Abdalla took his tabor and began to play, as he walked before Morgiana, and entered the room; Morgiana following him, made a low courtesy with a deliberate air to attract notice, as if to request permission to do what she could to amuse the company. Abdalla, perceiving that Ali Baba was going to speak, ceased striking his tabor. "Come in, Morgiana," cried Ali Baba; "Cogia Houssain will judge of your skill, and tell us his opinion. Do not, however, suppose, sir," continued he, addressing Cogia Houssain, "that I have been at any expense to procure you this entertainment. We have it all within ourselves, and it is only my slave and my cook and housekeeper whom you see. I hope you will find it amusing.'

Cogia Houssain did not expect Ali Baba to add this entertainment to the supper he had given him. This made him apprehensive that he should not be able to avail himself of the opportunity he thought now presented itself.

When Abdalla perceived that Ali Baba and Cogia Houssain had ceased speaking, he again began to play on his tabor, singing to it an air for Morgiana to dance to; she performed her part so admirably, that every spectator who had seen her must have been delighted.

After having performed several dances, with equal grace and agility, she at length drew out the dagger, and dancing with it in her hand, she surpassed all she had yet done, by her light movements; sometimes presenting the dagger as if to strike, and at others holding it to her own bosom, pretending to stab herself.

At length, as if out of breath, she took the tabor from Abdalla with her left hand, and holding the dagger in her right, she presented the tabor with the hollow part upwards to Ali Baba, in imitation of the dancers by profession, who make use of this practice to excite the liberality of the spectators.

Ali Baba threw a piece of gold into the tabor. Morgiana then presented it to his son, who followed his father's example. Cogia Houssain, who saw that she was advancing towards him for the same purpose, had already taken his purse from his bosom to contribute his present, and was putting his hand in it, when Morgiana, with a courage and fortitude equal to the resolution she had taken, plunged the dagger into his heart so

deep, that the life-blood streamed from the wound, when she withdrew it.

Ali Baba and his son, terrified at this action, uttered a loud "Wretch!" exclaimed Ali Baba, “what hast thou done! Thou hast ruined me and my family forever!"

cry.

"What I have done," replied Morgiana, "is not for your ruin, but for your preservation." Then opening Cogia Houssain's robe to show Ali Baba the poniard which was concealed under it, "See," continued she, "the cruel enemy you had to deal with; examine his countenance attentively, and you will recognize the pretended oil merchant and the captain of the forty robbers. Do you not recollect that he refused to eat salt with you? Can you require a stronger proof of his malicious intentions? Before I even saw him, from the moment you told me of this peculiarity in your guest, I suspected his design, and you are now convinced that my suspicions were not ill founded."

Ali Baba, who was now aware of the fresh obligation he owed to Morgiana for having thus preserved his life a second time, embraced her, and said: "Morgiana, I gave you your liberty, and at the same time promised to give you stronger proofs of my gratitude at some future period. This period is now arrived, and I present you to my son as his wife." Then addressing his son, "I believe you," said he, "to be so dutiful a son, that you will not take it amiss, if I should bestow Morgiana upon you, without previously consulting your inclinations. Your obligation to her is not less than mine. You plainly see that Cogia Houssain only sought your acquaintance in order to insure success in his diabolical treachery; and had he sacrificed me to his vengeance, you cannot suppose that you would have been spared. You must further consider, that in marrying Morgiana, you connect yourself with the preserver of my family, and the support of yours to the end of your days."

His son, far from showing any symptoms of discontent, said that he willingly consented to the marriage, not only because he was desirous of proving his ready obedience to his father's wishes, but also because his inclinations strongly urged him to the union. They then began to prepare for the interment of the captain of the robbers, by the side of his former companions; and this was performed with such secrecy, that the

circumstance was not known till the expiration of many years, when no one was any longer interested in keeping this memorable history concealed.

A few days after, Ali Baba had the nuptials of his son and Morgiana celebrated with great solemnity. After the marriage was solemnized, Ali Baba, who had not revisited the cave since he had brought away the body of his brother Cassim, lest he should meet with any of the thieves, and be surprised by them, still refrained from going even after the death of the thirty-seven robbers and their captain, as he was ignorant of the fate of the other two, and supposed them to be still alive.

At the expiration of a year, however, he had the curiosity to make a journey to the cave. He mounted his horse, reached the cave, and going up to the door, repeated the words, "Open, Sesame," which he had not forgotten. The door opened, and he entered. The state in which everything appeared in the cave, led him to judge that no one had been in it from the time that the pretended Cogia Houssain had opened his shop in the city, and he therefore concluded that the whole troop of robbers was exterminated, and that he was the only person in the whole world who was acquainted with the secret for entering the cave; and consequently, that the immense treasure it contained was entirely at his disposal. He had provided himself with a portmanteau, and he filled it with as much gold as his horse could carry, after which he returned to the city.

