and throttled each other.  When the folk saw them on this wise, they came up to them and said to them, ’What is this strife between you, and no cause for it?’ ‘Ay, by Allah,’ replied the lackpenny, ’but there is a cause for it, and the cause hath a tail!’ Whereupon, ‘Yea, by Allah,’ cried the cook, ’now thou mindest me of thyself and thy dirhem!  Yes, he gave me a dirhem and [but] a quarter of the price is spent.  Come back and take the rest of the price of thy dirhem.’  For that he understood what was to do, at the mention of the tail; and I, O my brother,” added Aboulhusn, “my story hath a cause, which I will tell thee.”

The Khalif laughed at his speech and said, “By Allah, this is none other than a pleasant tale!  Tell me thy story and the cause.”  “With all my heart,” answered Aboulhusn.  “Know, O my lord, that my name is Aboulhusn el Khelia and that my father died and left me wealth galore, of which I made two parts.  One I laid up and with the other I betook myself to [the enjoyment of the pleasures of] friendship [and conviviality] and consorting with comrades and boon-companions and with the sons of the merchants, nor did I leave one but I caroused with him and he with me, and I spent all my money on companionship and good cheer, till there remained with me nought [of the first half of my good]; whereupon I betook myself to the comrades and cup-companions upon whom I had wasted my wealth, so haply they might provide for my case; but, when I resorted to them and went round about to them all, I found no avail in one of them, nor broke any so much as a crust of bread in my face.  So I wept for myself and repairing to my mother, complained to her of my case.  Quoth she, ’On this wise are friends; if thou have aught, they make much of thee and devour thee, but, if thou have nought, they cast thee off and chase thee away.’  Then I brought out the other half of my money and bound myself by an oath that I would never more entertain any, except one night, after which I would never again salute him nor take note of him; hence my saying to thee, ’Far be it that what is past should recur!’ For that I will never again foregather with thee, after this night.”

When the Khalif heard this, he laughed heartily and said, “By Allah, O my brother, thou art indeed excused in this matter, now that I know the cause and that the cause hath a tail.  Nevertheless if it please God, I will not sever myself from thee.”  “O my guest,” replied Aboulhusn, “did I not say to thee, ’Far be it that what is past should recur!  For that I will never again foregather with any’?” Then the Khalif rose and Aboulhusn set before him a dish of roast goose and a cake of manchet-bread and sitting down, fell to cutting off morsels and feeding the Khalif therewith.  They gave not over eating thus till they were content, when Aboulhusn brought bowl and ewer and potash[FN#16] and they washed their hands.