The Eighth Night of the Month.

When the evening evened, the king sat private in his chamber and bade fetch the Wazir, who presented himself before him, and the king required of him the story.  So the Wazir answered “With love and gladness.  Hear, O king,

The Tale of the Merchant, the Crone and the King.

There was once a family of affluence and distinction, in a city of Khorasan, and the townsfolk used to envy them for that which Allah had vouchsafed them.  As time went on, their fortune ceased from them and they passed away, till there remained of them but one old woman.  When she grew feeble and decrepit, the townsfolk succoured her not with aught, but thrust her forth of the city, saying, “This old woman shall not neighbour with us, for that we do good to her and she requiteth us with evil."[FN#366] So she took shelter in a ruined place and strangers used to bestow alms upon her, and in this way she tarried a length of time.  Now the king of that city had aforetime contended for the kingship with his uncle’s son, and the people disliked the king; but Allah Almighty decreed that he should overcome his cousin.  However, jealousy of him abode in his heart and he acquainted the Wazir, who hid it not and sent him money.  Furthermore, he fell to summoning all strangers who came to the town, man after man, and questioning them of their creed and their goods, and whoso answered him not satisfactory, he took his wealth.[FN#367] Now a certain wealthy man of the Moslems was way-faring, without knowing aught of this, and it befel that he arrived at that city by night, and coming to the ruin, gave the old woman money and said to her, “No harm upon thee.”  Whereupon she lifted up her voice and blessed him:  so he set down his merchandise by her and abode with her the rest of the night and the next day.  Now highwaymen had followed him that they might rob him of his monies, but succeeded not in aught:  wherefore he went up to the old woman and kissed her head and exceeded in bounty to her.  Then she warned him of that which awaited strangers entering the town and said to him, “I like not this for thee and I fear mischief for thee from these questions that the Wazir hath appointed for addressing the ignorant.”  And she expounded to him the case according to its conditions:  then said she to him, “But have thou no concern:  only carry me with thee to thy lodging, and if he question thee of aught enigmatical, whilst I am with thee, I will expound the answers to thee.”  So he carried the crone with him to the city and lodged her in his lodging and entreated her honourably.  Presently, the Wazir heard of the merchant’s coming; so he sent to him and bade bring him to his house and talked with him awhile of his travels and of whatso had befallen him therein, and the merchant answered his queries.  Then said the Minister, “I will put certain critical questions to thee, which an thou answer me, ’twill be well for thee,” and the merchant rose and made