About that time the Persian, perceiving that the room was lit by only one miserable¹ tallow（牛脂，兽脂） candle, asked Scheih Ibrahim to light some of the beautiful candles in the silver arms. 

 

"Light them yourself," answered the old man; "you are younger than I, but let five or six be enough." 

 

She did not stop, however, till she had lit all the eighty, but Scheih Ibrahim was not conscious of this, and when, soon after that, Noureddin proposed to have some of the lustres（光泽） lit, he answered: 

 

"You are more capable of lighting² them than I, but not more than three." 

 

Noureddin, far from contenting himself with three, lit all, and opened all the eighty windows. 

 

The Caliph Haroun-al-Raschid, chancing at that moment to open a window in the saloon of his palace looking on the garden, was surprised to see the pavilion（阁，亭子） brilliantly illuminated³. Calling the grand-vizir, Giafar, he said to him: 

 

"Negligent⁴ vizir, look at the pavilion, and tell me why it is lit up when I am not there." 

 

When the vizir（元老） saw that it was as the Caliph said, he trembled with fear, and immediately invented an excuse. 

 

"Commander of the Faithful," he said, "I must tell you that four or five days ago Scheih Ibrahim told me that he wished to have an assembly of the ministers of his mosque⁵, and asked permission to hold it in the pavilion. I granted his request, but forgot since to mention it to your Majesty⁶." 

 

"Giafar," replied the Caliph, "you have committed three faults-- first, in giving the permission; second, in not mentioning it to me; and third, in not investigating the matter more closely. For punishment I condemn⁷ you to spend the rest of the night with me in company of these worthy⁸ people. While I dress myself as a citizen, go and disguise yourself, and then come with me." 

 

When they reached the garden gate they found it open, to the great indignation of the Caliph. The door of the pavilion being also open, he went softly upstairs, and looked in at the half-closed door of the saloon. Great was his surprise to see Scheih Ibrahim, whose sobriety he had never doubted, drinking and singing with a young man and a beautiful lady. The Caliph, before giving way to his anger, determined⁹ to watch and see who the people were and what they did. 

 

Presently Scheih Ibrahim asked the beautiful Persian if anything were wanting to complete her enjoyment¹⁰ of the evening. 

 

"If only," she said, "I had an instrument upon which I might play." 

 

Scheih Ibrahim immediately took a lute¹¹ from a cup-board and gave it to the Persian, who began to play on it, singing the while with such skill and taste that the Caliph was enchanted¹². When she ceased he went softly downstairs and said to the vizir: 

 

"Never have I heard a finer voice, nor the lute better played. I am determined to go in and make her play to me." 

 

"Commander of the Faithful," said the vizir, "if Scheih Ibrahim recognises you he will die of fright." 

 

"I should be sorry for that," answered the Caliph, "and I am going to take steps to prevent it. Wait here till I return." 

 

Now the Caliph had caused a bend in the river to form a lake in his garden. There the finest fish in the Tigris were to be found, but fishing was strictly¹³ forbidden. It happened that night, however, that a fisherman had taken advantage of the gate being open to go in and cast his nets. He was just about to draw them when he saw the Caliph approaching. Recognising him at once in spite of his disguise, he threw himself at his feet imploring¹⁴ forgiveness. 

 

"Fear nothing," said the Caliph, "only rise up and draw thy nets." 

 

The fisherman did as he was told, and produced five or six fine fish, of which the Caliph took the two largest. Then he desired the fisherman to change clothes with him, and in a few minutes the Caliph was transformed into a fisherman, even to the shoes and the turban. Taking the two fish in his hand, he returned to the vizir, who, not recognising him, would have sent him about his business. Leaving the vizir at the foot of the stairs, the Caliph went up and knocked at the door of the saloon. Noureddin opened it, and the Caliph, standing¹⁵ on the threshold, said: 

 

"Scheih Ibrahim, I am the fisher Kerim. Seeing that you are feasting with your friends, I bring you these fish." 

 

Noureddin and the Persian said that when the fishes were properly cooked and dressed they would gladly eat of them. The Caliph then returned to the vizir, and they set to work in Scheih Ibrahim's house to cook the fish, of which they made so tempting¹⁶ a dish that Noureddin and the fair Persian ate of it with great relish¹⁷. When they had finished Noureddin took thirty gold pieces (all that remained of what Sangiar had given him) and presented them to the Caliph, who, thanking him, asked as a further favour if the lady would play him one piece on the lute. The Persian gladly consented, and sang and played so as to delight the Caliph. 

 

Noureddin, in the habit of giving to others whatever they admired, said, "Fisherman, as she pleases you so much, take her; she is yours." 

 

The fair Persian, astounded¹⁸ that he should wish to part from her, took her lute, and with tears in her eyes sang her reproaches to its music. 

 

The Caliph (still in the character of fisherman) said to him, "Sir, I perceive that this fair lady is your slave. Oblige me, I beg you, by relating your history." 

 

Noureddin willingly granted this request, and recounted everything from the purchase of the slave down to the present moment. 

 

"And where do you go now?" asked the Caliph. 

 

"Wherever the hand of Allah leads me," said Noureddin. 

 

"Then, if you will listen to me," said the Caliph, "you will immediately return to Balsora. I will give you a letter to the king, which will ensure you a good reception from him." 

 

"It is an unheard-of thing," said Noureddin, "that a fisherman should be in correspondence with a king." 

 

"Let not that astonish you," answered the Caliph; "we studied together, and have always remained the best of friends, though fortune, while making him a king, left me a humble¹⁹ fisherman." 

 

The Caliph then took a sheet of paper, and wrote the following letter, at the top of which he put in very small characters this formula to show that he must be implicitly²⁰ obeyed:--"In the name of the Most Merciful God. 

 

"Letter of the Caliph Haroun-al-Raschid to the King of Balsora. 

 

"Haroun-al-Raschid, son of Mahdi, sends this letter to Mohammed Zinebi, his cousin. As soon as Noureddin, son of the Vizir Khacan, bearer of this letter, has given it to thee, and thou hast read it, take off thy royal mantle²¹, put it on his shoulders, and seat him in thy place without fail. Farewell." 

 

The Caliph then gave this letter to Noureddin, who immediately set off, with only what little money he possessed²² when Sangiar came to his assistance. The beautiful Persian, inconsolable at his departure, sank on a sofa bathed in tears. 

 

When Noureddin had left the room, Scheih Ibrahim, who had hitherto kept silence, said: "Kerim, for two miserable fish thou hast received a purse and a slave. I tell thee I will take the slave, and as to the purse, if it contains silver thou mayst keep one piece, if gold then I will take all and give thee what copper²³ pieces I have in my purse."

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