第56章

When it was the Eight Hundred and Thirty-second Night； She continued，It hath reached me，O auspicious King，that when Khalifah the Fisherman had cast his net sundry times into the stream，yet had it brought up naught，he pondered his case and improvised the verses afore quoted.Then he said in his mind，'I will make this one more cast，trusting in Allah who haply will not disappoint my hope.'So he rose and threw the net and waited a full hour，after which time he pulled at it and，finding it heavy，handled it gently and drew it in，little by little，till he got it ashore，when lo and behold！ he saw in it a one-eyed；lame-legged ape.Seeing this quoth Khalifah，'There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah！ verily，we are Allah's and to Him we are returning！ What meaneth this heart-breaking，miserable ill-luck and hapless fortune？ What is come to me this blessed day？ But all this is of the destinies of Almighty Allah！'Then he took the ape and tied him with a cord to a tree which grew on the river-bank，and grasping a whip he had with him，raised his arm in the air，thinking to bring down the scourge upon the quarry，when Allah made the ape speak with a fluent tongue，saying，'O Khalifah，hold thy hand and beat me not，but leave me bounden to this tree and go down to the river and cast thy net，confiding in Allah；for He will give thee thy daily bread.'Hearing this Khalifah went down to the river and casting his net，let the cords run out.Then he pulled it in and found it heavier than before；so he ceased not to tug at it，till he brought it to land，when，behold，there was another ape in it；with front teeth wide apart，[187] Kohl-darkened eyes and hands stained with Henna-dyes；and he was laughing and wore a tattered waistcloth about his middle.Quoth Khalifah，'Praised be Allah who hath changed the fish of the river into apes！'

[188]then，going up to the first ape，who was still tied to the tree，he said to him，'See，O unlucky，how fulsome was the counsel thou gavest me！ None but thou made me light on this second ape： and for that thou gavest me good-morrow with thy one eye and thy lameness，[189] I am become distressed and weary；without dirham or dinar.'So saying，he hent in hand a stick [190] and flourishing it thrice in the air，was about to come down with it upon the lame ape，when the creature cried out for mercy and said to him，'I conjure thee，by Allah，spare me for the sake of this my fellow and seek of him thy need；for he will guide thee to thy desire！'So he held his hand from him and throwing down the stick，went up to and stood by the second ape；who said to him，'O Khalifah，this my speech [191] will profit thee naught，except thou hearken to what I say to thee；but，an thou do my bidding and cross me not，I will be the cause of thine enrichment.'Asked Khalifah，'And what hast thou to say to me that I may obey there therein？'The Ape answered，'Leave me bound on the bank and hie thee down to the river；then cast thy net a third time，and after I will tell thee what to do.'So he took his net and going down to the river，cast it once more and waited awhile.Then he drew it in and finding it heavy，laboured at it and ceased not his travail till he got it ashore，when he found in it yet another ape；but this one was red，with a blue waistcloth about his middle；his hands and feet were stained with Henna and his eyes blackened with Kohl.When Khalifah saw this；he exclaimed，'Glory to God the Great！ Extolled be the perfection of the Lord of Dominion！ Verily，this is a blessed day from first to last： its ascendant was fortunate in the countenance of the first ape，and the scroll [192] is known by its superion！ Verily，to-day is a day of apes： there is not a single fish left in the river，and we are come out to-day but to catch monkeys！'Then he turned to the third ape and said；'And what thing art thou also，O unlucky？'Quoth the ape，'Dost thou not know me，O Khalifah！'；and quoth he，'Not I！'The ape cried，'I am the ape of Abu al-Sa'adat [193] the Jew，the shroff.'Asked Khalifah，'And what dost thou for him？'；and the ape answered，'I give him good-morrow at the first of the day；and he gaineth five ducats；and again at the end of the day，I give him good-even and he gaineth other five ducats.'Whereupon Khalifah turned to the first ape and said to him，'See，O unlucky，what fine apes other folks have！ As for thee，thou givest me good-morrow with thy one eye and thy lameness and thy ill-omened phiz and I become poor and bankrupt and hungry！'So saying，he took the cattle-stick and flourishing it thrice in the air，was about to come down with it on the first ape，when Abu al-Sa'adat's ape said to him，'Let him be，O Khalifah，hold thy hand and come hither to me，that I may tell thee what to do.'So Khalifah threw down the stick and walking up to him cried，'And what hast thou to say to me，O monarch of all monkeys？'Replied the ape，'Leave me and the other two apes here，and take thy net and cast it into the river；and whatever cometh up，bring it to me，and I will tell thee what shall gladden thee.'--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

When it was the Eight Hundred and Thirty-third Night She pursued，It hath reached me，O auspicious King，that the ape of Abu al-Sa'adat said to Khalifah，'Take thy net and cast it into the river；and whatever cometh up，bring it to me，and I

will tell thee what shall gladden thee.'He replied，'I hear and obey，'and took the net and gathered it on his shoulder，reciting these couplets；'When straitened is my breast I will of my Creator pray，* Who may and can the heaviest weight lighten in easiest way；

For ere man's glance can turn or close his eye by God His grace *

Waxeth the broken whole and yieldeth jail its prison-prey.

Therefore with Allah one and all of thy concerns commit * Whose grace and favour men of wit shall nevermore gainsay.'

And also these twain；'Thou art the cause that castest men in ban and bane；* Sorrow e'en so and sorrow's cause Thou canst assain：

Make me not covet aught that lies beyond my reach；* How many a greedy wight his wish hath failed to gain！'