When they reached the tomb, one of those who were carrying the
case said, "What aileth thee O Sawab?"; and said the other, "What
is the matter O Kafur?"[FN#86] Quoth he, "Were we not here at
supper tide and did we not leave the door open?" "Yes," replied
the other, "that is true.'' "See," said Kafur, "now it is shut
and barred." "How weak are your wits!" cried the third who bore
the adze and his name was Bukhayt,[FN#87] "know ye not that the
owners of the gardens use to come out from Baghdad and tend them
and, when evening closes upon them, they enter this place and
shut the door, for fear lest the wicked blackmen, like ourselves,
should catch them and roast 'em and eat 'em."[FN#88] "Thou sayest
sooth," said the two others, "but by Allah, however that may be,
none amongst us is weaker of wits than thou." "If ye do not
believe me," said Bukhayt, "let us enter the tomb and I will
rouse the rat for you; for I doubt not but that, when he saw the
light and us making for the place, he ran up the date tree and
hid there for fear of us." When Ghanim heard this, he said in
himself, "O curstest of slaves! May Allah not have thee in His
holy keeping for this thy craft and keenness of wit! There is no
Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the
Great! How shall I win free of these blackamoors?" Then said the
two who bore the box to him of the adze, "Swarm up the wall and
open the gate for us, O Bukhayt, for we are tired of carrying the
chest on our necks; and when thou hast opened the gate thou shalt
have one of those we catch inside, a fine fat rat which we will
fry for thee after such excellent fashion that not a speck of his
fat shall be lost." But Bukhayt answered, "I am afraid of
somewhat which my weak wits have suggested to me: we should do
better to throw the chest over the gateway; for it is our
treasure." "If we throw it 'twill break," replied they; and he