whilst others declared that they might keep it between them at all times, whilst of the women one said, “’Tis well:  this be my boy!” and the other declared, “’Tis well, this be my son!” nor could any point out to which of the women the boy belonged.  So the town’s people were gathered together and said, “None can determine this dispute except the Just Wazir;” and they agreed upon this, so that the husband of the two women and sundry of his associates arose and took the twain of them and travelled with them to hear the Minister’s judgment.  Also the Olema and the great men of the place declared “By Allah, we also needs must travel with the party and produce the two women and be present at the Just Wazir’s judgment.”  So they all assembled and followed after the two adversaries, nor did they cease travelling until they entered the city where the Minister abode.  There they delayed for rest during one day and on the second they all joined one another and went in to the Wazir and recounted to him the case of the two women.  Hearing this he bowed his brow groundwards and presently raising it he cried, “Bring me two eggs and void them of their contents and see that the shells be clean empty.”  Then he commanded that each of the women drain somewhat of milk from her nipple into the egg-shell till she had filled it.  They did accordingly and set before him the egg-shells brimful when he said, “Bring me a pair of scales."[FN#279] After this he placed both eggs in the balance-pan and raising it aloft from its rounded stead perceived that one was weighty and the other was light.  Quoth he, “The milk of the woman in this egg is the heavier and she is the mother of the boy-babe whereas the other bare the girl-child and we know not an it be alive or dead.”  Hereat the true mother of the boy held her peace but the other wailed aloud and said, “’Tis well:  still this be my babe!” Thereupon quoth the Wazir, “I am about to take the boy and hew him in halves whereof I will give one to each of you twain.”  But the true mother arose and cried out, “No!  O my lord, do not on this wise:  I will forfeit my claim for Allah’s sake;” while the other one exclaimed, “All this is right good!” Now all the folk of the city who were then standing by heard these words and looked on; but when this order was pronounced and the woman was satisfied and declared, “I will take half the boy,” the Wazir gave orders forthright that they seize her and hang her; so they hanged her and he gave the babe to the right mother.  Then said they to him, “O our lord, how was it proved to thee that the boy was the child of this one?” and he said, “It became evident to me from two sides; in the first place because her milk was the heavier, so that I knew that the boy was her boy, and secondly when I commanded, ‘Let us cut the boy in half,’ the real mother consented not to this and the matter was hard upon her because the child was a slice of her liver, and she said to herself, ’His life is better than his death, even though my sister-wife