a great while, till one day he espied a spider on the ceiling and
beat it down. When his wife saw it, she said, 'This is that which
the wise woman avouched would kill me; so, by thy life [I conjure
thee], suffer me to slay it with mine own hand.' Her husband
forbade her from this, but she conjured him to let her kill the
spider; then, of her fear and her eagerness, she took a piece of
wood and smote it. The wood broke in sunder, of the force of the
blow, and a splinter from it entered her hand and wrought upon
it, so that it swelled. Then her arm swelled also and the
swelling spread to her side and thence grew till it reached her
heart and she died. Nor," added the vizier, "is this more
extraordinary or more wonderful than the story of the weaver who
became a physician by his wife's commandment."

When the king heard this, his admiration redoubled and he said,
"Of a truth, destiny is forewritten to all creatures, and I will
not accept[FN#14] aught that is said against my vizier the loyal
counsellor." And he bade him go to his house.

The Twentieth Night of the Month.

When the evening evened, the king let call his vizier and he
presented himself before him, whereupon he required of him the
hearing of the [promised] story. So he said, "Hearkening and
obedience. Know, O king. that