on the place
that was nearest me. The same night it happened that a fisherman,
a neighbour, mending his nets, found a piece of lead wanting; and
it being too late to buy any, as the shops were shut, and he must
either fish that night, or his family go without bread the next
day, he called to his wife and bade her inquire among the
neighbours for a piece. She went from door to door on both sides
of the street, but could not get any, and returned to tell her
husband her ill success. He asked her if she had been to several
of their neighbours, naming them, and among the rest my house.
"No indeed," said the wife, "I have not been there; that was too
far off, and if I had gone, do you think I should have found any?
I know by experience they never have any thing when one wants
it." "No matter," said the fisherman, "you are an idle hussy; you
must go there; for though you have been there a hundred times
before without getting any thing, you may chance to obtain what
we want now. You must go."

The fisherman's wife went out grumbling, came and knocked at my
door, and waked me out of a sound sleep. I asked her what she
wanted. "Hassan," said she, as loud as she could bawl, "my
husband wants a bit of lead to load his nets with; and if you
have a piece, desires you to give it him."

The piece of lead which Saad had given me was so fresh in my
memory, and had so lately dropped out of my clothes, that I could
not forget it. I told my neighbour I had some; and if she would
stay a moment my wife should give it to her. Accordingly, my
wife, who was wakened by the noise as well as myself, got up, and
groping about where I directed her, found the lead, opened the
door, and gave it to the fisherman's wife, who was so overjoyed
that she promised my wife, that in return for the kindness she
did her and her husband, she would answer for him we should have
the first cast of the nets.

The fisherman was so much rejoiced to see the lead, which he so
little expected, that he much approved his wife's promise. He
finished mending his nets, and went a-fishing two hours before
day, according to custom. At the first throw he caught but one
fish, about a yard long, and proportionable in thickness; but
afterwards had a great many successful casts; though of all the
fish he took none equalled the first in size.

When the fisherman had done fishing, he went home, where his
first care was to think of me. I was extremely surprised, when at
my work