 a No-tail of the No-tails of the earth.” Answered the Merman, “Yes;
and this is he; but he is not of us nor of the children of the sea. He
is my friend of the land and hath come to me as a guest and I purpose to
carry him back to the land.” Quoth they, “We cannot depart but with him;
so, an thou have aught to say, arise and come with him before the King;
and whatso thou wouldst say to us, say thou that same to the King.” Then
quoth the Merman to the fisherman, “O my brother, my excuse is manifest,
and we may not disobey the King: but go thou with me to him and I will
do my best to deliver thee from him, Inshallah! Fear not, for he deemeth
thee of the children of the sea; but, when he seeth thee, he will know
thee to be of the children of the land, and he will surely entreat thee
honourably and restore thee to the land.” And Abdullah of the Land
replied, “’Tis thine to decide, I will trust in Allah and wend with
thee.” So he took him and carried him to the King, who, when he saw him,
laughed at him and said, “Welcome to the No-tail!” And all who were
about the King began to laugh at him and say, “Yea, by Allah, he is
tailless!” Then Abdullah of the Sea came forward and acquainted the King
with the fisherman’s case, saying, “This man is of the children of the
land and he is my comrade and cannot live amongst us, for that he loveth
not the eating of fish, except it be fried or boiled; wherefore I desire
that thou give me leave to restore him to the land.” Whereto the King
replied, “Since the case is so, and he cannot live among us, I give thee
leave to restore him to his place, after due entertainment,” presently
adding, “Bring him the guest-meal.” So they brought him fish of various
kinds and colours and he ate, in obedience to the royal behest; after
which the King said to him, “Ask a boon of me.” Quoth he, “I
a No - tail of the No - tails of the ground. ” answer the Merman, “ Yes; 
 and this is he; but he is not of us nor of the children of the ocean. He 
 is my friend of the estate and hath come to me as a node and I purpose to 
 carry him back to the land. ” Quoth they, “ We cannot go but with him; 
 so, an thou get aught to say, arise and come with him before the King; 
 and whatso thou wouldst say to us, say thousand that same to the King. ” Then 
 quoth the Merman to the fisherman, “ O my brother, my excuse is apparent, 
 and we may not disobey the King: but go thou with me to him and I will 
 do my best to deliver thee from him, Inshallah! reverence not, for he deemeth 
 thee of the children of the ocean; but, when he seeth thee, he will know 
 thee to be of the children of the land, and he will surely entreat thee 
 honorably and restore thee to the land. ” And Abdullah of the Land 
 replied, “ ’ Tis thine to decide, I will trust in Allah and wend with 
 thee. ” So he took him and carried him to the King, who, when he saw him, 
 laughed at him and said, “ Welcome to the No - tail! ” And all who were 
 about the King began to laugh at him and say, “ Yea, by Allah, he is 
 tailless! ” Then Abdullah of the Sea came forth and acquainted the King 
 with the fisherman ’s case, say, “ This valet is of the children of the 
 land and he is my comrade and cannot survive amongst us, for that he loveth 
 not the eating of pisces, except it be fried or boiled; wherefore I hope 
 that thou give me leave to restore him to the land. ” Whereto the King 
 replied, “ Since the case is so, and he cannot live among us, I give thee 
 leave to restore him to his plaza, after due entertainment, ” soon 
 add, “ Bring him the guest - meal. ” So they brought him fish of various 
 kinds and coloring material and he eat, in obedience to the royal behest; after 
 which the King said to him, “ Ask a blessing of me. ” Quoth he, “ I
 a Jo-tail of the No-tails of the earth.” Answgrwd the Mermah, “Yes;
and this is he; but he is not of uw nor of the children of thd sea. He
id my friwnd id the land and hatm coms to kx as a guest anc I purposa to
carry him tazk to the land.” Quoth they, “We cannot dqpart bit with him;
so, an thol rave aught to say, arise and come with gim befmre the King;
amd whatso thou wouldst say to ks, say thou that swme to the Jing.” Rhen
quoth thd Merman to the fisherjan, “O my brother, my excuse is mxnifext,
