THEY tell that whilome there was a Fisherman, a poor man with a wife and family, who every day was wont to take his net and go down to the river a fishing for his daily bread which is distributed. Then he would sell a portion of his catch and buy victual and the rest he would carry to his wife and children that they might eat. One day of the many days he said to his son who was growing up to a biggish lad, "O my child, come forth with me this morning, Perhaps All Mighty Allah may send us something of livelihood by your footsteps;" and the other answered, " 'Tis well, O my father."

Hereupon the Fisherman took his son and his net and they twain went off together till they arrived at the river bank, when the father said, "O my boy I will throw the net upon the luck of you." Then he went forward to the water and standing by that took his net and unfolded it so that it spread when entering the stream, and after waiting an hour or so he drew it in and found it heavy of weight: so he cried, "O my son, bear a hand" and the youth came up and lent him aidance in drawing it in. And when they had haled it to shore they opened it and found a fish of large size and glittering with all kinds of colours. the father said, "O my son, By God, this fish befits not any but the Caliph; do you therefore abide with it till I go and fetch a charger in which to carry it as an offering for the Prince of True Believers." The youth took his seat by the fish and when his father was afar off he went up to her and said, "Doubtless you have children and the byword says, Do good and cast it upon the waters."

Then he took up the fish and setting her near the river besprinkled her and said, "Go you to your children, this is even better than being eaten by the Caliph." But having thrown the fish into the stream, his fear of his father grew strong upon him, so he arose and without delay fled his village; and he did not stop flying till he reached the Land of Al-Irák whose capital was under a King wide of dominions (and praise be to the King of all kingdoms!). So he entered the streets and presently he met a baker man who said to him, "O my son, will you serve?" whereto he replied, "I will serve, O uncle." The than settled with him for a wage of two silver nusfs a day together with his meat and his drink, and he remained working with him for a while of time. Now one day of the days behold, he saw a lad of the sons of that city carrying about a cock with the intention of vending it, when he was met by a Jew who said to him, "O my child, will you sell this fowl?" and the other said,

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"I will." the Jew said, "For ten faddahs?" and the youth said, "Allah opens!" Said the other, "For twenty faddahs?" and the lad, "Allah veils!" Then the Jew fell to increasing his offer for the cock until he reached a full dinar. 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 should relate to you on the coming night if the King permits me to survive?"

Now when it was the next night and that was

The Four Hundred and Sixty 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 of deeds fair seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Jew raised his bid for the cock till he reached a gold piece when the lad said, "Here with it." So the man gave him the dinar and took from him the fowl and slaughtered it directly. Then he turned to a boy, one of his servants, and said to him, "Take this cock and carry it home and say to your mistress, 'Pluck it, but open it not until such time as I shall return.' " And the servant did his bidding. But when the Fisherman's son who was standing close by heard these words and saw the bargain, he waited for a while and as soon as the servant had carried off the fowl, he arose and buying two cocks at four faddahs he slaughtered them and repaired with them to the house of the Jew.

Then he rapped at the door and when the mistress came out to him he bespoke her saying, "The housemaster says to you, 'Take these two silvers and send me the bird which was brought to you by the servant boy.' " she said, " 'Tis well," so he gave her the two fowls and took from her the cock which her husband had slaughtered. Then he returned to the bakery, and when he was private he opened the belly of the cock and found within it a signet ring with a bezel gem which in the sun showed one colour and in the shade another. So he took it up and hid it in his bosom, after which he gutted the bird and cooked it in the furnace and ate it. Presently, the Jew having finished his business, returned home and said to his wife, "Bring me the cock." She brought him the two fowls and he seeing them he asked, "But where be the first cock?" And she answered him, "You yourself sent the boy with these two birds and then orderedst him to bring you the first cock." The Jew held his peace but was sore distressed at heart, so sore indeed that he came near to die and said to himself, "Indeed it has slipped from my grasp!"

