When I awoke next morning, I opened the fourth door and found beyond it a treasury passing the imagination of kings. Jewels and precious stones there were beyond reckoning. “These,” I said, “are mine, and forty priceless damsels are also mine: what Sultan can compare with me? ” That day, and on the following days, I opened one door after another, finding within each the strangest and most wonderful things man ever beheld; until, on the thirty-ninth day, I had opened every door except the last,—the one fashioned[197] of pure gold. Long I looked at it, recalling my oath, and fortifying myself against temptation.

Many times I turned away from it, with the key in my hand, but always the Devil drove me back again. Then, at last, my curiosity became acute, and I could not refrain.

I opened the door, and passed within. I was met by an odour fragrant beyond conception, which mastered my brain so that I fell in a faint. But I soon recovered, and, rising to my feet, went on, treading on golden tiles spread with saffron, and lighted on my way by golden lamps, from which were wafted the odours of musk and ambergris. I soon saw that the place was, in effect, a stable, though words fail to describe its splendour. There, standing at a crystal manger full of choice sesame, with a trough adjoining filled with rose-water, stood a magnificent steed, as black as night.

Never had I seen his equal. He was saddled and bridled, and his trappings were of gold and thread-of-gold, sparkling with gems. “This is the steed of my desire,” I said, and then, as I approached him, he turned his head towards me, and neighed. Urged by the Devil, I led him forth and mounted him. But when I jerked the reins, he stood stock still.

I persuaded him with my heels, but he did not move. Then I espied a whip deposited in the saddle. I took this and struck him a violent blow. With a neigh like thunder, he rose in the air, and soared up and up to a great height. Then he flew with me over hills and valleys, until at last he alighted on the roof of another palace.

There he plunged and reared, and finally shook me off behind him; and, as I fell, a blow from his tail struck out my eye. Leaving me thus, he soared up and away, and was soon lost to sight.

When I descended from the roof, I found I was back in[198] the Palace of the ten young men. When they beheld me, and saw that my eye was gone, they cried with one voice, “No welcome to thee, O curious one! Thou art now in like case with us, having been chastised for thine impertinent curiosity. For know that we have all opened that golden door and ridden that black horse, and that is why we do nightly penance for our foolishness. ” I then begged them to receive me into their company, but they refused, saying their number was complete.

So I went my way dejected, and wandered as a mendicant, ever on and on towards Baghdad, the Abode of Peace, resolved to seek the Khalifeh of the Lord of all Creatures and set my case before him.

“Verily,” exclaimed Harun-er-Rashid as the Third Royal Calender retired to his place, “this is the most astounding tale of all. Hear me now, all of you. These men have suffered greatly, but Fate hath no further trouble in store for them. By Allah! my armies are great, and I will restore each to his throne.

As for you, O ladies,” he continued, turning to the three sisters, “my Seraglio is dull and lifeless without you. Will you grace it with your presence? ” “Yes, O Commander of the Faithful,” cried they all, laughing merrily and clapping their hands, for they thought him a perfect impersonator; “we will come to thee. ” “On the head and the eye? ” “Yea, O King, on the head and the eye is our promise given.

” At this the Khalifeh turned to his two officials. “O Vizier,” he said, “I call thee to witness; and thee also, O Mesrur. ” And they answered smiling, for they liked the pretence of his pretence, “King of the Age, we hear and obey.

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Then the Khalifeh approached the porter, who was asleep upon the floor, and stirred him with his foot so that he awoke and sat up. “O thou carrier of goods and vast quantities of wine,” said the Khalifeh, “wouldst thou be the Wag of Harun-er-Rashid, Fifth Khalifeh of the House of Abbas? ” The porter grinned. “O Prince of the Faithful,” said he, “I was born with that ambition, for they say that when the Khalifeh’s Wag waggeth his tongue no other tongue may wag. ” And with this he kissed the ground seven times in mock obeisance.

“It is well,” said the Khalifeh, “for verily thou art a wag. ” And they all applauded his seeming royalty and said one among another, “Never have we seen such an excellent impersonation of a king.

The Khalifeh then pointed to the first signs of day in the east, saying, “There was never so pleasant a night but morning ended it.” And then, with Ja’far and Mesrur, he set about taking his departure, thanking the ladies for their kind hospitality and bidding them remember the promise they had given. The Three Royal Calenders and the porter also bade the sisters farewell, and, when they were outside the house, the Calenders were directed to a Khan, while the porter took his own way home and the Khalifeh and his two officials returned to the palace.

On the following morning the Khalifeh of Baghdad sat on his throne, and his first thought was to send for the Three Royal Calenders, the three ladies, and the porter. “Lose no time in bringing them hither, O Vizier,” said the Khalifeh to Ja’far. The Vizier sent in great haste, and, when the messengers returned with all of them, Er-Rashid received them in private audience.

Not one of them recognised the three merchants of the[200] former evening, and their faces showed fear and surprise, for they knew not why they had been thus summoned. The Khalifeh spoke. “Know, O ye people, that I, Harun-er-Rashid, of the house of Abbas, do not forget my promises. I promised Three Royal Calenders that I would restore them to their thrones, and, by Allah! this shall be done.

Three beautiful ladies of Baghdad promised me that they would come into my Seraglio, which thou didst witness, O Ja’far; and thou, too, O Mesrur. ” The two officials bowed low, confirming this. “But,” continued the Khalifeh, “I have since decided to make them queens by bestowing them in marriage upon these three kings. ” And he indicated the Calenders. Then, turning towards the porter, he continued: “I also promised that a carrier of goods,—a merry fellow,—should be my Wag.

This shall be, and his first duty will be to solve this riddle. Which is easier: for the Khalifeh to play the merchant, or the merchant to play the Khalifeh? Meanwhile, do you all agree to what I have proposed?

They were all dumbfounded as they realised that their actor of the previous night had played his part so well, because he was indeed the Khalifeh himself. For some moments no one spoke; then they all made obeisance to him and kissed the ground. “O King of the Age,” said one of the ladies, “I answer for my sisters and myself. We will obey thy commands willingly and with joy. ” Then one of the Calenders added, “O Prince of the Faithful, we also hear and obey, with equal willingness and equal joy.

” “And as for me, O King,” said the porter, “I, being a wag, and also a liar of some excellence, knew that indeed thou wert the Khalifeh of the Lord of All Creatures, but I was compelled to dissemble for fear of thine Executioner’s sword. Thus I[201] solve thy riddle, O King: The Khalifeh played better than the merchant, whose play was equally good. ” The Khalifeh smiled and, turning to Ja’far, said, “O Vizier, bestow upon him the Robe of the Wag.

Then the Khalifeh arose, and, descending from his throne, placed the hands of the three ladies in those of the Three Royal Calenders. The Kadi and witnesses were summoned and the marriage contracts were signed and sealed. He then bestowed upon each of the three wedded pairs a splendid palace and sufficient money for their needs until such time as he had succeeded in restoring them to their thrones. And so did Harun-er-Rashid draw upon himself ten thousand blessings.

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