Such an agreeable place struck my brother with admiration, and might well have done so to a man far above his quality.  He went on till he came into a hall richly furnished, and adorned with paintings of gold and azure foliage, where he saw a venerable man with a long white beard, sitting at the upper end of an alcove, whence he concluded him to be the master of the house; and in effect it was the Bermecide himself, who said to my brother, in a very civil manner, that he was welcome, and asked him what he wanted.  My lord, answered my brother, in a begging tone, I am a poor man, who stand in need of the help of such rich and generous persons as yourself.  He could not have addressed himself to a fitter person than this lord, who had a thousand good qualities.

The Bermecide seemed to be astonished at my brother’s answer; and, putting both his hands to his stomach, as if he would rend his clothes for grief, Is it possible, cried he, that I am at Bagdad, and that such a man as you is so poor as you say?  This is what must never be.  My brother, fancying that he was going to give him some singular mark of his bounty, blessed him a thousand times, and wished him all sort of happiness.  It shall not be said, replied the Bermecide, that I will abandon you, nor will I have you to leave me.  Sir, replied my brother, I swear to you I have not swallowed one bit to-day!  Is that true? replied the Bermecide; and are you fasting till now?  Alas, for thee, poor man! he is ready to die for hunger.  Ho, boy! cried he with a loud voice, bring a bason and water presently, that we may wash our hands.  Though no boy appeared, that my brother saw, either with water or bason, the Bermecide fell a rubbing his hands, as if one had poured water upon them, and bid my brother come and wash with him.  Schacabac judged by this that the Bermecide lord loved to be merry; and he himself understanding raillery, and knowing that the poor must be complaisant to the rich, if they would have any thing, came forward, and did as he did.

Come on, said the Bermecide, bring us something to eat, and do not let us stay for it.  When he had said so, though nothing was brought, he cut as if something had been brought upon a plate; and, putting his hand to his mouth, began to chew, and said to my brother, Come, friend, eat as freely as if you were at home; come and eat:  you said you were like to die of hunger; but you eat as if you had no stomach.  Pardon me, my lord, said Schacabac, who perfectly imitated what he did, you see I lose no time, and that I do my part well enough.  How like you this bread? said the Bermecide; do not you find it very good?  O, my lord, said, my brother, who neither saw bread nor meat, I never ate any thing so white and so fine.  Come, eat your bellyful, said the Bermecide; I assure you the baker-woman that bakes me this bread, cost me five hundred pieces of gold to purchase her.