From that time Ali Baba and his son, whom he took to the cave and taught the secret to enter it, and after them their posterity, who were also intrusted with the important secret, enjoying their riches with moderation, lived in great splendor, and were honored with the most dignified situations in the city.

THE STORY OF ABON-HASSAN THE WAG, OR THE

SLEEPER AWAKENED

THERE was a merchant of Bagdad, in the reign of the Caliph Haroun Alrashid, and he had a son named Abon-Hassan the Wag. And this merchant died, leaving to his son vast wealth; whereupon Abon-Hassan divided his property into two equal portions, one of which he laid aside, and of the other he ex

pended. He took as his familiar friends a number of the sons of the merchants, and others, and gave himself up to the delights of good drinking and good eating, until all the wealth he had appropriated to this purpose was consumed. And upon this he repaired to his associates and relations and boon-companions, and exposed to them his case, showing them how little property remained in his possession; but none of them paid any regard to him, or uttered a word in reply.

He then went to the place in which was deposited the other half of his wealth, and upon this he lived agreeably. He took an oath that he would not thenceforth associate with any one of those whom he knew, but only with strangers, and that he would not associate with any person but for one night, and on the following morning would not recognize him. Accordingly, every night he went forth and seated himself on the bridge, and when a stranger passed by him, he invited him to an entertainment, and took him to his house, where he caroused with him that night, until the morning; he then dismissed him; and after that he would not salute him if he saw him.

Thus he continued to do for a whole year; after which, as he was sitting one day upon the bridge as usual, to see who might come towards him, Alrashid and certain of his domestics passed by in disguise; for the Caliph had experienced a contraction of the bosom, and come forth to amuse himself among the people. So Abon-Hassan laid hold upon him, and said to him, "O my master, hast thou any desire for a repast and beverage?" And Alrashid complied with his request, saying to him, "Conduct us.” And Abon-Hassan knew not who was his guest. The Caliph proceeded with him until they arrived at Abon-Hasson's house: and when Alrashid entered, he found in it a saloon, such that if thou beheldest it, and lookedst towards its walls, thou wouldst behold wonders: and if thou observedst its conduits of water, thou wouldst see a fountain encased with gold. And, after he had seated himself there, Abon-Hassan called for a slave-girl, like a twig of the oriental willow, who took a lute and sang. And when Alrashid heard her verses, he said to her: "Thou hast performed well. God bless thee!" Her eloquence pleased him, and he wondered at Abon-Hassan and his entertainment. they drank and caroused until midnight.

And

After this, the Caliph said to his host, "O Abon-Hassan, is there any service that thou wouldst have performed, or any desire that thou wouldst have accomplished?" And AbonHassan answered, " In our neighborhood is a mosque, to which belong an Imam and four sheikhs, and whenever they hear music or any sport, they incite the Judge against me, and impose fines upon me, and trouble my life, so that I suffer torment from them. If I had them in my power, therefore, I would give each of them a thousand lashes, that I might be relieved from their excessive annoyance."

Alrashid replied, "May Allah grant thee the accomplishment of thy wish!" And without his being aware of it, he put into a cup a lozenge of bhang, and handed it to him; and as soon as it had settled in his stomach, he fell asleep immediately. When AbonHassan awoke, he found himself upon the royal couch, with the attendants standing around, and kissing the ground before him; and a maid said to him, "O our lord, it is the time for morningprayer." Upon which he laughed, and, looking round about him, he beheld a pavilion whose walls were adorned with gold and ultra-marine, and the roof bespotted with red gold, surrounded by chambers with curtains of embroidered silk hanging before their doors; and he saw vessels of gold and Chinaware and crystal, and furniture and carpets spread, and lighted lamps, and female slaves and eunuchs and other attendants; whereat he was perplexed in his mind, and said, "By Allah, either I am dreaming, or this is Paradise, and the abode of Peace." And he closed his eyes. So a eunuch said to him, "O my lord, this is not thy usual custom, O Prince of the Faithful." And he was perplexed at his case, and put his head into his bosom, and then began to open his eyes by little and little, laughing, and saying, "What is this state in which I find myself?" And he bit his finger; and when he found that the bite pained him, he cried, "Ah!" and was angry. Then, raising his head, he called one of the female slaves, who answered him, "At thy service, O Prince of the Faithful!" And he said to her, "What is thy name?" She answered, "Cluster of Pearls." And he said, "Knowest thou in what place I am, and who I am?" "Thou art the Prince of the Faithful," she answered, "sitting in thy palace, upon the royal couch." He replied, "I am perplexed at my case; my reason hath departed,