hundred men and a journeyman shall marry her and a spider shall
slay her.' When the journeyman heard this, he returned upon his
steps and going in to the woman, took the child from her by wile
and slit its paunch. Then he fled forth into the desert at a
venture and abode in strangerhood what [while] God willed.

He gained him wealth and returning to his native land, after
twenty years' absence, alighted in the neighbourhood of an old
woman, whom he bespoke fair and entreated with liberality,
requiring of her a wench whom he might lie withal. Quoth she, 'I
know none but a certain fair woman, who is renowned for this
fashion.'[FN#12] Then she described her charms to him and made
him lust after her, and he said, 'Hasten to her forthright and
lavish unto her that which she asketh, [in exchange for her
favours].' So the old woman betook herself to the damsel and
discovered to her the man's wishes and bade her to him; but she
answered, saying, 'It is true that I was on this [fashion of]
whoredom [aforetime]; but now I have repented to God the Most
High and hanker no more after this; nay, I desire lawful
marriage; so, if he be content with that which is lawful, I am at
his service.'

The old woman returned to the man and told him what the damsel
said; and he lusted after her, by reason of her beauty and her
repentance; so he took her to wife, and when he went in to her,
he loved her and she also loved him. On this wise they abode a
great while, till one day he questioned her of the cause of a
mark[FN#13] he espied on her body, and she said, 'I know nought
thereof save that my mother told me a marvellous thing concerning
it.' 'What was that?' asked he, and she answered, 'She avouched