“Have patience with me till to-morrow,” said he, and they granted him the delay he sought; whereupon he went away, sore concerned for what had betided him and knowing not how he should do, and sat down in a solitary place heart-heavy, care-full, thought-opprest.  And behold, the old woman passed by and seeing him thus, said to him, “Peradventure the townsfolk have gotten the better of thee, for I see the troubled at that which hath befallen thee:  recount to me what aileth thee.”  So he told her all that had passed from first to last, and she said, “As for him who diddled thee in the matter of the chanders-wood, thou must know that with us it is worth ten gold pieces a pound.  But I will give thee a rede, whereby I trust thou shalt deliver thyself; and it is this.  Go to such and such a gate whereby lives a blind Shaykh, a cripple, who is knowing, wise as a wizard and experienced; and all resort to him and ask him what they require, when he counsels them what will be their advantage; for he is versed in craft[FN#248] and magic and trickery.  Now he is a sharper and the sharpers resort to him by night; therefore, I repeat, go thou to his lodging and hide thyself from thine adversaries, so thou mayst hear what they say, unseen of them; for he telleth them which party got the better and which got the worse; and haply thou shalt learn from them some plan which may avail to deliver thee from them.” —­And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

         When it was the Six Hundred and Fourth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the old woman said to the merchant, “Go this night to that expert who is frequented by the townsfolk and hide thine identity:  haply shalt thou hear from him some plea which shall deliver thee from thine adversaries.”  So he went to the place she mentioned and hid himself albeit he took seat near the blind man.  Before long, up came the Shaykh’s company who were wont to choose him for their judge:  they saluted the oldster and one another and sat down round him, whereupon the merchant recognised his four adversaries.  The Chief set somewhat of food before them and they ate; then each began to tell what had befallen him during his day, and amongst the rest came forward he of the chanders-wood and told the Shaykh how he had bought of one man sandal below its price, and had agreed to pay for it a Sa’a or measure of whatever the seller should desire.[FN#249] Quoth the old man, “Thine opponent hath the better of thee.”  Asked the other, “How can that be?”; and the Shaykh answered, “What if he say, I will take the measure full of gold or silver, wilt thou give it to him?” “Yes,” replied the other, “I will give it to him and still be the gainer.”  And the Shaykh answered, “And if he say, I will take the measure full of fleas,[FN#250] half male and half female, what wilt thou do?” So the sharper knew that he was worsted.  Then came forward the one-eyed man and