The koord assented, and with a loud voice cried out, “In this wallet, my lord, are two chests, in which are collyrium for the eyes, a number of rich napkins, drinking vessels of gold, lamps, cooking utensils, dishes, basins, and ewers; also bales of merchandize, jewels, gold, silks, and other precious articles, with a variety of wearing apparel, carpets, cushions, eating cloths, and other things too tedious to enumerate; besides, I can bring a number of my brother koords to testify to the truth of what I have said, and that the wallet is mine.”

When the koord had finished, the cauzee smiled, and asked me and my slave what we could describe to be in the wallet:  upon which, my slave said, “My lord, there is nothing in it of what the koord has mentioned, for it contains only both worlds, with all their lands, seas, cities, habitations, men, animals, and productions of every kind.”  The cauzee laughed, and turning to the koord, said, “Friend, thou hast heard what has past; what further canst thou say?” “The bag is mine,” continued the koord:  upon which, the cauzee ordered it to be emptied; when, lo! there were found in it some cakes of bread, a few limes, a little pepper, and a cruet of oil.  Seeing this, the koord exclaimed, “Pardon me, my lord the cauzee, I have been mistaken, the wallet is not mine; but I must away and search for the thief who has stolen my valuable property.”  Having said this, he ran off, leaving the cauzee, myself, and the spectators bursting with laughter at his impudent knavery.

The sultan was much diverted with the relation of Mhamood, and requested him to relate another story, which he did as follows.

Story of the Husbandman.

A certain husbandman having reared some choice vegetables and fruits earlier than usual, resolved to present them to the sultan, in hopes of receiving a handsome present.  He accordingly loaded his ass and set off for the capital, on the road to which he met the sultan, whom he had never before seen; and who being on a hunting excursion had separated from his attendants.  The sultan inquired where he was going, and what he carried.  “I am repairing,” said the husbandman, “to our lord the sultan, in hopes that he will reward me with a handsome price for my fruits and vegetables, which I have reared earlier than usual.”  “What dost thou mean to ask him?” replied the sultan.  “A thousand deenars,” answered the husbandman; “which if he refuses to give, I will demand five hundred; should he think that sum too much, I will come down to two hundred; and if he declines to give so much, I will ask thirty deenars, from which price I will not depart.”