st a gleam of light came to the Wise Judge in his perplexity.
"Can any one tell me," said he, "which of these fellows has had money of
late, and which has had none?"

His question was one easily enough answered; a score of people were
there to testify that the elder of the two had been living well and
spending money freely for six months and more, and a score were also
there to swear that Abdallah had lived all the while in penury. "Then
that decides the matter," said the Wise Judge. "The money belongs to the
elder fagot-maker."

"But listen, oh my lord judge!" cried Abdallah. "All that this man has
spent I have given to him--I, who found the money. Yes, my lord, I have
given it to him, and myself have spent not so much as single mite."

All who were present shouted with laughter at Abdallah's speech, for
who would believe that any one would be so generous as to spend all upon
another and none upon himself?

So poor Abdallah was beaten with rods until he confessed where he had
hidden his money; then the Wise Judge handed fifty sequins to Ali and
kept twenty himself for his decision, and all went their way praising
his justice and judgment.

That is to say, all but poor Abdallah; he went to his home weeping and
wailing, and with every one pointing the finger of scorn at him. He was
just as poor as ever, and his back was sore with the beating that he
had suffered. All that night he continued to weep and wail, and when the
morning had come he was weeping and wailing still.

Now it chanced that a wise man passed that way, and hearing his
lamentation, stopped to inquire the cause of his trouble. Abdallah told
the other of his sorrow, and the wise man listened, smiling, till he was
done, and then he laughed outright. "My son," said he, "if every one in
your case should shed tears as abundantly as you have done, the world
would have been drowned in salt water by this time. As for your friend,
think not ill of him; no man loveth another who is always giving."

"Nay," said the young fagot-maker, "I believe not a word of what
you say. Had I been in his place I would have been grateful for the
benefits, and not have hated the giver."

But the wise man only laughed louder than ever. "Maybe you will have the
chance to prove what you say some day," said he, and went his way, still
shaking with his merriment.

"All this," said Ali Baba, "is only the beginning of my story; and now
if the damsel will fill up my pot of ale, I w