to the Hammam-bath, and when he returned, she clad him in a dress
worth a thousand dinars and taught him manners and respectful
bearing to superiors. Then said she to him, "Go hence to the
Caliph and say to him, 'O Commander of the Faithful, 'tis my
desire that this night thou deign be my guest.'" So Khalif arose
and mounting his she-mule, rode, with pages and black slaves
before him, till he came to the Palace of the Caliphate. Quoth
the wise, "Dress up a stick and 'twill look chique."[FN#296] And
indeed his comeliness was manifest and his goodliness and the
folk marvelled at this. Presently, the Chief Eunuch saw him, the
same who had given him the hundred dinars that had been the cause
of his good fortune; so he went in to the Caliph and said to him,
"O Commander of the Faithful, Khalif the Fisherman is become a
King, and on him is a robe of honour worth a thousand dinars."
The Prince of True Believers bade admit him; so he entered and
said, "Peace be with thee, O Commander of the Faithful and
Vice-regent of the Lord of the three Worlds and Defender of the
folk of the Faith! Allah Almighty prolong thy days and honour thy
dominion and exalt thy degree to the highmost height!" The Caliph
looked at him and marvelled at him and how fortune had come to
him at unawares; then he said to him, "O Khalif, whence hadst
thou that robe which is upon thee?" He replied, "O Commander of
the Faithful, it cometh from my house." Quoth the Caliph, "Hast
thou then a house?"; and quoth Khalif, "Yea, verily! and thou, O
Commander of the Faithful, art my guest this day." Al-Rashid
said, "I alone, O Khalif, or I and those who are with me?"; and
he replied, "Thou and whom thou wilt." So Ja'afar turned to him
and said, "We will be thy guests this night;" whereupon he kissed
ground again and withdrawing, mounted his mule and rode off,
attended by his servants and suite of Mamelukes leaving the