and each farewelled his friends and the whole party returned safe
and sound to their own homes.[FN#203] Now when it was the next
night and that was

The Three Hundred and Eighty-sixth Night,

Shahrazad began to relate




THE STORY OF THE KAZI WHO BARE A BABE.[FN#204]



It hath been related that in Tarabulus-town[FN#205] of Syria was
a Kazi appointed under orders of the Caliph Harun al-Rashid to
adjudge law-suits and dissolve contracts and cross-examine
witnesses; and after taking seat in his Mahkamah[FN#206] his
rigour and severity became well known to all men. Now this judge
kept a black hand-maiden likest unto a buffalo-bull and she
cohabited with him for a lengthened while; for his nature was
ever niggardly nor could anyone wrest from him half a Faddah or
any alms-gift or aught else; and his diet was of biscuit[FN#207]
and onions. Moreover, he was ostentatious as he was miserly: he
had an eating-cloth bordered with a fine bell fringe,[FN#208] and
when any person entered about dinner-time or supper-tide he would
cry out, "O handmaid, fetch the fringed table-cloth;" and all who
heard his words would say to themselves, "By Allah, this must
needs be a costly thing." Presently one day of the days his