The grand vizier being come to the palace at the
hour appointed, the caliph, he, and Mesrour the chief of the
eunuchs, disguised themselves so as they could not be known, and
went out ail together. They passed through several places, and by
several markets; and as they entered a small street, they
perceived, by the light of the moon, a tall man, with a white
beard, who carried nets on his head; he had a folding basket of
palm leaves on his arm, and a club in his hand. This old man,
says the caliph, does not seem to be rich; let us go to him, and
inquire into his circumstances. Honest man, said the vizier, who
art thou? The old man replied, Sir, I am a fisher, but one of the
poorest and most miserable of the trade; I went from my house
about noon to go a-fishing, and from that time to this I have not
been able to catch one fish; at the same time I have a wife and
small children, and nothing to maintain them. The caliph, moved
with compassion, says to the fisherman, Hast thou the courage to
go back and cast thy nets once more? We will give thee a hundred
sequins for what thou shall bring up. At this proposal, the
fisherman, forgetting all his day's toil, took the caliph at his
word, and with him, Giafar, and Mesrour, returned to the Tigris;
he saying to himself, These gentlemen seem to be too honest and
reasonable not to reward my pains; and if they give me the
hundredth part of what they promise me, it will be a great deal.
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