" Answered the fisherman,
"Have no fear for me, O master, because of the beating, for I can
eat ten donkeys' rations of stick."
The Jew laughed at his words and said, "Allah upon thee, tell me
what thou wilt have and by the right of my faith, I will give it
thee!" The fisherman replied, "Naught from thee will remunerate me for
this fish save the two words whereof I spake." And the Jew said,
"Meseemeth thou wouldst have me become a Moslem." Khalifah rejoined:
"By Allah, O Jew, an thou Islamize, 'twill nor advantage the Moslems
nor damage the Jews. And in like manner, an thou hold to thy misbelief
'twill nor damage the Moslems nor advantage the Jews. But what I
desire of thee is that thou rise to thy feet and say: 'Bear witness
against me, O people of the market, that I barter my ape for the ape
of Khalifah the fisherman and my lot in the world for his lot and my
luck for his luck'." Quoth the Jew, "If this be all thou desirest,
'twill sit lightly upon me." So he rose without stay or delay and
standing on his feet, repeated the required words. After which he
turned to the fisherman and asked him, "Hast thou aught else to ask of
me?" "No," answered he, and the Jew said, "Go in peace!"
Hearing this Khalifah sprung to his feet forthright, took up his
basket and net, and returned straight to the Tigris, where he threw
his net and pulled it in.
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