She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the Cohen al-Abtan had told the youths this much, he continued his tale as follows, “So your father returned empty handed and unable to win to his wish; and after failing he complained to me of his ill-success, whereupon I drew him an astrological figure and found that the treasure could be achieved only by means of a young fisherman of Cairo, highs Judar bin Omar, the place of foregathering with whom was at Lake Karun, for that he should be the means of capturing the sons of the Red King and that the charm would not be dissolved, save if he should bind the hands of the treasure seeker behind him and cast him into the lake, there to do battle with the sons of the Red King.  And he whose lot it was to succeed would lay hands upon them; but, if it were not destined to him he should perish and his feet appear above water.  As for him who was successful, his hands would show first, whereupon it behoved that Judar should cast the net over him and draw him ashore.”  Now quoth my brothers Abd al-Salam and Abd al-Ahad, “We will wend and make trial, although we perish;” and quoth I, “And I also will go;” but my brother Abd al- Rahim (he whom thou sawest in the habit of a Jew) said, “I have no mind to this.”  Thereupon we agreed with him that he should repair to Cairo in the disguise of a Jewish merchant, so that, if one of us perished in the lake, he might take his mule and saddle bags and give the bearer an hundred dinars.  The first that came to thee the sons of the Red King slew, and so did they with my second brother; but against me they could not prevail and I laid hands on them.”  Cried Judar, “And where is thy catch?” Asked the Moor, “Didst thou not see me shut them in the caskets?” “Those were fishes,” said Judar.  “Nay,” answered the Maghribi, “they are Ifrits in the guise of fish.  But, O Judar,” continued he, “thou must know that the treasure can be opened only by thy means:  so say, wilt thou do my bidding and go with me to the city Fez and Mequinez[FN#272] where we will open the treasure?; and after I will give thee what thou wilt and thou shalt ever be my brother in the bond of Allah and return to thy family with a joyful heart.”  Said Judar, “O my lord the pilgrim, I have on my neck a mother and two brothers,”—­And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

         When it was the Six Hundred and Twelfth Night,

She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Judar said to the Maghribi, “I have on my neck a mother and two brothers, whose provider I am; and if I go with thee, who shall give them bread to eat?” Replied the Moor, “This is an idle excuse! if it be but a matter of expenditure, I will give thee a thousand ducats for thy mother, wherewith she may provide her self till thou come back:  and indeed thou shalt return before the end of four months.”  So when Judar heard mention of the thousand diners, he said, “Here