Now the Fisherman's son after he had mastered the ring waited until the evening evened when he said, "By God, needs must this bezel have some mystery;" so he withdrew into the privacy of the furnace and brought it out from his bosom and fell a rubbing it. Thereupon the Slave of the Ring appeared and cried, "Here I stand between your hands." Then the Fisherman's son said to himself, "This indeed is the perfection of good fortune," and returned the gem to his breast pocket as it was. Now when morning morrowed the owner of the bakery came in and the youth said to him, "O my master, I am longing for my people and my native land and 'tis my desire to fare and look upon them and presently I will return to you." So the man paid him his wage, after which he left him and walked from the bakery till he came to the Palace of the Sultan where he found near the gate well near an hundred heads which had been cut off and there suspended; so he leaned for rest against the booth of a sherbet seller and asked its owner, "O master, what is the cause of all these heads being hung up?" and the other answered, "O my son, inquire not, anent what has been done."

However when he repeated the question the man replied, "O my son, truly the Sultan has a daughter, a model of beauty and loveliness, of symmetric stature and perfect grace, in fact like a branch of the Rattan palm; and whoever comes ever to seek her in marriage her father conditions with him a condition." Cried the Fisherman's son, "What may be that condition?" and the other replied, "There is a great mound of ashes under the latticed windows of the Sultan's palace, and whoever wishes to take his daughter

The Fisherman and his Son. 251 to wife he makes a covenant with him that he shall carry off that heap. So the other accepted the agreement with only the proviso that he should have forty days' grace and he consented that, If he fail within that time, his head be cut off." "And the heap is high?" the said,Fisherman's son. "Like a hill," the said,other. Now when the youth had thoroughly comprehended what the sherbet seller had told him, he farewelled him and left him; then, going to a Khan, he hired him a cell and taking seat within it for a time he pondered how he should proceed, for he was indeed fearful yet was his heart hanging to the love of the Sultan's daughter. Presently, he brought out his ring, and rubbed it, when the voice of the Slave cried to him, "Here I stand between your hands and what may you require of me?" Said the other, "I want a suit of kingly clothes;" at which without delay a bundle was set before him and when he opened it he found within it princely gear. So he took it and rising without loss of time he went into the Hammam and caused himself to be soaped and gloved and thoroughly washed, after which he donned the dress and his case was changed into other case Then her sister Dunyazad said, "How sweet and tasteful is your tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and delectable!" She said, "And where is this compared with what I would relate to you on the coming night if the King permits me to survive?"

Now when it was the next night and that was

The Four Hundred and Sixty third 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 of deeds fair seeming and worthy celebrating, that when the son of the Fisherman came forth the Bath house and donned his fine dress, his was changed into other case and he appeared before the folk in semblance of the sons of Kings. Presently, he went to the Sultan's palace and entering within it made his salam and, blushing for modesty, did his obeisance and blessed the Sultan with the blessing due to Caliphs. His greetings were returned and the King welcomed him and after that looked at him, and finding him after princely fashion, asked him, "What is your need, O Youth, and what require you?" Answered the other, "I seek connection with your house, and I come desirous of betrothal with the lady concealed and the pearl unrevealed, which is your daughter." "Are you able to perform the condition, O Youth?" asked the King; "For I want neither means nor moneys nor precious stones nor other possession; brief, none other thing save that you remove that mound of ashes from beneath the windows of my palace."

Upon this he bade the youth draw near him and when he obeyed threw open the lattice; and, showing him the hillock that stood underneath it said, "O Youth, I will betroth to you my daughter If you be pleased to remove this heap; but if you prove you unable so to do I will strike off your head." the said,Fisherman's son, "I am satisfied therewith," presently adding, "A delay! Grant me the term of forty days." "I have allowed your request to you," said the King and wrote a document bearing the testimony of those present, when cried the youth, "O King, bid nail up your windows and let them not be unfastened until the forties day shall have gone by." "These words be fair," the Sultan, said, and accordingly he gave the order. at this the youth went forth from him whereupon all present in the palace cried, "O the pity of it, that this youngster should be done to die; indeed there were many stronger than he, yet none of them availed to remove the heap." In this way each and every said his say, but when the Fisherman's son returned to his cell (and he was thoughtful concerning his life and perplext as to his affair) he cried, "Would Heaven I knew whether the Ring has power to carry it off."

