Edmund Dulac

“ I am the Prince of the Faithful, the lord of the earth and all its treasures; all people are my slaves and—" "Silence!" she broke in, "if thou valuest thy life!" And, guessing that some spell had been laid upon him, she began to mutter charms to drive away the evil spirits. Then, seeking to divert his mind, she told him the good news about the Imam and the Sheiks; how they had been punished, and how she herself had received a hundred gold pieces with the Khalifeh's blessing. ”

“ With his own hands Er-Rashid then clothed him in rich apparel; after which he bestowed upon him a thousand gold pieces and raised him to the dignity of chief of his boon companions.
Abu-I-Hasan quickly grew in favour with the Khalifeh and the Lady Zubeydeh, his wife; and, in the course of time, married Nuzhat-el-Fuad, Zubeydeh's Treasurer. They lived very happily together, tasting every delight, until all their money was spent. Then, Abu-I-Hasan, confronted with poverty and ashamed to beg a further favour from the Khalifeh, belaboured his wits with regard to filling his empty treasure chest. ”

“ Now, Abu-I-Hasan, who had said within himself, "The matter cannot end here," had seated himself at the window to watch; and, when he saw the four approaching, he turned to his wife and remarked wisely, "O Nuzhet-el-Fuad! Verily, all is not a pancake that is slippery, and the pitcher that goes often to the fountain will one day be broken. Mesrur and the old woman have brewed trouble with their different tales. See! here come the Khalifeh and his messenger, and the Lady Zubeydeh and her messenger; and they are contending and disputing among themselves. ”

“ During the evening Abu-I-Hasan entertained his guest as before, and again, at midnight, the Khalifeh dropped a lozenge into his host's wine, so that as soon as he had drained his cup he fell into a deep slumber. Then once more the Khalifeh commanded him to be taken to the Palace and placed upon the royal couch and surrounded by slave girls to attend his waking. Towards morning Er-Rashid, from his place of concealment, commanded one the slave girls to strike the cords of her lute above the sleeper's head, so that Abu-I-Hasan awoke to the strains of musk. "Mother! Mother!" ”

“ Then thou shalt bind them upon camels, with their faces to the beasts' tails, and make a public show of them in the ways of the city, proclaiming to all, 'Behold the reward of fools who trouble their neighbours!' When this is done thou shalt execute a sworn bond expelling them from the mosque. ”