The History of the Second Old Man
and the Two Black Dogs
Great Prince of the genii, you must know that these two black dogs and myself are three brothers. Our father, when he died, left us one thousand sequins each. With this sum we all embarked in business as merchants. My two brothers determined to travel, that they might trade in foreign parts. They were both unfortunate, and returned at the end of two years in a state of abject poverty, having lost their all. I had in the meanwhile prospered, and I gladly received them, gave them one thousand sequins each, and again set them up as merchants.
My brothers frequently proposed to me that I should make a voyage with them for the purpose of traffic. Knowing their former want of success, I refused to join them, until at the end of five years I at length yielded to their repeated solicitations. Consulting on the merchandise to be bought for the voyage, I discovered that nothing remained of the thousand
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