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my protection and welcome: do not pay him aught.’ Then said she, ‘Heal my heart and eat of my victual.’ So he entered and ate and drank, till he could not sit upright, when she drugged him and took his clothes and arms. Then she loaded her purchase on the ass and the Bedouin’s horse and made off with it, after she had aroused Ali Kitf. The latter awoke and found himself naked and saw Ahmed and his men drugged and stripped. So he revived them with the counter-drug and they awoke and saw themselves naked. Quoth Ahmed, ‘O lads, what is this? We were going about to catch her, and lo, this strumpet hath caught us! How Hassan Shouman will crow over us! But we will wait till it is dark and then go away.’
Meanwhile Hassan Shouman said to the hall-keeper, ‘Where are the men?’ As he spoke, up they came, naked; and he recited the following verses:
Men in their purpose are alike and what they hope and fear: ’Tis in the issues, ’twixt the folk, that difference doth appear.
Some men for ignorant are known and other some for wise, Even as in heaven some stars are dull and others bright and clear.
Then he said to them, ‘Who hath played you this trick?’ and they answered, saying, ‘We were in quest of an old woman, and a handsome girl stripped us.’ ‘She hath done well,’ said Hassan. ‘Dost thou know her?’ asked they. ‘Yes,’ answered Hassan; ‘I know her and the old woman too.’ Quoth they, ‘What shall we say to the Khalif?’ And he said, ‘O Denef, do thou shake thy collar before him, and if he ask why thou hast not caught her, say thou, “We know her not; but charge Hassan Shouman with her.” And if he give her into my charge, I will lay hands on her.’
So they slept that night and on the morrow they repaired to the Khalif’s Divan and kissed the earth before him. Quoth he, ‘Where is the old woman, O Captain Ahmed?’ But he shook his collar. The Khalif asked him why he
