of stuff wherein I had tied up the hundred and four-score and ten Ashrafis before hiding them in the jar of bran.  Then said I to my friends, “O my lords, it hath pleased Almighty Allah, ere we parted, I and you, to bear me witness of my words and to stablish that I told you naught save whatso was very sooth.”  And I resumed, addressing Sa’di, “See here the other sum of money, that is, the hundred and ninety Ashrafis which thou gayest me and which I tied up in this very piece of cloth I now recognise.”  Then I sent for the earthen jar that they might see it, and also bade carry it to my wife that she also might bear witness, an it be or be not the very bran-jar which she gave in exchange for fuller’s earth.  Anon she sent us word and said, “Yea verily I know it well.  ’Tis the same jar which I had filled with bran.”  Accordingly Sa’di owned that he was wrong and said to S’ad, “Now I know that thou speakest truth, and am convinced that wealth cometh not by wealth; but only by the grace of Almighty Allah doth a poor man become a rich man.”  And he begged pardon for his mistrust and unbelief.  We accepted his excuses whereupon we retired to rest and early on the morrow my two friends bade me adieu and journeyed home wards with full persuasion that I had done no wrong and had not squandered the moneys they had given me.—­Now when the Caliph Harun al-Rashid had heard the story of Khwajah Hasan to the end, he said, “I have known thee of old by fair report of thee from the folk who, one and all, declare that thou art a good man and true.  Moreover the self same diamond whereby thou hast attained to so great riches is now in my treasury; so I would fain send for Sa’di forthright that he may see it with his own eyes, and weet for certain that not by means of money do men become or rich or poor.”  The Prince of True Believers said moreover to Khwajah Hasan al-Habbal, “Go now and tell thy tale to my treasurer that he may take it down in writing for an everlasting memorial, and place the writ in the treasury together with the diamond.”  Then the Caliph with a nod dismissed Khawajah Hasan; and Sidi Nu’uman and Baba Abdullah also kissed the foot of the throne and departed.  So when Queen Shahrazad had made an end of relating this history she was about to begin the story of ’All Baba and the Forty Thieves, but King Shahryar prevented her, saying, “O Shahrazad I am well pleased with this thy tale, but now the dawn appeareth and the chanticleer of morn doth sound his shrill clarion.  This day also I spare thy life, to the intent that I may listen at my ease to this new history of thine at the end of the coming night.”  Hereupon the three took their rest until the fittest time drew near.—­And as the morning morrowed Shahrazad held her peace till

       The end of the Six Hundred and Twenty-fifth Night.

With the dawn Dunyazad awoke Queen Shahrazad from slumber sweet and said, “Arise, O my sister, but alas! ’tis a bitter thing to stand in awe of coming doom.”  Replied Shahrazad, “O dear my sister, be not thou downhearted:  if life’s span be spent naught can avert the sharp edged sword.  Yet place thy trust in Allah Almighty and put far from thee all such anxious thoughts:  my tales are tokens of life prolonged.”  Whereupon Queen Shahrazad began to tell in these words the story of