There was once,a merchant and a man of Bassorah who went about trading with eunuchs and slave boys and who bore his goods in bales from Bassorah to Ajam land there to sell them and to buy him other merchandise for vending in Syria. in this way he tarried a long while until one year of the years he packed up his property, as was his wont, and fared forth with it to Persia. But at that time there fortuned to be a famine and when he arrived at one of the cities of Ajam land, where formerly the traders bought his goods, on this occasion none of them would come near him. In such case he continued a long while till at last a Khwájah appeared before him, a man who owned abundant riches in Persia, but his home was distant three days from the place. The visitor asked saying, "O Bassorite, will you sell me your stock in trade?" whereto the other answered, "And how? Of course I'll sell it!" So the buyer opened the gate of bidding and offered such and such; but the Bassorah man cried, "Allah opens." Then the purchaser added somewhat and the seller rejoined, "Give me yet more?"

At last the buyer exclaimed, "I will give nothing more than 'Anaught';" and the seller accepted the offer saying, "May Allah grant us gain!" Thereupon the Persian Khwajah took over all the goods from the vendor and next day the twain met to settle money matters. Now I,happened to be abiding in that city. The seller received from the buyer payment in full nor did anything remain; but after, the Bassorah man said to his customer, "You still owest me the 'Anaught,' which you must hand over to me." The other replied jeeringly, "And the 'Anaught' is a nothing; to wit, no thing;" but the Bassorite rejoined, "Here with that 'Anaught'!" Upon this a violent ruffle befell between them, the cause was carried before the King and payment was required in the Divan, for the Bassorite still demanded from the purchaser his "Anaught." The Sultan asked, "And what be this 'Anaught'?" and the Bassorah man answered, "I know not,;" at which the Sultan marvelled. Then her sister Dunyazad said, "How sweet is your story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" She said, "And where is this compared with what I would relate to you on the coming night, if the Sovran permits me to survive?"

Now when it was the next night and that was

The Four Hundred and First Night

Dunyazad said to her, "In God's name, O my sister, If you be other than sleepy, finish for us your tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love and good will!" It has reached me,the director, the right guiding, lord of the counsel which is benefiting and deeds fair seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Sultan

The Kazi and His Slipper. 163 marvelled at the action of this Bassorite and his saying, "Give me my 'Anaught!' " Presently, the tidings of that cause reached me, O King; so I went to the Divan which was thronged with folk and all present kept saying, "How would it be if this 'Anaught' were a fraud or a resiliation of the contract?" Thereupon the Sultan exclaimed, "whoever shall settle this case, to him truly will I be bountiful." So I came forward,thinking of a conceit and kissed ground and said to him, "I will conclude this cause," and he rejoined, "If you determine it and dispose of it I will give you largesse; but if not, I will strike off your head." I rejoined, "I hear and I obey." Then I bade them bring a large basin which could hold a skinful of water and ordered them fill it; after which I called out to the Bassorite, "Draw near," and he drew near. All this and the King looked on and kept his eyes fixed upon us. Then I cried to the claimant, "Close your fist!" And he did accordingly, and again I commanded him to close it and to keep it tight closed. He obeyed my bidding and I continued "Dip your neave into the basin," and he dipped it. Presently, I asked, "Is your hand in the water and your fist closed?" and he replied, "It is."

Then i said, "Withdraw it," and he withdrew it, and I cried, "Open your neave," and he opened it. Then I asked, "What thing have you found within it?" and he answered, "Anaught;" whereupon I cried to him, "Take yours 'Anaught' and go your ways." Hereupon the Sultan said to the Bassorite, "Have you taken yours 'Anaught,' O man?" and he said, "Yes." Accordingly the King bade him gang his gait. Then the Sultan gifted me with costly gifts and named me Kazi; and hence,is the cause of the title in the case of one who erst was Abu Kasim the Drummer. at this the Sultan said, "Relate to us what rare accident befell you in your proper person." So the judge began to recount