token."[FN#389] So he gave her a token for his wife and she cried out to her young daughter and said to her, “Keep this door.”  Then she charge her husband to watch over the Robber, till she should return, and repairing to his wife, acquainted her with his case and told her that her husband the thief had been taken and had compounded for his release, at the price of seven hundred dirhams, and named to her the token.  Accordingly, she gave her the money and she took it and returned to her house.  By this time, the dawn had dawned; so she let the thief go his way, and when he went out, she said to him, “O my dear, when shall I see thee come and take the treasure?” And he, “O indebted one,[FN#390] when thou needest other seven hundred dirhams, wherewith to amend thy case and that of thy children and to pay thy debts.”  And he went out, hardly believing in his deliverance from her.  “Nor,” continued the Wazir, “is this stranger than the story of the Three Men and our Lord Isa.”  So the king bade him hie to his own home.

The Twelfth Night of the Month.

When it was eventide, the king summoned the Minister and bade him tell the promised tale.  He replied, “Hearing and obeying.  Give ear, O glorious king, to

The Tale of the Three Men and our Lord Isa.

Three men once went out questing treasure and came upon a nugget of gold, weighing fifty maunds.[FN#391] When they saw it, they took it up on their shoulders and carried it till they drew near a certain city, when one of them said, “Let us sit in the cathedral-mosque,[FN#392] whilst one of us shall go and buy us what we may eat.”  So they sat down in the mosque and one of them arose and entered the city.  When he came therein, his soul prompted him to false his two fellows and get the gold to himself alone.  Accordingly, he bought food and poisoned it:  but, when he returned to his comrades, they sprang upon him and slew him, in order that they might enjoy the gold without him.  Then they ate of the poisoned food and died, and the gold lay cast down over against them.  Presently, Isa bin Maryam (on whom be the Peace!) passed by and seeing this, besought Allah Almighty for tidings of their case; so He told him what had betided them, whereat great was his surprise and he related to his disciples[FN#393] what he had seen.  Quoth one of them, “O Spirit of Allah,[FN#394] naught resembleth this but my own adventure.”  Quoth Isa, “How so?” and the other began to tell

The Disciple’s Story.

Once I was in such a city, where I hid a thousand dirhams in a monastery.  After a while, I went thither and taking the money, bound it about my waist.  Then I set out to return and when I came to the Sahara[FN#395]-waste, the carrying of the money was heavy upon me.  Presently, I espied a horseman pushing on after me; so I waited till he came up and said to him, “O rider, carry this money for me and earn reward and recompense in Heaven.”  Said he, “No, I will not do it, for I should tire myself and tire