Therefore we departed thence, to seek our fortunes, by reason of the
narrowness of our means at home, after we had recited the opening
chapter of the Koran together, pledging ourselves that he who got work
should feed him who lacked work. And there befell me with him
such-and-such things."
Then he went on to relate to the King all that had betided him
with Abu Kir the dyer: how he had robbed him of his dirhams and had
left him alone and sick in the khan closet, and how the door keeper
had fed him of his own moneys till Allah recovered him of his
sickness, when he went forth and walked about the city with his
budget, as was his wont, till his espied a dyery, about which the folk
were crowding; so he looked at the door, and seeing Abu Kir seated
on a bench there, went in to salute him, whereupon he accused him of
being a thief and beat him a grievous beating- brief, he told him his
whole tale, from first to last, and added: "O King of the Age, 'twas
he who counseled me to make the depilatory and present it to thee,
saying: 'The hammam is perfect in all things but that it lacketh
this.' And know, O King of the Age, that this drug is harmless and
we use it in our land, where 'tis one of the requisites bath, but I
had forgotten it.
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