teach thee the art of fishing: 'twill be better for thee than
trumpeting and thou wilt eat lawfully[FN#282]." Replied the
Caliph, "Teach it me so that I may see whether I am capable of
learning it." And Khalif said, "Come with me, O trumpeter." So
the Caliph followed him down to the river and took the net from
him, whilst he taught him how to throw it. Then he cast it and
drew it up, when, behold, it was heavy, and the fisherman said,
"O trumpeter, an the net be caught on one of the rocks, drag it
not too hard, or I twill break and by Allah, I will take thy
she-ass in payment thereof!" The Caliph laughed at his words and
drew up the net, little by little, till he brought it ashore and
found it full of fish; which when Khalif saw, his reason fled for
joy and presently he cried, "By Allah, O trumpeter, thy luck is
good in fishing! Never in my life will I part with thee! But now
I mean to send thee to the fish-bazar, where do thou enquire for
the shop of Humayd the fisherman and say to him, 'My master
Khalif saluteth thee and biddeth thee send him a pair of frails
and a knife, so he may bring thee more fish than yesterday.' Run
and return to me forthright!" The Caliph replied (and indeed he
was laughing), "On my head, O master!" and, mounting his mule,
rode back to Ja'afar, who said to. him, "Tell me what hath
betided thee." So the Caliph told him all that had passed between
Khalif the Fisherman and himself, from first to last, adding, "I
left him awaiting my return to him with the baskets and I am
resolved that he shall teach me how to scale fish and clean
them." Quoth Ja'afar, "And I will go with thee to sweep up the
scales and clean out the shop." And the affair abode thus, till
presently the Caliph cried, "O Ja'afar, I desire of thee that
thou despatch the young Mamelukes, saying to them, 'Whoso
bringeth me a fish from before yonder fisherman, I will give him