forty purses[FN#114] for putting her away. And when he paid me
the moneys I gave her the divorce and took the coin and went to
my shop, rejoicing at having escaped by this contrivance. On the
next day, behold, came the damsel who had taught me the sleight
and saluted me and wished me good morning. I returned her salam
and indeed, O our lord the Sultan, she was a model of beauty and
loveliness, stature and symmetrical grace and my heart was
enmeshed in her love for the excess of her charms and the limpid
flow of her speech and the sweetness of her tongue. So I said to
her, "And when this promise?" and said she, "I am the daughter of
Such-andsuch, a cook in such a quarter; and do thou go ask me in
marriage of him." So I rose up with all haste and went to her
father and prayed that he would give her to me. And presently I
wedded her and went in unto her and found her as the full moon of
the fourteenth night and was subjugated by her seemlihead. Such,
then, is the adventure which befel me; but, O my lord the Sultan,
the Story of the Sage Such-an-one and his Scholar is more
wonderful and delectable; for indeed 'tis of the marvels of the
age and among the miracles which have been seen by man. Thereupon
the Sovran bade him speak, and the Second Lunatic proceeded to
recount the




Story of the Sage and the Scholar.[FN#115]



There was in times of yore and in ages long gone before a learned