Chapter 29, Ma'aruf the Cobbler and His Wife Fatimah Summary

Ma'aruf the Cobbler was married to a vile shrew named Fatimah and they lived in Cairo, Egypt. One day Fatimah demands that her husband bring home Kunafah, a dish made with wheat flour fried in butter and sweetened with honey. It is like a vermicelli cake. So Ma'aruf goes to his shop all day and has no customers. Without money he has to beg for Kunafah from the Kunafah-seller or baker. The baker takes pity on him and gives him five pounds of Kunafah made with cane sugar instead of bees' honey. He also gives Ma'aruf bread, cheese and a coin for the Hammam bath on credit.

Ma'aruf presents Fatimah with the food. Fatimah shrieks at him, strikes his face and knocks out a tooth because the Kunafah was...