Chapter 26, The Sleeper and the Waker Summary

A Baghdad merchant's son, named Abu al-Hasan-al-Khali'a, inherits his father's wealth and immediately wastes half of it drinking and carousing with Persians. When his money runs out, so do the drinking buddies. Abu al-Hasan returns home to his mother. He vows to stay away from his old friends by inviting only strangers to his home and then refusing to acknowledge them afterward. After a year of entertaining strangers, Abu al-Hasan invites two men dressed as merchants to his home. They are the Caliph and Masrur, his sworder.

After they dine and drink, the Caliph asks about Abu al-Hasan. Abu al-Hasan tells him the Story of the Larrikin and the Cook.

Story of the Larrikin and The Cook:

There was a loafer named Larrikin who found himself broke and hungry. He wanders to a...