There was once a Richard called, 'Ajlán, the Hasty, who wasted his wealth, and concern and chagrin gat the mastery of him, so that he became a Melancholist and lost his wit. There remained with him of his monies about twenty dinars and he used to beg alms of the folk, and whatever they gave him in charity he would gather together and add to the gold pieces that were left him. Now there was in that town a Sharper, who made his living by roguery, and he knew that the Melancholist had something of money; so he fell to spying upon him and did not stop watching him till he saw him put into an earthen pot that which he had with him of silvers and enter a deserted ruin,

Tale Of The Melancholist And The Sharper. 181 where he sat down, as if to make water, and dug a hole, in which he laid the pot and covering it up, smoothed the ground as it had been. Then he went away and the Sharper came and taking what was in the pot, restored it to its former place. Presently, 'Ajlan returned, with something to add to his hoard, but found it not; so he bethought him of who had followed him and remembered that he had found that Sharper assiduous in sitting with him and questioning him. So he went in search of him, assured that he had taken the pot, and gave not over looking for him till he saw him sitting; whereupon he ran to him and the Sharper saw him. Then the Melancholist stood within earshot and muttered to himself and said, "In the pot are sixty ducats and I have with me other twenty in such a place and today I will unite the whole in the pot." When the Sharper heard him say this to himself, muttering and mumbling, repeating and blundering in his speech, he repented him of having taken the sequins and said, "He will presently return to the pot and find it empty; Why that for which I am on the look out will escape me; and It seems to me 'twere best I replace the dinars, so he may see them and leave all which is with him in the pot, and I can take the whole."

Now he feared to return to the pot at once, lest the Melancholist should follow him to the place and find nothing and in this way his arrangements be marred; so he said to him, "O 'Ajlan, I would have you come to my lodging and eat bread with me." Thereupon the Melancholist went with him to his quarters and he seated him there and going to the market, sold something of his clothes and pawned something from his house and bought the best of food. Then he betook himself to the ruin and replacing the money in the pot, buried it again; after which he returned to his lodging and gave the Melancholist to eat and drink, and they went out together. The Sharper walked away and hid himself, lest his guest should see him, whilst 'Ajlan repaired to his hiding place and took the pot. Presently, the Sharper returned to the ruin, rejoicing in that which he deemed he should get, and dug in the place, but found nothing and knew that the Melancholist had outwitted him.

So he began buffetting his face for regret, and fell to following the other whitherso he went, to the intent that he might win what was with him, but he failed in this, because the Melancholist knew what was in his mind and was assured that he spied upon him; so he kept watch over himself. Now, had the Sharper considered the consequences of haste and that which is begotten of loss from it, he had not done on such wise. "Nor," continued the Wazir, "is this tale,rarer or stranger or daintier than the story of Khalbas and his Wife and the learned man and that which befell between the three." When the king heard this story, he left his purpose of putting the Minister to death and his soul bade him to continue him on life, So he ordered him off to his house.

The Seventeenth Night of the Month

When the evening evened, the King summoned the Minister, and as soon as he presented himself, he required of him the story. So he said, "I hear and I obey. Hear, O august King,