fainted and in like manner did the others. Then said the Sultan, "By Allah, of a truth this is the most marvellous thing I ever saw! O Moslems! O soldiers all! did you ever in the lives of you see a man die and be quickened again? Verily had not Allah vouchsafed to him this Barber he had been a dead man!" Quoth they, "By Allah, 'tis a marvel of marvels!" Then the King of China bade record this tale; so they recorded it, and placed it in the royal muniment-rooms. After which he bestowed costly robes of honour upon the Jew, the Nazarene, and the Reeve, and bade them depart in all esteem. Then he gave the Tailor a sumptuous dress, and appointed him his own tailor, with suitable pay and allowances, and made peace between him and the Hunchback, to whom also he presented a splendid and expensive suit, with a suitable stipend. He did as generously with the Barber, giving him a gift and a dress of honour; moreover, he settled on him a handsome solde, and created him Barber-surgeon[1] of state and made him one of his cup-companions. So they ceased not to live the most pleasurable life and the most delectable, till there came to them the Destroyer of all delights and the Sunderer of all societies, the Depopulator of palaces, and the Garnerer for graves. Yet, O most auspicious King! (continued Shahrazad), this tale is by no means more wonderful than that of the two Wazirs and Anís al-Jalís. Quoth her sister Dunyazad, "And what may that be?" whereupon she began to relate the following tale of
- ↑ "The King's barber is usually a man of rank, for the best of reasons that he holds his Sovereign's life between his fingers. One of these noble Figaros in India married an English lady, who was, they say, unpleasantly surprised to find out what were her husband's official duties.
END OF VOL. I.
وآلسلام
