Mukaddam repaired to the house where the She-thief had bespoken him and standing at the door knocked thereat when those inside asked, “Who mayest thou be?” and he answered, “I am seeking Fatimah!” “Who is Fatimah?” cried they, “we have here nor Fatimah nor Halimah."[FN#433] Thereupon quoth the Mukaddam, “Indeed this Fornicatress, this Adulteress hath wrought upon us and hath escaped us; but, seeing that we also have won free by virtue of the wile she pointed out to us, we will leave her to time and doubtless during the length of days we twain shall forgather again.”  On this wise endeth the story (quoth Shahrazad); but I will now relate a very different adventure and ’tis the

Tale of Mohsin and Musa.[FN#434]

It fortuned once upon a time that two men went forth from the same place, one foregoing the other, and they forgathered by the way.  Now each had a bag full of flour and a flask[FN#435] containing somewhat of water; and when they made acquaintance on the road the first of them said to his companion, “O my brother, what may be thy name?” and said the Second, “I am hight Mohsin, the Beneficent,[FN#436] and thou, what art thou called?” Quoth the other, “M£s… the Malignant."[FN#437] So the two fared on in converse and whenever mealtime came round, each would bring out a portion of meal and knead it and make of it a scone,[FN#438] and light a fire and bake it thereon:  after which they would satisfy their hunger.  But Mohsin knew not that had been doomed for him by his companion Musa the Misdoer, so the twain would fare together and feed together.  On the following day quoth Musa to Mohsin, “O my brother, I have with me a bag of flour and a flask of water and thou hast the same, and whenever eating-time cometh round each one bringeth out somewhat of his vivers.  Now this is not right; ’twere the better way that we first eat that is with thee and when ’tis ended we use my provaunt.” “’Tis well, O my brother,” quoth Mohsin.  They agreed upon this condition and whenever moved by appetite they ate of Mohsin’s viaticum until his bag of flour and his flask of water were clean emptied.  But when the meal-hour came, Musa arose and made for him a single scone and no more, and baked it and ate it by himself, while Mohsin sat by looking on.  This befel time after time for the first day and the second day until Mohsin waxed anhungered and famine wrung his vitals, so quoth he to Musa, “O my brother, give me somewhat of thy food that I may nourish myself therewith, for indeed I am empty exceedingly.”  But Musa made reply, “By Allah, I will not give it to thee; no, not a single mouthful.”  Rejoined Mohsin, “O my brother, we two made covenant that we should become brethren, and first eat of my provaunt and then of thine; now, however, thou art not pleased to grant me or bite or sup.  This is not the act of an honest man.”  He answered, “Be brief! an thou be hungry I will give thee half of my scone on condition that I