' He will ask, 'Hast thou shown it to any but me?' and do
thou answer, 'No, by Allah!' Then will he take it of thee and give
thee a dinar. Give it him back and he will give thee two dinars; but
do thou return them also, and so do with everything he may offer thee;
and take naught from him, though he give thee the fish's weight in
gold.
Then will he say to thee, 'Tell me what thou wouldst have, and do
thou reply, 'By Allah, I will not sell the fish save for two words!'
He will ask, 'What are they?' And do thou answer, 'Stand up and say,
"Bear witness, O ye who are present in the market, that I give
Khalifah the fisherman my ape in exchange for his ape, and that I
barter for his lot my lot and luck for his luck." This is the price of
the fish, and I have no need of gold.' If he do this, I will every day
give thee good morrow and good even, and every day thou shalt gain ten
dinars of good gold; whilst this one-eyed, lame-legged ape shall daily
give the Jew good morrow, and Allah shall afflict him every day with
an avanie which he must needs pay, nor will he cease to be thus
afflicted till he is reduced to beggary and hath naught.
Pages:
522
523
524
525
526
527
528
529
530
531
532
533
534
535
536
537
538
539
540
541
542
543
544
545
546