A Certain man of rank once entered the slave market and saw a page being cried for sale; so he bought him and carrying him home, said to his wife, "Take good care of him." The lad abode there for a while till, one day, the man said to his wife, "Go forth to morrow to the garden and take your solace within it and amuse yourself and enjoy yourself." And she replied, "With love and gladness!"

Now when the page heard this, he made ready in secret meat and drink and fruits and desert, and sallied forth with them privily that night to the garden, where he laid the meat under one tree, the wine under another and the fruit and conserves under a third, in the way his mistress must pass. When morning morrowed the husband bade him accompany the lady to that garden carrying with him all the provisions required for the day; so she took horse and riding there with him, dismounted and entered. Presently, as they were walking about, a crow croaked, and the page said, "You sayst truth;" whereupon his mistress asked him, "Do you know what the crow said?"; and he answered, "Yes, O my lady, he said, Under that tree is meat; go and eat it." So she said, "I see you really do understand them;" then she went up to the tree and, finding a dish of meat ready dressed, was assured that the youth told the truth and marvelled with exceeding marvel. They ate of the meat and walked about awhile, taking their pleasure in the garden, till the crow croaked a second time, and the page again replied, "You sayst truth." "What he said?" the lady said, and the page said, "O my lady, he says that under such a tree are a gugglet of water flavoured with musk and a pitcher of old wine."

So she went up with him to the tree and, finding the wine and water there, redoubled in wonderment and the page was magnified in her eyes. They sat down and drank, then arose and walked in another part of the garden. Presently, the crow croaked again and the page said, "You sayst truth." Said the lady, "What says he now?" and the page replied, "He says that under that tree are fruits, fresh and dried." So they went there and found all as he said and sat down and ate. Then they walked about again till the crow croaked a fourth time, whereupon the page took up a stone and threw it at him She said, "What he said, that you should stone him?" "O my lady," he answered, "he said what I cannot tell you." "Say on," rejoined she,

"and be not abashed in my presence, for there is nothing between me and you." But he did not stop to say, "No," and she to press him to speak, till at last she conjured him to tell her, and he answered, "The crow said to me, 'Do with your lady even as does her husband.'" When she heard his words she laughed till she fell backward and said, "This is a light matter, and I may not gainsay you within it." So saying, she went up to a tree and, spreading the carpet under it, lay down, and called to him to come and do her need, when, lo Her husband, who had followed them unawares and saw this, called out to the page, saying, "Harkye, boy! What ails your mistress to lie there, weeping?" Answered the page, "O my lord, she fell off the tree and was killed; and none but Allah (be He extolled and exalted!) restored her to you. Why she lay down awhile to recover herself by rest." When the lady saw her husband standing by her head, she rose and made a show of weakness and pain, saying, "O my back! O my sides! Come to my help, O my friends Shall never survive this."

So her husband was deceived and said to the page, "Fetch your mistress's horse and set her thereon." Then he carried her home, the boy holding one stirrup and the man the other and saying, "Allah vouchsafe you ease and recovery!" "These then, O King," (said the damsel) "are some instances of the craft of men and their perfidy; Why let not your Wazirs turn you from succouring me and doing me justice." Then she wept, and when the King saw her weeping (for she was the dearest to him of all his slave girls) he once more commanded to put his son to death; but the sixth Minister entered and kissing ground before him said, "May the Almighty advance the King Truly I am a loyal counsellor to you, in that I counsel you to deal deliberately in the matter of your son;"—

When it was the Five Hundred and Ninety third night

Asked the King, "And how was that?" And the Wazir answered, "I have heard tell a tale, O King, as follows concerning