cried out, "Ho, people of the quarter!" Now the folk were
asleep; but they awoke and asked, "What aileth thee, O Khalifah?"
Answered he, O my neighbours, I am hungry and have nothing to
eat." So one came down to him with a bannock and another with
broken meats and third with a bittock of cheese and a fourth with
a cucumber; and so on till he lap was full and he returned to his
closet and laid the whole between her hands, saying, "Eat." But
she laughed at him, saying, "How can I eat of this, when I have
not a mug of water whereof to drink? I fear to choke with a
mouthful and die." Quoth he, "I will fill thee this
pitcher."[FN#248] so he took the pitcher and going forth, stood
in the midst of the street and cried out, saying, "Ho, people of
the quarter!" Quoth they, "What calamity is upon thee to-night,
[FN#249] O Khalifah!" And he said, "Ye gave me food and I ate;
but now I am a-thirst; so give me to drink." Thereupon one came
down to him with a mug and another with an ewer and a third with
a gugglet; and he filled his pitcher and, bearing it back, said
to the damsel, "O my lady, thou lackest nothing now." Answered
she, "True, I want nothing more at this present." Quoth he,
"Speak to me and say me thy story." And quoth she, "Fie upon
thee! An thou knowest me not, I will tell thee who I am. I am
Kut al-Kulub, the Caliph's handmaiden, and the Lady Zubaydah was
jealous of me; so she drugged me with Bhang and set me in this
chest," presently adding, "Alham-dolillah--praised be God--for
that the matter hath come to easy issue and no worse! But this
befel me not save for thy good luck, for thou wilt certainly get
of the Caliph Al-Rashid money galore, that will be the means of
thine enrichment." Quoth Khalifah, "I not Al-Rashid he in whose
Palace I was imprisoned?" "Yes," answered she; and he said, "By
Allah, never saw I more niggardly wight than he, that piper