people of the quarter!" Now the most part of the folk were
asleep; but they awoke at his crying and asked, "What aileth
thee, O Khalifah?" He answered, "Bring me a lamp, for the Jinn
are upon me." They laughed at him and gave him a lamp, wherewith
he returned to his closet. Then he smote the lock of the chest
with a stone and broke it and opening it, saw a damsel like a
Houri lying asleep within. Now she had been drugged with Bhang,
but at that moment she threw up the stuff and awoke; then she
opened her eyes and feeling herself confined and cramped, moved.
At this sight quoth Khalifah, "By Allah, O my lady, whence art
thou?"; and quoth she, "Bring me Jessamine, and Narcissus."
[FN#245] and Khalifah answered, "There is naught here but Henna-
flowers." [FN#246] thereupon she came to herself and considering
Khalifah, said to him, "What art thou?" presently adding, "And
where am I?" He said, "Thou art in my lodging." Asked she, "Am
I not in the Palace of the Caliph Harun al-Rashid?" And quoth
he, "What manner of thing is Al-Rashid? [FN#247] O madwoman,
Thou art naught but my slave-girl: I bought thee this very day
for an hundred dinars and one dinar, and brought thee home, and
thou wast asleep in this here chest." When she had heard these
words she said to him, "What is thy name?" Said he, "My name is
Khalifah. How comes my star to have grown propitious, when I
know my ascendant to have been otherwise?" She laughed and
cried, "Spare me this talk! Hast thou anything to eat?" Replied
he, "No, by Allah, nor yet to drink! I have not eaten these two
days, and am now in want of a morsel." She asked, "Hast thou no
money?"; and he said, "Allah keep this chest which hath beggared
me: I gave all I had for it and am become bankrupt." The damsel
laughed at him and said, "Up with thee and seek of thy neighbours
somewhat for me to eat, for I am hungry." So he went forth and