that if he perceived me well enough to eat he might not give me the money.  He, however, observed the trick, and coming up to me with affected condolence, exclaimed, “Dear master, how your cheeks are swelled!” at the same time pressing his hands upon my face.  The egg was boiling hot, and gave me intolerable pain, while the young wit pretended compassionately to stroke my visage.  At length, he pressed my jaws together so hard that the egg broke, when the scalding yolk ran down my throat, and over my beard:  upon which the artful lad cried out in seeming joy, “God be praised, my dear master, that the dreadful imposthume has discharged itself; we, your pupils, will all return thanks for your happy recovery.”  My mouth was contracted by the scald in the manner you behold, and I became so ridiculed for my folly, that I was obliged to shut up my school.

The sultan having heard the other man’s story, which was of but little interest, dismissed the three foolish schoolmasters with a present, commanded the vizier to go and recognize the house of the three ladies and their mother, it being his intention to visit them again in disguise and hear their adventures.  The vizier hastened to the street, but to his surprise and mortification found all the houses marked in the same manner, for the youngest sister having overheard the sultan’s instructions, had done this to prevent a discovery of their residence.  The vizier returned to the sultan, and informed him of the trick which had been played.  He was much vexed, but the circumstance excited his curiosity in a greater degree.  At length the vizier bethought himself of a stratagem, and said, “My lord, let a proclamation be issued for four days successively throughout the city, that whoever presumes after the first watch of the night to have a lamp lighted in his house, shall have his head struck off, his goods confiscated, his house razed to the ground, and his women dishonoured.  It is possible, as these ladies did not regard your proclamation at the nuptials of the princess, they may disobey this, and by that means we may discover their residence.”

The sultan approved the contrivance of the vizier, caused the proclamation to be made, and waited impatiently for the fourth night, when he and his minister having disguised themselves as before, proceeded to the street in which the ladies lived.  A light appeared only in one house, which it being now tolerably certain was that they were in quest of, they knocked at the door.

Immediately on their knocking the youngest sister called out, “Who is at the door?” and they replied, “We are dervishes, and entreat to be your guests.”  She exclaimed, “What can you want at such a late hour, and where did you lodge last night?” They answered, “Our quarters are at a certain serai, but we have lost our way, and are fearful of being apprehended by the officers of police.  Let your kindness then induce you to open the door, and afford us shelter for the remainder of the night:  it will be a meritorious act in the eye of heaven.”  The mother overhearing what was said, ordered the door to be opened.