and lay down, but slept not that night for suspicion and trouble
and anxious thought. On the morrow, he fared forth of his lodging
on fishing intent and, betaking himself to the river, went down
into the water, up to his knees. Then he threw the net and shook
it with might and main; whereupon the purse fell down into the
stream. So he tore off gown and turband and plunged in after it,
saying, "There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah,
the Glorious, the Great!" Nor did he give over diving and
searching the stream-bed, till the day was half spent, but found
not the purse. Now one saw him from afar diving and plunging and
his gown and turband lying in the sun at a distance from him,
with no one by them; so he watched him, till he dived again when
he dashed at the clothes and made off with them. Presently,
Khalif came ashore and, missing his gown and turband, was
chagrined for their loss with passing cark and care and ascended
a mound, to look for some passer-by, of whom he might enquire
concerning them, but found none. Now the Caliph Harun al-Rashid
had gone a-hunting and chasing that day; and, returning at the
time of the noon heat, was oppressed thereby and thirsted; so he
looked for water from afar and seeing a naked man standing on the
mound said to Ja'afar, "Seest thou what I see?" Replied the
Wazir, "Yes, O Commander of the Faithful; I see a man standing on
a hillock." Al-Rashid asked, "What is he?"; and Ja'afar answered,
"Haply he is the guardian of a cucumber-plot." Quoth the Caliph,
"Perhaps he is a pious man[FN#279]; I would fain go to him,
alone, and desire of him his prayers; and abide ye where you
are." So he went up to Khalif and saluting him with the salam
said to him, "What art thou, O man?" Replied the fisherman, "Dost
thou not know me? I am Khalif the Fisherman;" and the Caliph
rejoined, "What? The Fisherman with the woollen gown and the