O my mother, what ails this bitch to weep?" Answered she, "Learn, O my heart's love, that hers is a strange story. Know that she was once a close friend of mine, a lovely and accomplished young lady, a model of comeliness and perfect grace.

A young Nazarene of the quarter fell in love with her and his passion and pining increased on him, till he took to his pillow, and he sent to her times manifold, begging her to have compassion on him and show him mercy, but she refused, albeit I gave her good counsel, saying, 'O my daughter, have pity on him and be kind and consent to all he wishes.' She gave no heed to my advice, until, the young man's patience failing him, he complained at last to one of his friends, who cast an enchantment on her and changed her human shape into canine form. When she saw what transformation had befallen her and that there was none to pity her case save myself, she came to my house and began to fawn on me and kiss my hands and feet and whine and shed tears, till I recognised her and said to her, 'How often did I not warn you?; but my advice profited you nothing.' "—

When it was the Five Hundred and Eighty fifth night

When the lady heard this, she was taken with great alarm and said, "O my mother, By God, you affrightest me with this your story." "Why so?" asked the old woman. Answered the lady, "Because a certain handsome young man fell in love with me and has sent many times to me, but hitherto I have repelled him: and now I fear lest there befall me the like of what befell this bitch." "O my daughter," said the old woman, "look you to what I counsel you and beware of crossing me, for I am in great fear for you. If you know not his abiding place, describe his semblance to me, that I may fetch him to you, and let not any one's heart be angered against you." So the lady described him to her, and she showed not to know him and said, "When I go out, I will ask after him." But when she left the lady, she went straight to the young man and said to him, "Be of good cheer, for I have played with the girl's wits; so to morrow at noon wait you at the head of the street, till I come and carry you to her house, where you will take yours ease with her the rest of the day and all night long."

At this the young man rejoiced with exceeding joy and gave her two dinars, saying, "When I have won my wish of her, I will give you ten gold pieces." Then she returned to the lady and said to her, "I have seen him and spoken with him on this matter. I found him exceeding wroth with you and minded to do you a harm but I plied him with fair words till he agreed to come tomorrow at the time of the call to noon prayer." When the lady heard this she rejoiced exceedingly and said, "O my mother, if he keep his promise, I will give you ten dinars." the old woman said, "Look to his coming from none but from me." When the next morn morrowed she said to the lady, "Make ready the early meal and forget not the wine and adorn yourself and don your richest dress and decoration, whilst I go and fetch him to you." So she clad herself in her finest finery and prepared food, whilst the old woman went out to look for the young man, who came not. So she went around searching for him, but could come by no news of him, and she said to herself, "What is to be done? Shall the food and drink she has gotten ready be wasted and I lose the gold pieces she promised me? Indeed, I will not allow my cunning contrivance to come to nothing, but will look her out another man and carry him to her."

So she walked about the highways till her eyes fell on a pretty fellow, young and distinguished looking, to whom the folk bowed and who bore in his face the traces of travel. She went up to him and saluting him, asked, "Have you a mind to meat and drink and a girl adorned and ready?" Answered he, "Where is this to be had?" "At home, in my house," rejoined she and carrying him to his own house, knocked at the door. The lady opened to them and ran in again, to make an end of her dressing and perfuming; whilst the wicked old woman brought the man, who was the husband and housemaster into the saloon and made him sit down congratulating herself on her cunning contrivance. Presently, in walked the lady, who no sooner set eyes on her husband sitting by the old trot than she knew him and guessed how the case stood; nevertheless, she was not taken aback and without delay bethought her of a device to hoodwink him. So she pulled off her outer boot and cried at her husband, "Is this how you keepest the contract between us? How can you betray me and deal thus with me? Know that, when I heard of your coming, I sent this old woman to try you and she has made you fall into that against which I warned you: so now I am certified of yours affair and that you have broken faith with me. I thought you chaste and pure till I saw you, with my own eyes, in this old woman's company and knew that you did frequent loose baggages."

So saying, she fell to beating him with her slipper about the head, and crying out, "Divorce me! Divorce me!"; whilst he excused himself and swore to her, By God the Most High, that he had never in his life been untrue to her nor had done anything of that whereof she suspected him. But she did not stop to weep and scream and bash him, crying out and saying, "Come to my help, O Moslems!"; till he laid hold of her mouth with his hand and she bit it. Moreover, he humbled himself to her and kissed her hands and feet, whilst she would not be appeased and continued to cuff him. At last, she winked at the old woman to come and hold her hand from him. So she came up to her and kissed her hands and feet, till she made peace between them and they sat down together; whereupon the husband began to kiss her hands, saying, "Allah Almighty requite you with all good, for that you have delivered me from her!" And the old woman marvelled at the wife's cunning and ready wit. "This, then, O King" (said the Wazir) "is one of many instances of the craft and malice and perfidy of women." When the King heard this story, he was persuaded by it and turned from his purpose to slay his son;—

When it was the Five Hundred and Eighty sixth night

"What befell the twain, O damsel?" asked the King; and she answered, saying, "There has come to my knowledge, O august King, a tale of the