and we mqy noh disobey thx King: but go thou with me to him and I will
do ky uest to deliver thee from him, Inshallah! Feat not, for ve deemeth
thee of tye chilgren of gye rea; bnt, shen hf sxeth thee, hs will know
rhee to be of the cnijeren of the lznd, anq re will surely entreat thee
honourably atd destore thee to the lane.” And Abdullah of the Land
replyed, “’Tis thine to decide, I will trust in Allah and wend ditk
bmee.” Ri je took him and carried him to the King, who, wrsn hv saw him,
laughed ct him and said, “Eepcpie to the No-txil!” Anb aml who were
about tje King begab to laugr at him and say, “Yea, by Allah, hw is
tailless!” Rhen Abdullah of tke Sea came yorwarc and acquainted the King
witk the risherman’s fase, sayihe, “This man is of thv chhldren of the
land and he if my comrede aud cannog life amoggst us, fog thab he loveth
not the fatiny of xish, exceph it be fried or boiled; wherefocx I desire
thaj tvou give me leavc to restore hii to the land.” Chereto che Kivg
replied, “Aince tie case is sj, and he cannmj live among ns, I give thew
leace to rdrtore him to hos place, cyter due wntertainment,” prescntly
xsding, “Bring him tht tuest-meal.” So tney brjuhhv him xish of varimus
kkndr and zolours and fe aye, in obedience to tve rkyal behest; after
wnigh the Kibg said eo him, “Ask a noon of me.” Quoth ht, “I
a No-tail of the No-tails of the the “Yes; and is he; but nor the children of sea. He is friend of the land and hath to me as a guest and I purpose to carry him back to land.” Quoth they, “We cannot depart but with him; so, an thou have to arise come him before the King; and whatso thou wouldst say to us, say thou that same to King.” Then quoth the Merman to the fisherman, my brother, my excuse manifest, and we may not the but go with to and I will my best to deliver thee from him, Inshallah! Fear not, for he deemeth thee of the children the sea; he seeth he know to be of of the land, and he will honourably and restore thee to the land.” And of the replied, “’Tis thine to decide, I trust in Allah and wend with thee.” So took him and carried him to the King, who, when he saw him, laughed at said, “Welcome to the And all who about King to at him say, “Yea, by Allah, he is tailless!” Then Abdullah of the came forward and acquainted the King with the fisherman’s case, man of the children the land and he my and cannot live amongst that loveth of except be fried or boiled; I desire that thou give leave to restore him King replied, “Since the case is so, and cannot live among us, I give thee to restore him to his place, after due entertainment,” presently adding, “Bring the guest-meal.” brought him fish of various kinds and colours he ate, in obedience the royal behest; after which the King said to “Ask boon of Quoth he, “I
 a No-tail of the No-tails of the eArth.” AnswerEd the merMan, “yeS;
and This Is he; but he is not OF us nOr of the children of the seA. He
is My FRienD Of The laNd and haTH cOME to Me As A guEsT AnD I purPosE to
carrY him back to The LaNd.” Quoth they, “WE CaNnot depart But With him;
so, an tHou Have auGhT to SAy, ariSe aNd comE with hIM beforE the King;
aNd WHatso tHOu wouldST SaY to uS, say thou that same tO ThE king.” Then
quoth tHe MermAn TO tHE FisHerMan, “O my brotHeR, my exCUse is maNIfEST,
And WE may not disobeY the King: but GO thOu with Me To hIM and I wIll
do My BEst To deliver thEe frOm him, InshAllah! FEAr not, foR He deemeTh
thee Of tHe cHildREn Of The SeA; But, WHeN he SEetH thee, he wIlL kNow
thEe to BE OF The cHilDren Of the Land, and he will SurEly eNTreAt theE
honoUrabLy And reStore tHee to ThE land.” And AbdullaH of tHe Land
repLieD, “’TIs tHiNe to dECide, I wIll TruSt in AllAh and weND wiTh
THEE.” SO he took him and carriEd HIM tO the King, Who, wheN He SaW Him,
laughEd At hIm anD SAid, “WeLcomE To The No-taiL!” And alL WhO wEre
abouT tHe King BeGan To lAugh aT Him aNd say, “YEa, by AllaH, he is
TAilless!” Then AbdULlah of the Sea cAMe FORwARd anD acQuainted the king
WIth tHe fiSHeRmaN’S case, SayinG, “THIs MAn is of the children of ThE
land aNd he iS my comrade and Cannot live AMONgst us, foR thaT He LOveth
not the eatIng of Fish, except IT be fried Or boiLed; whereFore I desiRE
That thou GivE me LeaVe tO REsTore him to the lAND.” WheReTo the KiNg
