therein; and the child ate a little, then began to weep again.  Quoth she, “What ails thee now, O my son?”; and quoth he, “O mother mine, I want some sugar with my rice.”  At this said the man, who was an-angered, “Thou art none other than a curst child.”  “Curst thyself, by Allah,” answered the boy, “seeing thou weariest thyself and journeyest from city to city, in quest of adultery.  As for me, I wept because I had somewhat in my eye, and my tears brought it out; and now I have eaten rice with butter and sugar and am content; so which is the curst of us twain?” The man was confounded at this rebuke from a little child and forthright grace entered him and he was reclaimed.  Wherefor he laid not a finger on the woman, but went out from her and returned to his own country, where he lived a contrite life till he died.  “As for the story of the five-year-old child” (continued the Prince), “I have heard tell, O King, the following anent

The Stolen Purse.

Four merchants once owned in common a thousand gold pieces; so they laid them mingled together in one purse and set out to buy merchandise therewith.  They happened as they wended their way on a beautiful garden; so they left the purse with a woman who had care of the garden, saying to here, “Mind thee, thou shalt not give it back save when all four of us in person demand it of thee.”  She agreed to this and they entered and strolled awhile about the garden-walks and ate and drank and made merry, after which one of them said to the others, “I have with me scented fuller’s-earth; come, let us wash our heads therewith in this running water.”  Quoth another, “We lack a comb;” and a third, “Let us ask the keeper; belike she hath a comb.”  Thereupon one of them arose and accosting the care-taker, said to her, “Give me the purse.”  Said she, “Not until ye be all present or thy fellows bid me give it thee.”  Then he called to his companions (who could see him but not hear him) saying, “She will not give it me;” and they said to her, “Give it him,” thinking he meant the comb.  So she gave him the purse and he took it and made off as fast as he could.  When the three others were wary of waiting, they went to the keeper and asked her, “Why wilt thou not give him the comb?” Answered she, “He demanded naught of me save the purse, and I gave not that same but with your consent, and he went his way with it.”  When they heard her words they buffeted their faces and, laying hands upon her, said, “We authorized thee only to give him the comb;” and she rejoined, “He named not a comb to me.”  Then they seized her and haled her before the Kazi, to whom they related their claim and he condemned her to make good the the purse and bound over sundry of her debtors to answer for her. —–­And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

          When it was the Six Hundred and Sixth Night