Mehmed now found himself all alone, so he went forth into the wide world once more. He went on and on, did nothing but drink sweet coffee, smoke chibooks, look about over his shoulder, and walk leisurely along at his ease. As he was thus knocking about, he chanced to light upon a five-para piece, which he speedily changed for some lebleb,[1] which he immediately fell to chewing, and, as he chewed, part of it fell into a wayside spring, whereupon the fool began roaring loud enough to split his throat: "Give me back my lebleb, give me back my lebleb!" At this frightful bawling a Jinn popped up his head, and he was so big that his upper lip swept the sky, while his lower lip hid the earth. "What dost thou require?" asked the Jinn.—"I want my lebleb, I want my lebleb!" cried Mehmed.
The Jinn ducked down into the spring, and when he came up again, he held a little table in his hand. This little table he gave to the fool and said: "Whenever thou art hungry thou hast only to say: 'Little table, give me to eat;' and when thou hast eaten thy fill, say: 'Little table, I have now had enough.'"
So Mehmed took the table and went with it into a village, and when he felt hungry he said: "Little table, give me to eat!" and immediately there stood before
- ↑ Roasted pepper.
