cause thy prosperity to endure, I conjure thee by that which God
hath vouchsafed thee, heal my heart by accepting these two
caskets, even as I have accepted thy present." So the king
accepted the two caskets and El Abbas took his leave and went
away to the bazaar.

When the merchants saw him, they accosted him and said, "O youth,
wilt thou not open thy shop?" As they were bespeaking him, up
came a woman, having with her a boy, bareheaded, and [stood]
looking at El Abbas, till he turned to her, when she said to him,
"O youth, I conjure thee by Allah, look at this boy and have pity
on him, for that his father hath forgotten his cap in the shop
[he lost to thee]; so if thou will well to give it to him, thy
reward be with God! For indeed the child maketh our hearts ache
with his much weeping, and God be witness for us that, were there
left us aught wherewithal to buy him a cap in its stead, we had
not sought it of thee." "O adornment of womankind," replied El
Abbas, "indeed, thou bespeakest me with thy fair speech and
supplicatest me with thy goodly words ...But bring me thy
husband." So she went and fetched the merchant, whilst the folk
assembled to see what El Abbas would do. When the man came, he
returned him the gold he had won of him, all and part, and
delivered him the keys of the shop, saying, "Requite us with thy
pious prayers."Therewithal the woman came up to him and kissed
his feet, and on like wise did the merchant her husband; and all
who were present blessed him, and there was no talk but of El
Abbas.

As for the merchant, he bought him a sheep and slaughtering it,
roasted it and dressed birds and [other] meats of various kinds