with them, O Pilgrim, and I am thy man;” and
the Moor, pulling out the money, gave it to him, whereupon
he carried it to his mother and told her what had
passed between them, saying, “Take these thousand
diners and expend of them upon thyself and my brothers,
whilst I journey to Marocco with the Moor, for I shall
be absent four months, and great good will betide
me; so bless me, O my mother!” Answered she,
“O my son, thou desolatest me and I fear for
thee.” “O my mother,” rejoined
he, “no harm can befall him who is in Allah’s
keeping, and the Maghribi is a man of worth;”
and he went on to praise his condition to her.
Quoth she, “Allah incline his heart to thee!
Go with him, O my son; peradventure, he will give
thee somewhat.” So he took leave of his
mother and rejoined the Moor Abd al-Samad, who asked
him, “Hast thou consulted thy mother?”
“Yes,” answered Judar; “and she
blessed me.” “Then mount behind me,”
said the Maghribi. So Judar mounted the mule’s
crupper and they rode on from noon till the time of
mid afternoon prayer, when the fisherman was an hungered;
but seeing no victual with the Moor, said to him,
“O my lord the pilgrim, belike thou hast forgotten
to bring us aught to eat by the way?” Asked the
Moor, “Art thou hungry?” and Judar answered,
“Yes.” So Abd al-Samad alighted and
made Judar alight and take down the saddle bage[FN#273];
then he said to him, “What wilt thou have, O
my brother?” “Anything.” “Allah
upon thee, tell me what thou hast a mind to.”
“Bread and cheese.” “O my poor
fellow! bread and cheese besit thee not; wish for
some thing good.” “Just now everything
is good to me.” “Dost thou like nice
browned chicken?” “Yes!” “Dost
thou like rice and honey?” “Yes!”
And the Moor went on to ask him if he liked this dish
and that dish till he had named four and twenty kinds
of meats; and Judar thought to himself, “He
must be daft! Where are all these dainties to
come from, seeing he hath neither cook nor kitchen?
But I’ll say to him, ‘’Tis enough!’”
So he cried, “That will do: thou makest
me long for all these meats, and I see nothing.”
Quoth the Moor, “Thou art welcome, O Judar!”
and, putting his hand into the saddle bags, pulled
out a golden dish containing two hot browned chickens.
Then he thrust his hand a second time and drew out
a golden dish, full of kabobs[FN#274]; nor did he
stint taking out dishes from saddle bags, till he had
brought forth the whole of the four and twenty kinds
he had named, whilst Judar looked on. Then said
the Moor, “Fall to poor fellow!”, and
Judar said to him, “O my lord, thou carriest
in yonder saddle bags kitchen and kitcheners!”
The Moor laughed and replied, “These are magical
saddle bags and have a servant, who would bring us
a thousand dishes an hour, if we called for them.”
Quoth Judar, “By Allah, a meat thing in saddle
bags’” Then they ate their fill and threw
away what was left; after which the Moor replaced
the empty dishes in the saddle bags and putting in
his hand, drew out an ewer. They drank and making