When his belly began to drain off I set under him a large metal
basin and after pinching the little one I placed it in the
utensil and recited Names over it. Presently quoth he, Guard my
little stranger from the draught and bring hither a wet-nurse;
and I did accordingly. But he waxed ashamed of the birth and in
the morning he fared forth the city nor knew we what Allah had
done with him. But as he went I bespake him with the words which
the poet sang when the Ass of Umm Amr[FN#222] went off:--

Ass and Umm Amr bewent their way; * Nor Ass nor Umm Amr returned
for aye,

and then I cited the saying of another:--

When I forced him to fare I bade him hie, * Where Umm
Kash'am[FN#223] caused her selle to fly."

Now as the Caliph Harun al-Rashid heard these words he laughed so
hearty a laugh that he fell backwards and bade the goodwife
repeat her history till he waxed distraught for excess of
merriment, when lo and behold! a Darwaysh suddenly entered the
presence. The wife looked at her husband and recognised him; but
the Caliph knew not his Kazi, so much had time and trouble
changed the Judge's cheer. However, she signalled to the
Commander of the Faithful that the beggar was her mate and he
taking the hint cried out, "Welcome to thee, O Darwaysh, and
where be the babe thou bearest at Tarabulus?" The unfortunate
replied, "O King of the Age, do men go with child?" and the
Prince of True Believers rejoined, "We heard that the Kazi bare a
babe and thou art that same Kazi now habited in Fakir's habit.