The caliph then took him by the hand, seated him on the throne by him, and asked for the two parties.  When they were introduced, they prostrated themselves before the throne, bowing their heads quite down to the carpet that covered it.  Afterwards the caliph said to them, “Plead each of you your causes before this child, who will hear and do you justice:  and if he should be at a loss I will assist him.”

Ali Khaujeh and the merchant pleaded one after the other; but when the merchant proposed his oath as before, the child said, “It is too soon; it is proper that we should see the jar of olives.”

At these words Ali Khaujeh presented the jar, placed it at the caliph’s feet, and opened it.  The caliph looked at the olives, took one and tasted it, giving another to the boy.  Afterwards the merchants were called, who examined the olives, and reported that they were good, and of that year.  The boy told them, that Ali Khaujeh affirmed that it was seven years since he had put them up; when they returned the same answer as the children, who had represented them the night before.

Though the wretch who was accused saw plainly that these merchants’ opinion must convict him, yet he would say something in his own justification.  But the child, instead of ordering him to be impaled, looked at the caliph, and said “Commander of the faithful, this is no jesting matter; it is your majesty that must condemn him to death, and not I, though I did it yesterday in play.”

The caliph, fully satisfied of the merchant’s villany, delivered him into the hands of the ministers of justice to be impaled.  The sentence was executed upon him, after he had confessed where he had concealed the thousand pieces of gold, which were restored to Ali Khaujeh.  The monarch, most just and equitable, then turning to the cauzee, bade him learn of that child to acquit himself more exactly of his duty; and embracing the boy, sent him home with a purse of a hundred pieces of gold as a token of his liberality and admiration of his acuteness.

End of Volume 3.

Text scanned by Jc Byers and proofread by the Distributed
Proofers.

The “Aldine” Edition of

The Arabian Nights Entertainments

Illustrated by S. L. Wood

From the text of Dr. Jonathan Scott

In Four Volumes

Volume 4

London
Pickering and Chatto
1890

Contents of Volume IV.

The Story of the Enchanted Horse
The Story of Prince Ahmed, and the Fairy Perie Banou
The Story of the Sisters Who Envied Their Younger Sister
Story of the Three Sharpers and the Sultan
     The Adventures of the Abbdicated Sultan
     History of Mahummud, Sultan of Cairo
     Story of the First Lunatic
     Story of the Second Lunatic
     Story of the Retired Sage and His Pupil, Related to the