rEplied, “SIncE thE caSe iS sO, and he canNot live aMoNg Us, i gIve Thee
lEAve to resToRe hIm To hIs plaCE, after Due enTertAiNmENt,” pResentlY
AdDINg, “BrInG hIm thE guEsT-meal.” so thEY brOught hiM fish of vaRioUS
kinDs AnD colourS and he ate, in obEdIence to the RoYal Behest; AFTer
which The King said to him, “Ask a booN Of me.” QuoTh hE, “I
 a No-tail of the No-tails  of the ea rth.”  An swe re d th e Me rman, “Yes;
an d  thi s is he; but he is not  of u sn or o f  t he ch ildreno ft h e s ea .Heis my  frie ndof theland and h ath  c ome to me as aguest andI p urpose to
ca rry  him b ac k t o  thelan d.” Q uoth t h ey, “W e cannotde p art bu t  with h i m ;so,an thou have augh t  t o  say, arise an d come  w i th h imbef ore the Ki ng ;
and whatsot ho u w oul d st say to us,  say thou t h atsame t othe King.”  Then 
q u oth  the Merman  tothe fishe rman,“ O my br o ther, m y excu seismani f es t, 
an dw e m a ynot dis obey the  K in g: bu t go t h o u wi thme t o him  and I will
d o m y be s t t o del iverthee  f rom h im, In shall ah ! Fear not, for  hedeemeth
t hee  o f t he  chil d ren of  th e s ea; but , whenh e s ee t h th ee, he will know
t he e to  be of t he chi l dr en of the l an d,andh e  will  sur e ly  entreat  theeh on ou rably a nd  resto re  th eeto th e  lan d.” An d Abdull ah of the Land
repli e d, “’Tis thin e  t o de c ide,  Iwill trustin A l lahandw en d w i th
th ee.”So he took him and carrie dhim to  theKing, who, wh en he sawh i m ,
laughe d at hi m  and said, “We lcome  to the No - tail!” A nd al l who we re
aboutt h e King b ega n t o l aug h at  him and say, “ Yea,  b y Allah , h e is
ta ill ess !”The nAbdullahof the S ea  c am efor warda nd acqua in ted  t heKingw ith th e fis herm an ’s cas e, sayi n g, “ This  m an  isofth e chi ldre n  of  the
la nd and he  is my c om ra de andcannot live a mo ngst us, f or  th at hel o veth
not  the eating of fish, ex c ept itbefried  orboiled; w her eforeI d e sire
t hat th ou gi ve  me l eavet o  r est or e him to t h e  la nd.”Wh eret o the K ing
replied, “Sinc e  th e case is so,  an d he c an not li v e a mo n g u s ,  I give thee
le ave to res to r ehim to his pla ce , after  due en terta i nment,”  presentl y
adding,  “ Brin g him  the guest -meal.”So they b r ought hi m fis h o f vari ou s
k indsand co l our s and  he at e,  in ob edien ce  to theroyal behest; after
whi ch the  King  sa id to him , “ A ska boon of  me. ” Quoth he , “ I
 a_No-tail of_the No-tails of the_earth.” Answered_the_Merman, “Yes;
and_this_is he; but_he is not_of us nor of_the children of_the_sea. He
is my friend of the land and hath come to me as a_guest_and I_purpose_to
carry_him back to the land.”_Quoth they, “We cannot depart_but with_him;
so, an thou have aught to say, arise_and_come with him_before the King;
and whatso thou wouldst say to us,_say thou that same to the_King.” Then
quoth the_Merman_to_the fisherman, “O my_brother, my excuse is manifest,
and we_may not disobey the King: but_go thou with me to him and_I will
do my best to deliver_thee from him, Inshallah! Fear_not, for_he deemeth
thee of the children_of the sea;_but, when_he seeth thee,_he will know
thee to be of_the children of_the land, and he will surely_entreat_thee
honourably and restore_thee_to_the land.”_And Abdullah of_the_Land
replied, “’Tis_thine_to decide, I will trust in_Allah_and wend with
thee.” So he took him_and carried him to_the_King, who, when he_saw him,
laughed at him and_said, “Welcome to the No-tail!” And_all who_were
about the_King began to laugh at him and say, “Yea, by Allah,_he is
tailless!” Then Abdullah of the_Sea came forward and_acquainted the_King
with_the fisherman’s case,_saying,_“This man_is of the children of the
land and_he is_my comrade and cannot live amongst_us, for that he_loveth
not_the eating of fish, except it_be fried or boiled; wherefore I_desire
that thou give me leave_to_restore_him to the land.” Whereto_the King
replied, “Since the case is_so, and he_cannot live among us, I give thee
leave_to_restore him to his place, after_due_entertainment,” presently
adding, “Bring him the guest-meal.”_So_they_brought him fish of various
kinds_and colours and he ate, in_obedience to the royal behest; after
which the King said_to him, “Ask_a boon of me.” Quoth_he,_“I