them light a furious fire, and so they did till it flamed and flared; after which he pinioned his enemy and caused him to be cast therein when his bones were melted upon his flesh.  Then returning to the Palace he fell to blaming the Sultan’s daughter for the matter of the Ring, and asking her, “Why didst thou on this wise?” She answered, “From Fate there is no flight, and Alhamdolillah—­praise to the Lord—­who after all that befell us from the Jew hath brought us together once more.”  Now all that happened from the Jew and the return of the Sultan’s daughter and the restoring of the Palace and the death of his deceiver remained unknown to the Sultan, and here is an end to my history.  And when the second Larrikin held his peace quoth the King, “Allah quicken thee for this story; by the Almighty ’tis wondrous, and it delighteth the hearer and rejoiceth the teller.”  Then cried the third Larrikin, “I also have by me an history more marvelous than these two; and, were it written in water of gold upon the pages of men’s hearts, it were worthy thereof.”  Quoth the King, “O Larrikin, if it prove stranger and rarer than these I will surely largesse thee.”  Whereupon quoth he, “O King of the Age, listen to what I shall relate,” and he fell to telling the

Tale of the Third Larrikin Concerning Himself.

In my early years I had a cousin, the daughter of my paternal uncle, who loved me and I loved her whilst her father loathed me.  So one day she sent to me saying, “Do thou fare forth and demand me in marriage from my sire;” and, as I was poor and her father was a wealthy merchant, she sent me to her dowry fifty gold pieces which I took; and, accompanied by four of my comrades, I went to the house of my father’s brother and there arrived I went within.  But when he looked upon me his face showed wrath and my friends said to him, “Verily, thy nephew seeketh in marriage the daughter of his uncle;” and as soon as he heard these words he cried aloud at them and reviled me and crave me from his doors.  So I went from him well nigh broken-hearted and I wept till I returned to my mother who cried, “What is to do with thee, O my son!” I related to her all that had befallen me from my uncle and she said to me, “O my child, to a man who loveth thee not thou goest, forsooth, to ask his daughter in marriage!” Whereto I replied, “O mother mine, she sent a message bidding me so do and verily she loveth me.”  Quoth my mother, Take patience, O my son!” I heartened my heart, and my parent promised me all welfare and favour from my cousin; more over she was thinking of me at all times and presently she again sent to me and promised me that she never would love any other.  Then behold, a party of folk repaired to her father and asked her to wife of him and prepared to take her away.  But when the tidings reached her that her parent purposed marrying her to one of those people, she sent to me saying, “Get thee ready for this mid-night and I will come to thee.”  When night was at