vizier, "is this story, O king of the time, more extraordinary or
more delightful than that of the journeyman and the girl whose
belly he slit and fled."

When King Shah Bekht heard this, he said, "Most like all they say
of the vizier is leasing and his innocence will appear, even as
that of the pious woman appeared." Then he comforted the vizier's
heart and bade him go to his house.

The Nineteenth Night of the Month.

When the evening evened, the king bade fetch the vizier and
required of him the story of the journeyman and the girl. So he
said, "Hearkening and obedience. Know, O august king, that





STORY OF THE JOURNEYMAN AND THE GIRL.



There was once, of old time, in one of the tribes of the Arabs, a
woman great with child by her husband, and they had a hired
servant, a man of excellent understanding. When the woman came to
[the time of her] delivery, she gave birth to a maid-child in the
night and they sought fire of the neighbours. So the journeyman
went in quest of fire.