this is the whole of the tale told by the first Larrikin. Now
when the Sultan heard it he marvelled at what had befallen the
chief adventurer therein, when the second Larrikin spoke saying
"I have by me a tale, a marvel of marvels, and which is a delight
to the hearer and a diversion to the reader and to the reciter."
Quoth the Sovran, "What may that be, O Shaykh?" and the man fell
to relating the






Tale of the Fisherman and his Son



They tell that whilome there was a Fisherman, a poor man with a
wife and family, who every day was wont to take his net and go
down to the river a-fishing for his daily bread which is
distributed. Then he would sell a portion of his catch and buy
victual and the rest he would carry to his wife and children that
they might eat. One day of the many days he said to his son who
was growing up to a biggish lad, "O my child, come forth with me
this morning, haply All-Mighty Allah may send us somewhat of
livelihood by thy footsteps;" and the other answered, "'Tis well,
O my father." Hereupon the Fisherman took his son and his net and
they twain went off together till they arrived at the river-bank,
when quoth the father, "O my boy I will throw the net upon the
luck of thee." Then he went forward to the water and standing