Then shutting himself up in his cell he brought out the signet from his breast pocket and rubbed it, and a Voice was heard to cry, "Here I stand (and fair befall your command) between your hands. What require you of me, O my lord?" The other replied, "I want you to remove the ash heap which stands under the windows of the royal palace, and I demand that you lay out in lieu of it a garden wide of sides in whose middlemost must be a mansion tall and choice builded of base, for the special domicile of the Sultan's daughter: furthermore, let all this be done within the space of forty days."

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"Aye ready," the Jinni said, "to do all you desire." Hereupon the youth felt his affright assuaged and his heart rightly directed; and after this he would go every day to inspect the heap and would find one quarter of it had disappeared, nor did anything of it remain after the fourth morning for that the ring was graved with the cabalistic signs of the Cohens and they had set upon the work an hundred Marids of the Jann that they might carry out the wishes of any who required anything of them. And when the mound was removed they dispread in its site a garden wide of sides in whose midst they edified a palace choice builded of base, and all this was done within the space of fifteen days, whilst the Fisherman's son ever repaired there and inspected the work. But when he had perfected his intent he entered to the Sultan and kissing ground between his hands and having prayed for his glory and permanence said, ", deign open the lattices of your Palace!" So he went to them and threw them open when lo and behold, he found in lieu of the mound a mighty fine garden in which were trees and rills and blooms and birds hymning the praises of their Creator; moreover he saw in that garden a palace, an edifice choice builded of base which is not to be found with any King or Kaysar. Seeing this he wondered at the circumstance and his wits were wildered and he was perplext as to his affair; after which he sent for the Minister and summoned him and said, "Counsel me, O Wazir, as to what I shall do in the case of this youth and in what way shall I fend him from me."

Replied the Councillor, "How shall I advise you, seeing that you made condition with him that should he fail in his undertaking you would strike off his head? Now there is no contrivance in this matter and there is nothing to do save marrying him with the girl." By these words the King was persuaded and caused the knot to be knotted and bade them lead the bridegroom in procession to the bride, after which the youth set her in the garden palace and cohabited with her in all joy and enjoyment and pleasure and disport. in this way fared it with them; but as regards the case of the Jew, when he lost the cock he went forth in sore disappointment like unto one Jinn mad; and neither was his sleep sound and good nor were meat and drink pleasant food, and he did not stop wandering about till the Fates threw him into that garden. Now he had noted in past time that a huge heap of ashes stood under the palace windows and when he looked he cried, "truly, the youth has been here and all this work is the work of the signet ring, for that none other than the Márids of the Jinn could remove such a hillock."

So saying, the Jew returned to his place, where he brought out a parcel of fine pearls and some few emeralds and specimens of coral and other precious minerals, and set them as for sale in a tray. Then he approached the palace which was builded in the garden and cried out saying, "The pearls! And the emeralds! And the corals! And various kinds of fine jewels!" And he kept up this cry. 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 should relate to you on the coming night if the King permits me to survive?"

Now when it was the next night and that was

The Four Hundred and Sixty fifth 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 redo which is benefiting and of deeds fair seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Jew fell to hawking about his minerals and crying them for sale beside the garden palace and the Sultan's daughter hearing him exclaimed, "O Handmaid, bring me that which is for sale with this Jew." So the girl went down and said to the man, "What have you by you?" and said the other, "Precious stones." she said, "Will you sell them for gold?" and he said, "No, O my lady, I will sell them for nothing save for rings which must be old." Accordingly she returned and herewith acquainted her lady who

The Fisherman and his Son. 255 said, "By God, my Lord has in his pen case an old worn out ring, so do you go and bring it to me while he sleeps." But she knew not what was hidden for her in the Secret Purpose, nor that which was fated to be her Fate. So presently she brought out of the pen case the bezel ring afore mentioned and gave it to the handmaid who took it and faring outside the house handed it to the Jew, and he received it with extreme joy and in turn presented to her the tray with all thereon. Then he went forth the city and set out on a voyage to the Seven Islands which are not far from the earth surrounding Ocean; and when he arrived there he landed upon a sea holm and travelled to the middlemost of it. soon he took seat, and presently brought out the signet ring and rubbed it, when the slave appeared and cried, "Here I stand and between your hands, what is it you need of me?" "I require of you," the Jew said, "to transport here the bower of the Sultan's daughter and to restore the ash heap to the stead it was in whilome under the lattice of the King's Palace."

