she desired to know was of no importance to her; but that could
gain nothing upon her, either by their authority or entreaties.
When her children saw that nothing could prevail to bring her out
of that sullen temper, they wept bitterly. The merchant himself
was like a man out of his senses, and was almost ready to risk
his own life to save that of his wife, whom he loved dearly.

Now, my daughter, says the vizier to Scheherazade, this merchant
had fifty hens, and a cock, with a dog that gave good heed to all
that passed; and while the merchant was set down, as I said, and
considering what he had best do, he sees the dog run towards the
cock, as he was treading a hen, and heard him speak to him thus:
Cock, says he, I am sure Heaven will not let you live long; are
you not ashamed to do that thing to-day? The cock, standing up on
tip-toe, answers the dog fiercely, And why should I not do it
to-day as well as other days? As you do not know, replies the
dog, then I tell you that this day our master is in great
perplexity. His wife would have him reveal a secret, which is of
such a nature, that it will cost him his life if he doth it.
Things are come to that pass, that it is to be feared he will
scarcely have resolution enough to resist his wife's obstinacy;
for, he loves her, and is affected with the tears that she
continually sheds, and perhaps it may cost him his life. We are
all alarmed at it, and you only insult our melancholy, and have
the imprudence to divert yourself with your hens.

The cock answered the dog's reproof thus: What! has our master so
little sense? he has but one wife, and cannot govern her; and
though I have fifty, I make them all do what I please. Let him
make use of his reason, he will speedily find a way to rid