There was a man, a Shámí, who came to the God guarded city of Misr al-Káhirah—Misr of Mars—and with him was a store of money and merchandize and sumptuous clothing. He hired for himself a room in a caravanserai, and having no slave, he was wont to go forth every day and roam about the city thoroughfares and cater for himself. Now this continued for a while of time till one day of the days, as he was wandering and diverting his mind by looking to the right and to the left, he was met on the way by three women who were leaning and swaying one towards other as they walked on laughing aloud; and each and every of the three surpassed her fellow in beauty and loveliness. When he looked at them his mustachios curled at the sight and he accosted them and addressed the trio, saying, "May it be that you will drink coffee in my lodging?" "Indeed we will," they said, "and we will make mirth with you and exceeding merriment, passing even the will of you." he said, "When shall it be?" and they said, "Tonight we will come to your place." He continued, "I am living in a room of Such and such a Wakálah." and they rejoined, "Do you make ready for us supper and we will visit you after the hour of night prayers." He cried, "These words are well;" so they left him and went their ways; and he, on the return way home, bought flesh and greens and wine and perfumes; then, having reached his room, he cooked five kinds of meats without including rice and conserves, and made ready whatever for the table was suitable. Now when it was supper time behold, the women came in to him, all three wearing capotes over their dresses, and when they had entered

The Syrian And The Three Women. 205 they threw these cloaks off their shoulders and took their seats as they were moons. Hereupon the Syrian arose and set before them the food trays and they ate their sufficiency, after which he served to them the table of wine, at which they filled and passed to him and he accepted and swilled until his head whirled round, and as often as he looked at any one of them and considered her in her mould of beauty and loveliness he was perplext and his wits were wildered. They did not stop to be after such fashion until the noon o' night. 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 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 Seven Hundred and Forty 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 Syrian and the three ladies did not stop to persevere in the drinking of wine until the noon o' night, at which time he would not distinguish between masculine and feminine from the excess of his wine bibbing, so he said to one of the three, "in God's name, O my lady, what may be the name of you?" She replied, "I am called, 'Have-you-seen-anything-like-me?' " at which he exclaimed, "No, Walláhi!"

Then he up propped himself on his elbow and rising from the ground said to the second, "You, O my lady, and life blood of my heart, what is your name?" She answered, "I am called, 'Never-saw-you-my-like,' " and he replied, "God willing—what Allah wills—O my lady Never-saw-you-my-like."

Then he said to the third, "And you, O dearling of my heart, what may be the name of you?" And she said, "I am called, 'Look-at-me-and-you-will-know-me.' "

When he heard these words he cried out with a loud outcry and fell to the ground saying, "No, By God, O my lady Look-at-me-and-you-will-know-me." But when the three women regarded him his reason was upset and they forced upon him more wine bibbing whilst he cried to them, "Fill for me, ho my lady Never-saw-you-my-like, and you too, my lady Have-you-seen-anything-like-me, and eke you, O my lady Look-at-me-and-you-will-know-me." And they drove him to drink still more until he fell to the ground without a vein swelling for he had become drunken and dead drunk. When they saw him in this condition they doffed his turband and crowned him with a cap, and fringes projecting from the peak, which they had brought with them; then they arose and finding in his room a box full of raiment and ready money, they rifled all that was within it. Presently, they donned their dresses and, waiting until the door of the Wakalah was opened after the call to the morning prayer, they went

The Syrian And The Three Women. 207 their ways and the Veiler vouchsafed them protection and they left the Syrian man in his room strown as a tried toper and unknowing what the women had done with him of their wile and guile. Now when it was the undurn hour he awoke from his crapula and opening his eyes cried, "Ho my lady Never-saw-you-my-like! And ho my lady Have-you-seen-anything-like-me! And ho my lady Look-at-me-and-you-will-know-me!" But none returned to him any reply. Then he pulled himself together and glanced carefully around but his sight fell not upon anyone beside him, so he arose and went to the box in which he found not a single thing. This restored him to his right senses and he recovered from his drink and cried, "There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great: this be a judgment they have wrought for me."

Then he went forth still wearing the tall fringed cap and knowing nothing of himself and, when he had issued from his caravanserai, he cried to everyone he met in the streets, "I am seeking Have-you-seen-anything-like-me?" and the men would reply, "No, I never sighted the like of you;" and to a second he would say, "I am looking for one Never-saw-you-anything-like-me;" and the other would answer, "Indeed, I never beheld your fellow;" then he would ask a third, "Have you seen one Look-at-me-and-you-will-know-me?" and the questioned would answer, "Indeed, I have looked at you but I know you not at all." And he did not stop wandering about, bonnet on head, and everyone who met him by the way returned to him the like replies until he came upon a party of folk who were in front of a barber's booth. There he cried upon them also, "Ah! Have-you-seen-anything-like-me! And Ah! Never-saw-you-my-like! And Ah! Look-upon-me-and-you-will-know-me!" At this, understanding that he was touched in brain and this was a judgment that had been wrought upon him, they seized him and forced him into the barber's shop and bringing a mirror set it in his hands. When he looked within it he found a fool's cap upon his head, so immediately he tore it off and took thought and said to those present, "Who of you can guide me to those three women?" They said to him, "O Syrian, march off with yourself to your own land for that the folk of Egypt can play with the egg and the stone."

So he arose without hesitation and delay; then, taking what provisions was sufficient for the way and what little of fine raiment had been left to him, he quitted Cairo intending for his own country. Now the Emir hearing this tale of the Shahbandar wondered of it with extreme wonderment and said to the Gentleman, "If you have finished do you fare forth and go about your business." Accordingly he went from him still garbed in gaberdine and bonnet on head when the housemaster asked his wife, "Who of them here remains with you?" And she answered, "Have patience and I will bring you the third."

So she arose and opening another closet summoned the Flesher and taking him by the hand, whilst he was ashamed and abashed, led him till he stood before her spouse and the poor fellow availed not to raise his eyes from the ground. Presently, the husband considered him and knew him and was certified that he was Such and such the Chief Butcher and head of the craft, so he said to him, "Ho you the clever one, do you dance for us a wee and after that tell us a tale." Accordingly he stood up and clapped hands and fell to dancing and prancing till such time as he dropped down for fatigue; after which he said, "O my lord, I have by me a tale anent the craft and cunning of women." Asked the other, "And what may it be?" and the Butcher began to relate the tale of