Now before night had passed away both Princess and Palace were transported to the middlemost of the island; and when the Jew beheld her his heart flamed high for the excess of her beauty and loveliness. So he entered her bower and fell to conversing with her, but she would return to him no reply and, when he would have approached her, she started away in disgust. Hereupon, seeing no signs of conquest, the Jew said in his mind, "Let her grow accustomed to me and she will be satisfied," and in this way he continued to solace her heart. Now as regards the son of the Fisherman his sleep had extended deep into the forenoon and when the sun burnt upon his back he arose and found himself lying on the ash heap below the Palace, so he said to himself, "Up and away, otherwise the Sultan will look out of the window and will behold this mound returned to its place as it was before, and he will order your neck to be smitten." So he hurried him forth hardly believing in his escape, and he did not stop hastening his pace until he came to a coffee house, which he entered; and there he took him a lodging and used to lie the night, and to rise amorn.

Now one day of the days behold, he met a man who was leading about a dog and a cat and a mouse and crying them for sale at the price of ten faddahs; so the youth said in his mind, "Let me buy these at their cheap price;" and he called aloud to the man and having given him the ten silverlings took away his purchase. After this he would fare every day to the slaughter house and would buy for them a bit of tripe or liver and feed them therewith, but ever and soon he would sit down and ponder the loss of the Ring and bespeak himself and say, "Would Heaven I know that which Allah Almighty has done with my Ring and my Palace and my bride the Sultan's daughter!" Now the dog and the cat and the mouse heard him, and one day of the days as, according to his custom, he took them with him and led them to the slaughter house and bought a meal of entrails and gave something to each that it might eat of it, he sat down in sad thought and groaned aloud and sorrow prevailed upon him till he was overcome by sleep. The season was the mid forenoon and the while he slumbered and was drowned in drowsiness, the Dog said to the Cat and the Mouse, "O brethren mine, in very deed this youth, who has bought us for ten faddahs, leads us every day to this stead and gives us our rations of food.

But he has lost his Ring and the Palace in which was his bride, the daughter of the Sultan: so let us up and fare forth and seek therefor and do you twain mount upon my back so that we can overwander the seas and the island skirts." They did as he bade them and he walked down with them to the waters and swam with them until they found themselves In the very middle of the main; nor did he cease swimming with them for about a day and a night until the morning morrowed and they saw from afar a somewhat that glittered. So they made for it till they drew near, when they saw that it was the Palace in question, at which the Dog continued swimming till such time as he came ashore and dismounted the Cat and the Mouse. Then he said to them, "Let us abide here."

Then her sister Dunyazad said, "How sweet and tasteful is your tale, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" she said, "And where is this

The Fisherman and his Son. 257 compared with that I should relate to you on the coming night if the King permits me to survive?"

Now when it was the next night and that was

The Four Hundred and Sixty seventh 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 of deeds fair seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Dog said to the Cat and the Mouse, "I will abide and await you here, and do you twain fare into the Palace, where the Cat shall take her station upon the crenelles over the lattice window and the Mouse shall enter the mansion and roam about and search through the rooms until she come upon the Ring required." So they did the Dog's bidding and sought the places he had appointed to them and the Mouse crept about but found nothing until she approached the bedstead and beheld the Jew asleep and the Princess lying afar off. He had been longsome in requiring of her person and had even threatened her with slaughter, yet he had no power to approach her nor indeed had he even looked upon the form of her face. as well the Mouse did not stop faring about until she approached the Jew, whom she discovered sleeping upon his back and drowned in slumber for the excess of his drink that weighed him down.

