out fail demand his due。' 'Hath he vexed thee with words？' asked his wife。 'Nay；' answered Abdallah； 'on the contrary； he still refuses to reckon with me； saying； 〃＇Wait＇ till good luck betide thee。〃' And his wife said； 'If he press thee； say to him； 〃＇Wait＇ till there e the good luck for which we hope； thou and I。〃' 'And when will the good luck e that we hope for？' asked the fisherman。 'God is bountiful；' answered she； and he said； 'Thou sayst sooth。'
Then he shouldered his and went down to the seaside； saying； 'O Lord； provide Thou me； though but with one fish； that I may give it to the baker！' And he cast his into the sea and pulling it in； found it heavy； so he tugged at it till； after sore travail； he got it ashore and found in it a dead ass； swollen and stinking； whereat his soul sickened and he freed it from the ； saying； 'There is no power and no virtue save in God the Most High； the Supreme！ Verily； I can no more！ I say to yonder woman； （197） 〃There is no more provision for me in the sea； let me leave this craft。〃 And she still answers me； 〃God is bountiful； good will betide thee。〃 Is this dead ass the good of which she speaks？' And he was sore chagrined。
Then he removed to another place； so he might be quit of the stench of the dead ass； and cast his there。 He waited awhile； then drew it in and found it heavy； whereupon quoth he； 'Good； we are hauling up all the dead asses in the sea and ridding it of its rubbish。' However he gave not over tugging at the ； till the blood streamed from the palms of his hands； and when he got it ashore； he saw a man in it and took him for one of the Afrits of the lord Solomon； whom he was wont to imprison in vessels of brass and cast into the sea； supposing that the vessel had burst for length of years and that the Atrit had e forth and fallen into the ； wherefore he fled from him； crying out and saying； 'Mercy； mercy； O Afrit of Solomon！' But the creature called out to him from within the and said； 'e hither； O fisherman； and flee not from me； for I am a human being like thyself Release me； so thou mayst get a repense for me ＇of God＇。'
So the fisherman took heart and ing up to him； said to him； 'Art thou not an Afrit of the Jinn？' 'Nay；' replied the other； 'I am a mortal and a believer in God and His Apostle。' 'Who threw thee into the sea？' asked the fisherman； and he answered； 'I am of the children of the sea and was going about therein； when thou castest the over me。 We are people who obey God's mandments and show lovingkindness unto the creatures of the Most High； and but that I fear and dread to be of the disobedient； I had torn thy ； but I accept that which God hath decreed unto me； wherefore thou art bee my owner and I thy captive。 Wilt thou then set me free for the love of God the Most High and make a covenant with me and bee my friend？ I will e to thee every day in this place； and do thou e to me and bring me a gift of the fruits of the land。 For with you are grapes and figs and melons and peaches and pomegranates and what not else； and all thou bringest me will be acceptable unto me。 Moreover； with us are coral and pearls and chrysolites and emeralds and rubies and other precious stones； and I will fill thee the basket； wherein thou bringest me the fruit； with precious stones of the jewels of the sea。 What sayst thou to this； O my brother？'
Quoth the fisherman； 'Be the first chapter of the Koran between thee and me upon this。' So they recited the Fatiheh； （198） ＇in token of their agreement＇； and the fisherman loosed the merman from the and said to him； 'What is thy name？' 'My name is Abdallah of the sea；' answered he； 'and if thou e hither and see me not； do thou call out and say； 〃Where art thou； O Abdallah； O merman？〃 And I will be with thee presently。 But thou； what is thy name？' 'My name also is Abdallah；' answered the fisherman。 Quoth the other； 'Thou art Abdallah of the land and I am Abdallah of the sea； but abide here till I go and fetch thee a present。' And the fisherman said； 'I hear and obey。'
Then the merman went down into the sea ＇and disappeared＇； whereupon the fisherman repented him of having released him and said in himself； 'How know I that he will e back to me？ Indeed； he beguiled me； so that I released him； and now he will laugh at me。 Had I kept him； I might have made a show of him for the diversion of the people of the city and taken money from all the folk and entered with him the houses of the great。' And he repented him of having let him go and said； 'Thou hast let thy prey go from thy hand。' But； as he was thus bemoaning his credulity； behold； the merman returned to him； with his hands full of pearls and coral and emeralds and rubies and other jewels； and said to him； 'Take these； O my brother； and excuse me； for I had no basket that I might fill it for thee。'
