good humor, took the hundred ducats and the Caliph's one dinar
and went his way, and forgot the beating. Now, as Allah willed
it for the furthering of that which He had decreed, he passed by
the mart of the hand-maidens and seeing there a mighty ring where
many folks were foregathering, said to himself, "What is this
crowd?" So he brake through the merchants and others, who said,
"Make wide for the Skipper Rapscallion, [FN#244] and let him
pass." Then he looked and behold, he saw a chest, with an eunuch
seated thereon and an old man standing by it, and the Shaykh was
crying, "O merchants, O men of money, who will hasten and hazard
his coin for this chest of unknown contents from the Palace of
the Lady Zubaydah bint al-Kasim, wife of the Commander of the
Faithful? How much shall I say for you, Allah bless you all!"
Quoth one of the merchants, "By Allah, this is a risk! But I
will say one word and no blame to me. Be it mine for twenty
dinars." Quoth another, "Fifty," and they went on bidding, one
against other, till the price reached an hundred ducats. Then
said the crier, "Will any of you bid more, O merchants?" And
Khalifah the Fisherman said, "Be it mine for an hundred ducats
and one dinar." The merchants, hearing these words, thought he
was jesting and laughed at him, saying, "O eunuch sell it to
Khalifah for an hundred ducats and one dinar!" Quoth the eunuch,
"By Allah, I will sell it to none but him! Take it, O Fisherman,
the Lord bless thee in it, and here with thy gold." So Khalifah
pulled out the ducats and gave them to the eunuch, who, the
bargain being duly made, delivered to him the chest and bestowed
the price in alms on the spot; after which he returned to the
Palace and acquainted the Lady Zubaydah with what he had done,
whereat she rejoiced. Meanwhile the Fisherman hove the chest on
shoulder, but could not carry it on this wise for the excess of