of provision for ten days." "And what is the cause of your flying
your native land?" asked the King, and the other answered,
"Verily our tale is wondrous and our adventures are joyous and
marvellous." Hereupon quoth the King, "Wallahi, we will not quit
this spot till such time as we shall have heard your histories;
and let each one of you three recount to us what befell him, so
that we hear it from his own mouth." Hereupon the King commanded
sundry of his suite to set forth home and the rest to abide
beside him; and he sent a Chamberlain of the Chamberlains that he
might go bring from the city somewhat of victual and water and
wax candles and all the case required, saying the while to
himself, "Verily the hearing of histories is better than hunting
and birding, for haply they may solace and gladden the hearts of
men."[FN#323] So the Chamberlain went forth and, after an absence
of an hour or so he returned bringing all the King had commanded;
upon which he and the suite brought in the Larrikin[FN#324]
together with his two companions until they led them to the
presence and seated the three together. All this while none of
the vagabonds knew that the personage before them was King of the
city. So they fell to conversing until the next night came on
when the Sovran bade them tell their tales of themselves and what
had befallen each and every of them. They replied, "Hearkening
and obedience;" and the foremost of them began to recite the




History of the First Larrikin.