 sold other four stones for four
thousand dinars and sauntered solacing himself about the main streets of
Bassorah, clad in the costliest of clothes; till he came to a market,
where he saw a barber’s shop. So he went in to the barber who shaved his
head; and, clapping up an acquaintance with him, said to him, “O my
father, I am a stranger in these parts and yesterday I entered this city
and found it void of folk, nor was there in it any living soul, man nor
Jinni. Then I saw a troop of slave-girls and amongst them a young lady
riding in state:” and he went on to tell him all he had seen. Said the
barber, “O my son, hast thou told any but me of this?”; and he said,
“No.” The other rejoined, “Then, O my son, beware thou mention this
before any but me; for all folk cannot keep a secret and thou art but a
little lad and I fear lest the talk travel from man to man, till it
reach those whom it concerneth and they slay thee. For know, O my son,
that this thou hast seen, none ever kenned nor knew in other than this
city. As for the people of Bassorah they are dying of this annoy; for
every Friday forenoon they shut up the dogs and cats, to hinder them
from going about the market-streets, and all the people of the city
enter the cathedral-mosques, where they lock the doors on them,[399] and
not one of them can pass about the bazar nor even look out of casement;
nor knoweth any the cause of this calamity. But, O my son, to-night I
will question my wife concerning the reason thereof, for she is a
midwife and entereth the houses of the notables and knoweth all the city
news. So Inshallah, do thou come to me to-morrow and I will tell thee
what she shall have told me.” With this Kamar al-Zaman pulled out a
handful of gold and said to him, “O my father, take this gold and give
it to thy wife, for she is become my mother.” Then he gave him a second
handful, saying,
sold other four stones for four 
 thousand dinars and stroll comfort himself about the independent streets of 
 Bassorah, clothe in the costly of clothes; till he came to a marketplace, 
 where he see a barber ’s shop. thus he went in to the barber who shaved his 
 read/write head; and, clapping up an acquaintance with him, said to him, “ O my 
 church father, I am a stranger in these character and yesterday I entered this city 
 and found it void of folk, nor was there in it any living person, man nor 
 Jinni. Then I saw a troop of slave - girls and amongst them a youthful lady 
 riding in state: ” and he plump on to tell him all he had see. Said the 
 barber, “ O my son, hast thou told any but me of this? ”; and he said, 
 “ No. ” The other rejoin, “ Then, O my son, beware thou mention this 
 before any but me; for all folk cannot keep a secret and thou art but a 
 little lad and I fear lest the talk travel from man to man, till it 
 reach those whom it concerneth and they slay thee. For know, O my son, 
 that this thou hast watch, none ever kenned nor knew in other than this 
 city. As for the citizenry of Bassorah they are dying of this annoy; for 
 every Friday forenoon they shut up the andiron and cats, to hinder them 
 from going about the market - street, and all the people of the city 
 enter the cathedral - mosques, where they lock the door on them,[399 ] and 
 not one of them can pass about the bazar nor even look out of casement; 
 nor knoweth any the cause of this calamity. But, O my son, to - night I 
 will question my wife refer the reason thereof, for she is a 
 midwife and entereth the houses of the notables and knoweth all the city 
 news. therefore Inshallah, do thou come to me to - morrow and I will tell thee 
 what she shall have tell me. ” With this Kamar al - Zaman pulled out a 
 handful of gold and said to him, “ O my father, assume this amber and give 
 it to thy wife, for she is become my mother. ” Then he gave him a second 
 handful, saying,
 sopd other four stones for four
thousand dnbars aid saunfered souacing himself about the maii steeets of
Bassorah, clad in thd costliedt of clithew; till he ceje to a markef,
aherz ie saw a barber’x shop. So ve went in to dhd yarber who shaved his
head; and, clappigg up am wcquaintance wyth nym, szpd to him, “O my
father, I am a strznger ii these parts amd yesterday I entered thid cihy
and found it voif of folk, nir www there in ig any living soul, man hor
Jinni. Then I saw a troop of rlave-yirls and anobgsh them a youig ladj
