“My son,” said an old man to him, “you know not what you say.  How is it possible that you, being this morning at Damascus, could be last night at Cairo?” “It is true,” said Buddir ad Deen, “and I swear to you, that I was all day yesterday at Bussorah.”  He had no sooner said this than all the people fell into a fit of laughter, and cried out, “He’s a fool, he’s a madman.”  There were some, however, that pitied him because of his youth; and one among the company said to him, “My son, you must certainly be crazed, you do not consider what you say.  Is it possible that a man could yesterday be at Bussorah, the same night at Cairo, and this morning at Damascus?  Surely you are asleep still, come rouse up your spirits.”  “What I say,” answered Buddir ad Deen Houssun, “is so true that last night I was married in the city of Cairo.”  All those who laughed before, could not forbear again at this declaration.  “Recollect yourself,” said the same person who spoke before; “you must have dreamt all this, and the fancy still possesses your brain.”  “I am sensible of what I say,” answered the young man.  “Pray can you tell me how it was possible for me to go in a dream to Cairo, where I am very certain I was in person, and where my bride was seven times brought before me, each time dressed in a different habit, and where I saw an ugly hump backed fellow, to whom they intended to give her?  Besides, I want to know what is become of my vest, my turban, and the bag of sequins I had at Cairo?”

Though he assured them that all these things were matters of fact, yet they could not forbear to laugh at him:  which put him into such confusion, that he knew not what to think of all those adventures.

After Buddir ad Deen Houssun had confidently affirmed all that he said to be true, he rose up to go into the town, and every one who followed him called out, “A madman, a fool.”  Upon this some looked out at their windows, some came to their doors, and others joined with those that were about him, calling out as they did, “A madman;” but not knowing for what.  In this perplexity the affrighted young man happened to come before a pastry-cook’s shop, and went into it to avoid the rabble.

This pastry-cook had formerly been captain to a troop of Arabian robbers, who plundered the caravans; and though he was become a citizen of Damascus, where he behaved himself to every one’s satisfaction, yet he was dreaded by all who knew him; wherefore, as soon as he came out to the rabble who followed Buddir ad Deen, they dispersed.

The pastry-cook asked him who he was, and what brought him thither.  Buddir ad Deen told him all, not concealing his birth, nor the death of his father the grand vizier.  He afterwards gave him an account why he had left Bussorah; how, after he had fallen asleep the night following upon his father’s tomb, he found himself when he awoke at Cairo, where he had married a lady; and at last, in what amazement he was, when he found himself at Damascus, without being able to penetrate into all those wonderful adventures.