found in the treasury and returned with the two pairs
of saddle bags and the deposits therein and laid them
before Judar, saying, “O my lord, I have left
nothing in the treasury.” Judar gave the
treasure to his mother bidding her keep it and laying
the enchanted saddle bags before him, said to the
Jinni, “I command thee to build me this night
a lofty palace and overlay it with liquid gold and
furnish it with magnificent furniture: and let
not the day dawn, ere thou be quit of the whole work.”
Replied he, “Thy bidding shall be obeyed;”
and sank into the earth. Then Judar brought forth
food and they ate and took their ease and lay down
to sleep. Meanwhile, Al-Ra’ad summoned
his attendant Jinn and bade them build the palace.
So some of them fell to hewing stones and some to
building, whilst others plastered and painted and
furnished; nor did the day dawn ere the ordinance
of the palace was complete; whereupon Al-Ra’ad
came to Judar and said to him, “O my lord, the
palace is finished and in best order, an it please
thee to come and look on it.” So Judar
went forth with his mother and brothers and saw a palace,
whose like there was not in the whole world; and it
confounded all minds with the goodliness of its ordinance.
Judar was delighted with it while he was passing along
the highway and withal it had cost him nothing.
Then he asked his mother, “Say me, wilt thou
take up thine abode in this palace?” and she
answered, “I will, O my son,” and called
down blessings upon him. Then he rubbed the ring
and bade the Jinni fetch him forty handsome white
hand maids and forty black damsels and as many Mamelukes
and negro slaves. “Thy will be done,”
answered Al-Ra’ad and betaking himself, with
forty of his attendant Genii to Hind and Sind and
Persia, snatched up every beautiful girl and boy they
saw, till they had made up the required number.
Moreover, he sent other four score, who fetched comely
black girls, and forty others brought male chattels
and carried them all to Judar’s house, which
they filled. Then he showed them to Judar, who
was pleased with them and said, “Bring for each
a dress of the finest.” “Ready!”
replied the servant. Then quoth he, “Bring
a dress for my mother and another for myself, and
also for my brothers.” So the Jinni fetched
all that was needed and clad the female slaves, saying
to them, “This is your mistress: kiss her
hands and cross her not, but serve her, white and black.”
The Mamelukes also dressed them selves and kissed
Judar’s hands; and he and his brothers arrayed
themselves in the robes the Jinni had brought them
and Judar became like unto a King and his brothers
as Wazirs. Now his house was spacious; so he lodged
Salim and his slave girls in one part thereof and
Salim and his slave girls in another, whilst he and
his mother took up their abode in the new palace;
and each in his own place was like a Sultan. So
far concerning them; but as regards the King’s
Treasurer, thinking to take something from the treasury,
he went in and found it altogether empty, even as
saith the poet,