Then they drew up the contract of marriage and the merchant said, “I desire to go in to her this night.”  So they carried her to him in procession that very night, and he prayed the prayer of eventide and entered the privy chamber prepared for him; but, when he lifted the veil from the face of the bride and looked, he saw a foul face and a blameworthy aspect; yea, he beheld somewhat the like whereof may God not show thee! loathly, dispensing from description, inasmuch as there were reckoned in her all legal defects.[FN#259] So he repented, whenas repentance availed him not, and knew that the girl had cheated him.  However, he lay with the bride, against his will, and abode that night sore troubled in mind, as he were in the prison of Ed Dilem.[FN#260] Hardly had the day dawned when he arose from her and betaking himself to one of the baths, dozed there awhile, after which he made the ablution of defilement[FN#261] and washed his clothes.  Then he went out to the coffee-house and drank a cup of coffee; after which he returned to his shop and opening the door, sat down, with discomfiture and chagrin written on his face.

Presently, his friends and acquaintances among the merchants and people of the market began to come up to him, by ones and twos, to give him joy, and said to him, laughing, “God’s blessing on thee!  Where an the sweetmeats?  Where is the coffee?[FN#262] It would seem thou hast forgotten us; surely, the charms of the bride have disordered thy reason and taken thy wit, God help thee!  Well, well; we give thee joy, we give thee joy.”  And they made mock of him, whilst he gave them no answer and was like to tear his clothes and weep for vexation.  Then they went away from him, and when it was the hour of noon, up came his mistress, trailing her skirts and swaying in her gait, as she were a cassia-branch in a garden.  She was yet more richly dressed and adorned and more bewitching[FN#263] in her symmetry and grace than on the previous day, so that she made the passers stop and stand in ranks to look on her.

When she came to Alaeddin’s shop, she sat down thereat and said to him, “May the day be blessed to thee, O my lord Alaeddin!  God prosper thee and be good to thee and accomplish thy gladness and make it a wedding of weal and content!” He knitted his brows and frowned in answer to her; then said he to her, “Tell me, how have I failed of thy due, or what have I done to injure thee, that thou shouldst play me this trick?” Quoth she, “Thou hast no wise offended against me; but this inscription that is written on the door of thy shop irketh me and vexeth my heart.  If thou wilt change it and write up the contrary thereof, I will deliver thee from thy predicament.”  And he answered, “This that thou seekest is easy.  On my head and eyes be it.”  So saying, he brought out a ducat[FN#264] and calling one of his mamelukes, said to him, “Get thee to such an one the scribe and bid him write us an inscription, adorned with gold and ultramarine, in these words, to wit, ’there is no craft but women’s craft, for that indeed their craft is A mighty craft and OVERCOMETH and HUMBLETH the fables[FN#265] of men.’” And she said to the servant, “Go forthright.”