When the chief magistrate heard my speech, he inclined his head for some time towards the earth in deep thought, after which he said, “Son, my daughter is an unfortunate cripple, miserably deformed.”  To this I replied, “To have her for my wife is all I wish.”  The magistrate then said, “If thou wilt have a wife of this description, it must be on condition that she shall not be taken from my house, that thou shalt consummate the marriage here, and abide with me.”  I replied, “To hear is to obey;” believing that she was the beautiful damsel who had visited my warehouse, and whose charms I had so rapturously beheld.  In short, the nuptial ceremony was performed, when I said to myself, “Heavens! is it possible that I am become master of this beautiful damsel, and shall possess her charms!”

When night set in, the domestics of the chief magistrate introduced me into the chamber of my bride.  I ran eagerly to gaze upon her beauty, but guess my mortification when I beheld her a wretched dwarf, a cripple, and deformed, as her father had represented.  I was overcome with horror at the sight of her, distracted with disappointment, and ashamed of my own foolish credulity, but I dared not complain, as I had voluntarily accepted her as my wife from the magistrate:  I sat down silently in one corner of the chamber, and she in another, for I could not bring myself to approach her, as she was disgusting to the sight of man, and my soul could not endure her company.

At day-break I left the house of my father-in-law, repaired to my warehouse, which I opened, and sat down much distressed in mind, with my head dizzy, like one suffering from intoxication, when lo! who should appear before me but the lady who had put upon me so mortifying a trick.  She entered, and paid me the customary salute.  I was enraged, and began to abuse her, saying, “Wherefore hast thou put upon me such a stratagem?” when she replied, “Wretch, recollect the day that I brought thee a packet, in return for which you seized, beat, reviled, and drove me scornfully away.  In retaliation for such treatment, I have taken revenge by giving thee such a delectable bride.”  I now fell at her feet, entreated her forgiveness, and expressed my repentance; upon which, smiling upon me, she said, “Be not uneasy, for as I have plunged thee into a dilemma, I will also relieve thee from it.  Go to the aga of the leather-dressers, give him a sum of money, and desire him to call thee his son; then repair with him, attended by his followers and musicians, to the house of the chief magistrate.  When he inquires the cause of their coming, let the aga say, ‘ My lord, we are come to congratulate thy son-in-law, who is my beloved child, on his marriage with thy daughter, and to rejoice with him.’  The magistrate will be furiously enraged, and exclaim, ‘Dog, is it possible that, being a leather-dresser, thou durst marry the daughter of the chief magistrate?’ Do thou then reply, ‘My lord, my ambition was to be ennobled by your alliance, and as I have married your lordship’s daughter, the mean appellation of leather-dresser will soon be forgotten and lost in the glorious title of the son-in-law of your lordship; I shall be promoted under your protection, and purified from the odour of the tan-pit, so that my offspring will smell as sweet as that of a syed.”