Fisherman." Quoth she, "Who brought me hither?"; and quoth he, "I
bought thee, and thou art my slave-girl." Thereupon said she, "I
see on thee a robe of the raiment of the Caliph." So he told her
all that had betided him, from first to last, and how he had
bought the chest; wherefore she knew that the Lady Zubaydah had
played her false; and she ceased not talking with him till the
morning, when she said to him, "O Khalif, seek me from some one
inkcase and reed-pen and paper and bring them to me." So he found
with one of the neighbours what she sought and brought it to her,
whereupon she wrote a letter and folded it and gave it to him,
saying, "O Khalif, take this paper and carry it to the
jewel-market, where do thou enquire for the shop of Abu al-Hasan
the jeweller and give it to him." Answered the Fisherman, "O my
lady, this name is difficult to me; I cannot remember it." And
she rejoined, "Then ask for the shop of Ibn al-'Uk b."[FN#291]
Quoth he, "O my lady, what is an 'Ukab?"; and quoth she, "'Tis a
bird which folk carry on fist with eyes hooded." And he
exclaimed, "O my lady, I know it." Then he went forth from her
and fared on, repeating the name, lest it fade from his memory;
but, by the time he reached the jewel-market, he had forgotten
it. So he accosted one of the merchants and said to him, "Is
there any here named after a bird?" Replied the merchant, "Yes,
thou meanest Ibn al-Ukab." Khalif cried, "That's the man I want,"
and making his way to him, gave him the letter, which when he
read and knew the purport thereof, he fell to kissing it and
laying it on his head; for it is said that Abu al-Hasan was the
agent of the Lady Kut al-Kulub and her intendant over all her
property in lands and houses. Now she had written to him, saying,
"From Her Highness the Lady Kut al-Kulub to Sir Abu al-Hasan the
jeweller. The instant this letter reacheth thee, set apart for us