And the head-man came out, and they greeted one another. "Well! give me the news of the town." And he said, "The town news is good; I am sent to see the lads; up to this time he has no news of them, whether they are alive or dead, or sick, whether the sultan will get any dates to taste, or not, that's all." And he said, "Let us go, I will take you where the lads are." And he went and found them both on their backs, drawn up together, and shivering with the cold that had got hold of them.
And they said to him, "Hullo, Hueduni, what news from the town?" And he said, "Good, my young masters; your father's compliments, and after the compliments, he has heard nothing, till now the sun is at ten o'clock." "Ah! Is it true?" And he said "It is true, ten o'clock, master." And he said, "Weren't we saying perhaps it is getting to be morning?" And he said, "Not at all, masters; I left the town at eight o'clock, when I was sent into the country here. Then he asks, my young masters, shall he eat dates this year, or not?" And one of them got up and said, "Tell him, he shall eat dates this year, while it is this year, while it is this time present. Wait and let me cut for you, and give you to take to him."
His brother said, "Are you talking with your wits about you, or are you mad?" And he said, "How so?" And he said, "I ask you, did you speak with your wits about you, that I may know what to answer." And he said, "I speak with my wits about me, and I am not mad." And he said, "You are downright mad; you are mad enough to be fettered with a post between your legs, and a chain; that's the way to give you medicine to cure you." And he said, "If you were not mad, you wouldn't have talked in such a way, going and telling father!" And he said, "How so?"
