An ye ask, ’Wherefore didst thou not confide the matter to thy spouse and tell her that thou hadst put the money in the jar?’ I on my side answer, that ye gave me strict injunctions to keep the money this time with the utmost heed and caution.  Methought that stead was the safest wherein to store the gold and I was loath to trust my wife lest haply she take some coin therefrom and expend it upon her household.  O my lords, I am certified of your goodness and graciousness, but poverty and penury are writ in my Book of Fate; how then can I aspire to possessions and prosperity?  Withal, never while I breathe the breath of life, shall I be forgetful of this your generous favour.”  Quoth Sa’di, “Meseemeth I have disbursed four hundred Ashrafis to no purpose in giving them to thee; yet the intent wherewith they were given was that thou shouldst benefit thereby, not that I claim thy praise and thanksgiving.”  So they twain compassionated and condoled with me in my misfortune; and presently Sa’d, an upright man and one who had acquaintance with me since many a year, produced a leaden coin[FN#277] which he had picked up from the path and was still carrying in his pocket; and, after shewing it to Sa’di, said to me, “Seest thou this bit of lead?  Take it and by favour of Fate thou shalt find out what blessings it will bring to thee.”  Sa’di on espying it laughed aloud and made jest of the matter and flouting said, “What advantage will there be to Hasan from this mite of lead and in what way shall he use it?” Sa’d handing me the leaden coin retorted in reply, “Give no heed to whatso Sa’di may say, but keep this by thee.  Let him laugh an he please.  One day haply shall come to pass, Inshallah—­an it be the will of Almighty Allah—­that thou shalt by means thereof become a wealthy man and a magnifico.”  I took the bit of lead and put it in my pocket, and the twain bade me farewell and went their way.—­And as the morn began to dawn Shahrazad held her peace till

        The end of the Six Hundred and Nineteenth Night.

Then said she—­I have heard, O auspicious King, that Hasan al-Habbal thus continued his story:—­As soon as Sa’d and Sa’di had departed, I went on rope-twisting until night came and when doffing my dress to go to bed the bit of lead which Sa’d had given me fell out of my pocket; so I picked it up and set it carelessly in a small niche in the wall.[FN#278] Now that very night so it happened that a fisherman, one of my neighbours, stood in need of a small coin[FN#279] wherewith to buy some twine for mending his drag-net, as he was wont to do during the dark hours, in order that he might catch the fish ere dawn of day and selling his quarry, buy victuals for himself and his household.  So, as he was accustomed to rise while yet somewhat of night remained, he bade his wife go round about to all the neighbours and borrow a copper that he might buy the twine required; and the woman went everywhere, from house to house, but nowhere could she get loan