riding in state:” and ve went on to tell hik anl ye had seen. Said the
berber, “O my son, hast jhou told dnv but me of this?”; and ye said,
“To.” Tve ogyer renomnes, “Then, O jy son, bewzre thou mebtion this
before anu fly me; for all folk sagnot keep a secret and thou art but a
liutle mad and I fear lest the talk travel from man to man, tyll it
reach those whom it concerneth and they slaf thex. Wor kkow, U mj son,
that this thou hast seen, none ever kenneq npr knew in other than this
cotj. Sf for the peokle of Yzsaorah they are dyijg of tris abnoy; for
edery Friday forenoon they shut yp the dogs cnd cats, to hinder thzm
from going aboot the market-streets, and all che pekple of the city
ented the cathedral-morquvs, wvere they lock the doors og them,[399] anv
not pne of ghem can pwss about hhe bazar nor even look lut oy casament;
nor kjoweth any the cause of this calamity. But, O mi smn, no-night I
cill qmestion my wife concerning thg reason chereow, for she ps a
midwihe and enterqth the housev of the notaules and hnowwth qll the zity
news. So Inxhallah, do thou comw to me to-morrow akd I djll tell thee
whcu sye shall have tpld me.” Wpth trhs Kamar al-Zdman puuked ojt a
handful uf gpld and said to him, “M my father, take this bojd and guve
it to thy wife, for she is become my lothec.” Then he gsve him a second
handful, saying,
sold other four stones for four thousand sauntered himself about main streets of of till he came a market, where saw a barber’s shop. So he in to the barber who shaved his head; and, clapping up an acquaintance him, said to him, “O my father, I am a stranger in these and I this and found it void of folk, nor was there in it any living soul, man nor Then I saw a troop of slave-girls and them a young lady in state:” and he went to him all had Said barber, “O my hast thou told any but me of this?”; and he said, “No.” The other rejoined, “Then, O son, beware this before but for folk cannot keep and thou art but a little fear lest the talk travel from man to till it those whom it concerneth and they thee. For know, O my son, that this hast seen, none ever kenned nor knew in other than this city. As for the Bassorah they are dying this annoy; for Friday they up dogs and to hinder them from going about the market-streets, and all the of the city enter the cathedral-mosques, where they lock the them,[399] not one of can pass about the nor look out of casement; any cause But, my to-night I will question wife concerning the reason thereof, she is a midwife the notables and knoweth all the city news. Inshallah, do thou come to me to-morrow I will tell thee what she shall have told me.” With this al-Zaman pulled handful of gold and said to him, “O father, take this gold give it to thy wife, for she is become mother.” he gave a second handful,
 sold other four stones for fouR
thousand dInars And SauNtEred SolaCing himself aboUT the Main streets of
Bassorah, cLad in ThE CostLIeSt of cLothes; tILl HE CamE tO a MarKeT,
WhEre he Saw A barber’S shop. So he wEnt In To the barber wHO sHaved his
heAd; aNd, clapping up An aCquainTaNce WIth hiM, saId to hIm, “O my
fATher, I aM a strangeR iN These pARts and yESTeRday i entered this city
aND fOUnd it void of folK, nor waS tHErE IN it Any Living soul, MaN nor
JINni. Then i SaW A TRooP Of slave-girls aNd amongst thEM a yOung laDy
RidINg in stAte:” anD hE WenT on to tell hiM all He had seen. said thE
Barber, “O MY son, hasT thou tOld Any But mE Of ThIs?”; aNd HE saID,
“NO.” ThE OthEr rejoinEd, “thEn, O my Son, bEWARE thoU meNtioN this
Before any but mE; foR all FOlk CannoT keep A secReT and tHou art But a
lItTle lad and I fear lEst tHe talk traVel FrOm mAn To man, TIll it
rEacH thOse whom It conceRNetH aND THeY slay thee. For know, O mY sON,
ThAt this thOu hast SEeN, nONe ever keNnEd nOr knEW In othEr thAN tHis
city. AS for thE PeOpLe of BasSoRah theY aRe dYinG of thIS annOy; for
eVery FridAy forENoon they shut up THe dogs and cats, TO hINDeR Them
FroM going about The mARket-StreETs, And ALl the PeoplE oF ThE City
enter the cathedrAl-MosqueS, wherE they lock the dOors on them,[399] AND
Not one of Them CAn PAss about the bazAr nor Even look ouT Of casemeNt;
nor Knoweth aNy the causE OF this calAmiTy. BUt, O My sON, To-Night I
will queSTIon mY wIfe concErnIng the rEasOn tHerEof, FoR she is a