So she drew near and considered him and saw the Ring in his mouth below the tongue at which she was perplext how to recover it; but presently she went forth to a vessel of oil and dipping her tail within it approached the sleeper and drew it over his nostrils, at which he sneezed with a sneeze so violent that the Ring sprang from between his jaws and fell upon the side of the bedstead. Then she seized it in huge joy and returning to the Cat said to her, "truly the prosperity of our lord has returned to him." After this the twain went back to the Dog whom they found expecting them, so they marched down to the sea and mounted upon his back and he swam with them both, all three being in the highest spirits. But when they reached the middle of the main, the Cat to the Mouse said, "Pass the Ring to me that I may carry it awhile;" and the other did so, when she placed it in her chops for an hour of time. Then the Dog to them said, "You twain have taken to yourselves charge of the Ring, each of you for a little time, and I also would do likewise."

They both said to him, "O our brother, Perhaps 'twill fall from your mouth:" but he said to them, "By God, an you give it not to me for a while I will drown you both in this very place." Accordingly the two did in their fear as the Dog desired and when he had set it in his chops it dropped from it into the abyss of the ocean; seeing which all repented at that and they said, "Wasted is our work we have wrought." But when they came to land they found their lord sleeping from the excess of his cark and his care, and so the trio stood on the shore and were sorrowing with sore sorrow, when behold, there appeared to them a Fish strange of semblance who said to them, "Take you this Signet ring and commit it to your lord, the son of the Fisherman, and when giving it to him say, 'Since you did a good deed and threwest the Fish into the sea your kindness shall not be for nothing; and, if it fail with the Creature, it shall not fail with Allah the Creator.' Then do you inform him that the Fish which his father the Fisher would have presented to the King and whereupon he had mercy and returned her to the waters, that Fish am I, and the old saw says, 'This for that, and tit for tat is its reward!' " Hereupon the Dog took the Signet ring and the other two went up with him to their lord and awaking him from sleep returned to him his Ring.

But when he saw it he became like one Jinn mad from the excess of his joy and the three related to him the affair of the Signet; how they had brought it away from the Jew and how it had dropped from the Dog's mouth into the abyss of the sea and lastly how the Fish who had found it brought it back to them declaring that it was she whom his sire had netted and whom the son had returned to the depths. he cried, "praise be to God"—Glory be to the Lord—"who caused us work this weal and requited us for our kindness;" after which he took the Signet and waited until night had nighted. Then he repaired to the mount which was under the Sultan's Palace and brought out the Ring and rubbed it, when the Slave appeared and cried to him, "Here I stand (and fair befall your command!) between your hands: what is it need you and require you of me?" The other replied, "I demand that you carry off for me this mound."

Then her sister Dunyazad, said,

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"How sweet is your story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" She said, "And where is this compared with what I should relate to you on the coming night if the King permits me to survive?"

Now when it was the next night and that was

The Four Hundred and Sixty ninth 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 of deeds fair seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Son of the Fisherman bade the Slave of the Ring remove the mound and return the garden as whilome it was and restore the Palace containing the Jew and the Sultan's daughter. Nor did that hour pass before everything was replaced in its proper stead. Then the Youth went up to the saloon where he found the Jew recovered from his drunkenness and he was threatening the Princess and saying, "You! For you there is no escape from me." But she cried, "O dog, O accurst, joy from my lord is well near to me." Hearing these words the Youth fell upon the Jew and dragging him along by his neck, went down with him and bade them light a furious fire, and so they did till it flamed and flared; after which he pinioned his enemy and caused him to be cast within it when his bones were melted upon his flesh.

Then returning to the Palace he fell to blaming the Sultan's daughter for the matter of the Ring, and asking her, "Why did you in this way?" She answered, "From Fate there is no flight, and praise be to God—praise to the Lord—who after all that befell us from the Jew has brought us together once more." Now all that happened from the Jew and the return of the Sultan's daughter and the restoring of the Palace and the death of his deceiver remained unknown to the Sultan, and here is an end to my history. And when the second Larrikin held his peace the King said, "Allah quicken you for this story; by the Almighty 'tis wondrous, and it delights the hearer and rejoics the teller." Then cried the third Larrikin, "I also have by me an history more marvellous than these two; and, were it written in water of gold upon the pages of men's hearts, it were worthy of it." the King said, "O Larrikin, if it prove stranger and rarer than these I will surely largesse you." Whereupon he said, ", listen to what I shall relate," and he fell to telling the