me such a dish!’ and he will bring it.”  Quoth his mother, “And may I put out my hand and ask of him?” Quoth he, “Do so.”  So she stretched out her hand and said, “O servant of the saddle bags, by the virtue of the Names which command thee, bring me stuffed ribs.”  Then she thrust in her hand and found a dish containing delicate stuffed ribs of lamb.  So she took it out, and called for bread and what else she had a mind to:  after which Judar said to her, “O my mother, when thou hast made an end of eating, empty what is left of the food into dishes other than these, and restore the empty platters to the saddle bags carefully.”  So she arose and laid them up in a safe place.  “And look, O mother mine, that thou keep this secret,” added he; “and whenever thou hast a mind to aught, take it forth of the saddle bags and give alms and feed my brothers, whether I be present or absent.”  Then he fell to eating with her and behold, while they were thus occupied, in came his two brothers, whom a son of the quarter[FN#285] had apprised of his return, saying, “Your brother is come back, riding on a she mule, with a slave before him, and wearing a dress that hath not its like.”  So they said to each other, “Would to Heaven we had not evilly entreated our mother!  There is no hope but that she will surely tell him how we did by her, and then, oh our disgrace with him!” But one of the twain said, “Our mother is soft hearted, and if she tell him, our brother is yet tenderer over us than she; and, given we excuse ourselves to him, he will accept our excuse.”  So they went in to him and he rose to them and saluting them with the friendliest salutation, bade them sit down and eat.  So they ate till they were satisfied, for they were weak with hunger; after which Judar said to them, “O my brothers, take what is left and distribute it to the poor and needy.”  “O brother,” replied they, “let us keep it to sup withal.”  But he answered, “When supper time cometh, ye shall have more than this.”  So they took the rest of the victual and going out, gave it to every poor man who passed by them, saying, “Take and eat,” till nothing was left.  Then they brought back the dishes and Judar said to his mother, “Put them in the saddle bags.”—­And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

        When it was the Six Hundred and Sixteenth Night,

She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Judar, when his brethren had finished their under meal, said to his mother, “Put back the platters in the saddle bags.”  And when it was eventide, he entered the saloon and took forth of the saddle bags a table of forty dishes; after which he went up to the upper room and, sitting down between his brothers, said to his mother, “Bring the supper."[FN#286] So she went down to the saloon and, finding there the dishes ready, laid the tray and brought up the forty dishes, one after other.  Then they ate the evening meal, and when they had done, Judar said to