riosity of the sultan being excited, he resolved to wait
until the owners of the cave should appear, and cautioned his
attendants not to mention his rank. He had not sat long, when a
man was seen advancing with a load of provisions and two skins of
water. On his coming to the mouth of the cave, the sultan
addressed him, saying, "Whence comest thou, where art thou going,
and what dost thou carry?" "I am," replied the man, "one of three
companions, who inhabit this cave, having fled from our city to
avoid imprisonment, and every ten days one of us goes to purchase
provisions: to-day was my turn, and my friends will be here
presently." "What was the cause of your flight?" rejoined the
sultan. "As to that," answered the man, "it can only be
communicated by the relation of our adventures, which are
curious, and if you wish to hear them, stay with us to-night, and
we will each, in our turn, relate his own story."

The sultan upon this, said to himself, "I will not move from this
spot until I have heard their adventures;" and immediately
dispatched his attendants, excepting a few, with orders to bring
from the city some necessaries for the night. "For," thought he,
"hearing these stories will be pleasanter than hunting, as they
may, perhaps, inform my mind." He remained in the cave with his
few followers; and soon after arrived the two other inmates, who
were succeeded by the sultan's messengers with the requisites for
a substantial repast, of which all partook without ceremony. When
it was finished, the sultan desired the owners of the cave to
relate their adventures; and they replied, "To hear is to obey:"
the first beginning as follows.

Story of the First Sharper in the Cave.

My father died when I was a youth, leaving my mother and myself
with little property, but an old she-goat, which we sold, and
with the price bought a calf, and nourished her as well as we
could for a whole year; when my mother desired me to go and
dispose of her in the market. Accordingly I went, and soon
perceived that there was not a fatter or finer beast in the
market. The company of butchers, composed of forty persons, fixed
their eyes upon the calf, and supposing me an ignorant lad,
resolved to have her for little or nothing, and feast themselves
upon her flesh. After concerting among themselves, one of them
coming up, said, "My lad, dost thou mean to sell this she-goat?"
"Goat!" replied I, "it is a calf." "Nay," answ