The three apples.

The Caliph Haroon al Rusheed one day commanded the grand vizier Jaffier to come to his palace the night following.  “Vizier,” said he, “I will take a walk round the town, to inform myself what people say, and particularly how they are pleased with my officers of justice.  If there be any against whom they have cause of just complaint, we will turn them out, and put others in their stead, who shall officiate better.  If, on the contrary, there be any that have gained their applause, we will have that esteem for them which they deserve.”  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 that they could not be known, and went out all three together.

They passed through several places, and by several markets.  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, and a staff in his hand.  “To judge from his appearance,” said the caliph, “that old man is not 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 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, said to the fisherman, “Hast thou the courage to go back and cast thy net once more?  We will give thee a hundred sequins for what thou shalt bring up.”  At this proposal, the fisherman, forgetting all his day’s toil, took the caliph at his word, and returned to the Tigris, accompanied by the caliph, Jaaffier, and Mesrour; saying to himself as he went, “These gentlemen seem too honest and reasonable not to reward my pains; and if they give me the hundredth part of what they promise, it will be an ample recompence.”

They came to the bank of the river, and the fisherman, having thrown in his net, when he drew it again, brought up a trunk close shut, and very heavy.  The caliph made the grand vizier pay him one hundred sequins immediately, and sent him away.  Mesrour, by his master’s order, carried the trunk on his shoulder, and the caliph was so very eager to know what it contained, that he returned to the palace with all speed.  When the trunk was opened, they found in it a large basket made of palm-leaves, shut up, and the covering of it sewed with red thread.  To satisfy the caliph’s impatience, they would not take time to undo it, but cut the thread with a knife, and took out of the basket a package wrapt up in a sorry piece of hanging, and bound about with a rope; which being untied, they found, to their great amazement, the corpse of a young lady, whiter than snow, all cut in pieces.