The fisherman rejoiced and took the jewels from the merman； who said to him； 'e hither every day； before sunrise；' and taking leave of him； went down into the sea； whilst the other returned to the city； rejoicing； and stayed not till he came to the baker's shop and said to him； 'O my brother； good luck is e to us ＇at last＇； so do thou reckon with me。' 'There needs no reckoning；' answered the baker。 'If thou have aught； give it me； and if not； take thy bread and spendingmoney and begone； against good betide thee。' 'O my friend；' rejoined the fisherman； 'indeed good hath betided me of God's bounty； and I owe thee much money； but take this。' So saying； he took up； at a handful； half of the pearls and coral and rubies and other jewels he had with him； and gave them to the baker saying； 'Give me some ready money to spend this day； till I sell these jewels。'
So the baker gave him all the money he had by him and all the bread in his basket and rejoiced in the jewels he had given him； saying； 'I am thy slave and thy servant。' Then he set all the bread on his head and following the fisherman home； gave it to his wife and children； after which he repaired to the market and fetched meat and vegetables and all kinds of fruit。 Moreover； he left his shop and abode with Abdallah all that day； busying himself in his service and doing all his occasions。 'O my brother；' said the fisherman； 'thou weariest thyself。' 'This is my duty；' answered the baker； 'for I am bee thy servant and thou hast overwhelmed me with thy bounties。' 'Not so；' rejoined the fisherman； 'it is thou who wast my benefactor in the days of dearth and straitness。' And the baker passed the night in feasting with him and became a faithful friend to him。 Then the fisherman told his wife what had befallen him with the merman； whereat she rejoiced and said； 'keep thy secret； lest the magistrates e down upon thee。' But he said； 'Though I keep my secret from all the folk； yet will I not hide it from the baker。'
On the morrow； he rose before the sun and shouldering a basket； which he had filled overnight with all manner fruits； repaired to the seashore； where he set down the basket and called out； saying； 'Where art thou； O Abdallah； O merman？' And he answered； saying； 'Here am I； at thy service；' and came forth to him。 The fisherman gave him the fruit and he took it and plunging into the sea with it； was absent awhile。 after which he came up； with the basket full of all kinds of precious stones and jewels。 The fisherman set it on his head and went away； and when he came to the baker's shop； the latter said to him； 'O my lord； I have baked thee forty brioches and have sent them to thy house； and now I will bake wastelbread； and as soon as it is done； I will bring it to thy house and go and fetch thee meat and vegetables。'
Abdallah gave him three handsful of jewels out of the basket and going home； set it down there。 Then he took a jewel of price of each sort and going to the jewelbazaar； stopped at the Syndic's shop and said to him； 'Buy these jewels of me。' 'Show them to me；' said the Syndic。 So he showed them to him and the jeweller said； 'Hast thou other than these？' 'Yes；' answered Abdallah； 'I have a basketful at home。' 'And where is thy house？' asked the Syndic。 'In such a quarter；' replied the fisherman； whereupon the Syndic took the jewels from him and said to his servants； 'Lay hold of him； for he is the thief who stole the queen's jewels。' And he bade beat him。 So they beat him and bound his hands behind him； after which the Syndic and all the people of the jewelmarket arose and set out ＇to carry him to the king＇； saying； 'We have gotten the thief。' Quoth one； 'None robbed such an one but this knave；' and another； 'It was none but he stole all that was in such an one's house；' and some said this and some that。
But he was silent and spoke not a word nor answered any of them； till they brought him before the king； to whom said the Syndic； 'O king of the age； when the queen's necklace was stolen； thou sentest to acquaint us therewith； requiring of us the discovery of the culprit； wherefore I strove beyond the rest of the folk and have taken the thief for thee。 Here he is before thee； and these jewels we have recovered from him。' Thereupon the king said to the eunuch； 'Carry these jewels to the queen and say to her； 〃Are these thy jewels that thou hast lost？〃' So the eunuch carried the jearvelled at them and sent to the king to say； 'I have found my necklace in my own place and these jewels are not my property； nay； they are finer than those of my necklace。 Wherefore oppress thou not the man； but； if he will sell them； buy them of him for thy daughter Umm esSuwood； that we may string them on a necklace for her。'
When the eunuch returned and told the king what the queen said； he cursed the Syndic of the jewellers and his pany with the curse of Aad and Themoud；' （199） and they said to him； 'O king of the age； we knew this man for a poor fisherman and deemed these jewels too much for him ＇to e by honestly＇； so made sure that he had stolen them。' 'Wretches that ye are！' cried the king。 'Do ye begrudge a truebeliever good fortune？ ？ Peradventure God the Most High hath vouchsafed him these things from a source on which he did not reckon。 Why did ye make him out a thief and dishonour him amongst the folk？ Begone； and may God not bless you！'
So they went out in affright and the king said to Abdallah； 'O man； （may God bless thee in