Presently, the king [of the city] was minded to go forth to his garden,[FN#206] a-pleasuring, and bade the cook forego him thither and appoint in his stead one who should dress meat for the king, so that, when he returned, he might find it ready.  So the cook fell a-considering of whom he should appoint and was bewildered concerning his affair.  As he was on this wise, the old man came to him and seeing him perplexed how he should do, said to him, ’Tell me what is in thy mind; belike, I may avail to relieve thee.’  So he acquainted him with the king’s wishes and he said, ’Have no care for this, but leave me one of the serving-men and go thou in peace and surety, for I will suffice thee of this.’  So the cook departed with the king, after he had brought the old man what he needed and left him a man of the guards.

When he was gone, the old man bade the trooper wash the kitchen-vessels and made ready passing goodly food.  When the king returned, he set the meat before him, and he tasted food whose like he had never known; whereat he marvelled and asked who had dressed it.  So they acquainted him with the old man’s case and he summoned him to his presence and awarded him a handsome recompense.[FN#207] Moreover, he commanded that they should cook together, he and the cook, and the old man obeyed his commandment.

Awhile after this, there came two merchants to the king with two pearls of price and each of them avouched that his pearl was worth a thousand dinars, but there was none who availed to value them.  Then said the cook, ’God prosper the king!  Verily, the old man whom I bought avouched that he knew the quintessence of jewels and that he was skilled in cookery.  We have made proof of him in cookery and have found him the skilfullest of men; and now, if we send after him and prove him on jewels, [the truth or falsehood of] his pretension will be made manifest to us.’

So the king bade fetch the old man and he came and stood before the Sultan, who showed him the two pearls.  Quoth he, ’As for this one, it is worth a thousand dinars.’  And the king said, ’So saith its owner.’  ‘But for this other,’ continued the old man, ’it is worth but five hundred.’  The folk laughed and marvelled at his saying, and the merchant, [the owner of the second pearl], said to him, ’How can this, which is greater of bulk and purer of water and more perfect of rondure, be less of worth than that?’ And the old man answered, ’I have said what is with me.’[FN#208] Then said the king to him, ’Indeed, the outward appearance thereof is like unto that of the other pearl; why then is it worth but the half of its price?’ ‘Yes,’ answered the old man, ‘[its outward resembleth the other]; but its inward is corrupt.’  ‘Hath a pearl then an outward and an inward?’ asked the merchant, and the old man said, ’Yes.  In its inward is a boring worm; but the other pearl is sound and secure against breakage.’  Quoth the merchant, ’Give us a token of this and prove to us the truth of thy saying.’  And the old man answered, ’We will break the pearl.  If I prove a, liar, here is my head, and if I speak truth, thou wilt have lost thy pearl.’  And the merchant said, ’I agree to that.’  So they broke the pearl and it was even as the old man had said, to wit, in its midst was a boring worm.