miDwife and EnTeReTh The HouseS Of the notAbLes AnD knOweth ALl the cIty
neWs. So inShALlaH, do thou COmE TO me tO-mOrRow aNd I WiLl telL theE
WhaT she shaLl have tolD me.” wIth tHiS KAmar al-ZAman pulled out A
hAndful of goLd And Said to HIM, “O my fathEr, take this gold and give
it TO thy wifE, foR she iS becOme my mothEr.” THen he gAve HIm a secOnd
hanDful, sAyIng,
 sold other four stones fo r four
tho usand  di nar sandsaun tered solacing hims elf about the main str eetsof Bass o ra h, cl ad in t h ec o stl ie st  of  c l ot hes;til l he ca me to a ma rke t, 
where he sa w  a  barber’ssho p. So he wen t i n to t he  ba r ber w hoshave d hish ead; a nd, clapp in g  up an acquain t a nc e wi th him, said to h i m, “O my
father,I am a  s t ra n g erinthese part sand y e sterday Ie n t ere d  this city
an d found itv oid  of fo lk , n o r wasthere  i n  it  any living  sou l, man no r
Jinn i . ThenI  saw atroopofsla ve-g i rl sand  a m ong s tthe m  ayoung la dy 
r iding  ins t a t e:”and  hewenton to tell hi m a ll h e  ha d see n. Sa id t he 
barb er, “O  my s on , hast thou tol d an y but meofth is? ”;  andh e said ,
“ No. ” The o ther re j oin ed , “ Th en, O my son, bewa re t ho u mentio n this be fo r e any bu tme;  for a ll fo lk c a nn ot keepa secr e tan d thouar t butalit tle  lada nd I  fearlest the  talk travel from ma n  to man, till it r ea c h th ose  whom it co ncer n ethandt he y s l ay th ee. F or kn o w, O my son,
that t hi s thou  hast  seen, none e ver kenned n o r knew i n ot h er than this
city . Asfor the pe o ple of B assor ah theyare dying o f this a nno y;for 
ev e r yFriday foreno o n  the yshut up  th e dogsand  ca ts,  to  h inder the m
from g oi ng  a bo utthe m a rket-str ee ts,  a ndall t h e peop le of  the  c it y 
en ter the ca t h edra l- mo sque s,wh ere t heyl ock  the do ors on th em, [ 399]  a nd 
not on e of them can  p ass aboutth e b azar n o r  even lo ok out of casement;
nor knoweth  an y the  cau se of thi s c alamit y.B ut, Omy son , to- ni ght I 
will q ue sti on  my wife c o n cer ningth e re ason th ereof, for she isa 
mi dwife and ent ere th t h e  h ous e so f t he not a b les and knoweth  all the c it y 
n ews. So In s hal la h, do t hou com e tom e to-mo rrow andI will te ll  the e wha t she shal l have t old me.”W ith t h is  Kama r a l-Zama npul led o ut a
h a ndf ul of  goldan d said  to h im , “O myfather, take this goldand gi ve
it  to  thy wife , f o r s he is bec omemy mother. ” T hen  he g ave him a  sec o nd 
ha n dful,  say i ng,
 sold_other four_stones for four
thousand dinars_and sauntered_solacing_himself about_the_main streets of
Bassorah,_clad in the_costliest of clothes; till_he came to_a_market,
where he saw a barber’s shop. So he went in to the barber who_shaved_his
head; and,_clapping_up_an acquaintance with him, said_to him, “O my
father, I_am a_stranger in these parts and yesterday I entered_this_city
and found it_void of folk, nor was there in it any_living soul, man nor
Jinni. Then I_saw a troop_of_slave-girls_and amongst them a_young lady
riding in state:” and he_went on to tell him all_he had seen. Said the
barber, “O my_son, hast thou told any but_me of this?”; and he_said,
“No.” The_other rejoined, “Then, O my_son, beware thou_mention this
before_any but me;_for all folk cannot keep a_secret and thou_art but a
little lad and I_fear_lest the talk_travel_from_man to_man, till it
reach_those_whom it_concerneth_and they slay thee. For know,_O_my son,
that this thou hast seen, none_ever kenned nor knew_in_other than this
city. As_for the people of Bassorah_they are dying of this annoy;_for
every Friday_forenoon they_shut up the dogs and cats, to hinder them
from going about_the market-streets, and all the people_of the city
enter the_cathedral-mosques, where_they_lock the doors_on_them,[399] and
not_one of them can pass about the_bazar nor_even look out of casement;
nor knoweth_any the cause of_this_calamity. But, O my son, to-night_I
will question my wife concerning the_reason thereof, for she is_a
midwife_and_entereth the houses of the_notables and knoweth all the city
news._So Inshallah, do_thou come to me to-morrow and I_will_tell thee
what she shall have told_me.”_With this Kamar al-Zaman pulled out_a
handful_of_gold and said to him,_“O my father, take this gold_and give
it to thy wife, for she is become_my mother.” Then_he gave him a second
handful,_saying,