my hand. She
gave one loud cry, and turned to the door, but she was too late. I had
already dashed the water in her face and spoken the magic words. Amina
disappeared, and in her place stood the horse you saw me beating
yesterday.

This, Commander of the Faithful, is my story, and may I venture to hope
that, now you have heard the reason of my conduct, your Highness will
not think this wicked woman too harshly treated?

"Sidi-Nouman," replied the Caliph, "your story is indeed a strange one,
and there is no excuse to be offered for your wife. But, without
condemning your treatment of her, I wish you to reflect how much she
must suffer from being changed into an animal, and I hope you will let
that punishment be enough. I do not order you to insist upon the young
magician finding the means to restore your wife to her human shape,
because I know that when once women such as she begin to work evil they
never leave off, and I should only bring down on your head a vengeance
far worse than the one you have undergone already."

The Story of Ali Colia, Merchant of Bagdad

In the reign of Haroun-al-Raschid, there lived in Bagdad a merchant
named Ali Cogia, who, having neither wife nor child, contented himself
with the modest profits produced by his trade. He had spent some years
quite happily in the house his father had left him, when three nights
running he dreamed that an old man had appeared to him, and reproached
him for having neglected the duty of a good Mussulman, in delaying so
long his pilgrimage to Mecca.

Ali Cogia was much troubled by this dream, as he was unwilling to give
up his shop, and lose all his customers. He had shut his eyes for some
time to the necessity of performing this pilgrimage, and tried to atone
to his conscience by an extra number of good works, but the dream
seemed to him a direct warning, and he resolved to put the journey off
no longer.

The first thing he did was to sell his furniture and the wares he had
in his shop, only reserving to himself such goods as he might trade
with on the road. The shop itself he sold also, and easily found a
tenant for his private house. The only matter he could not settle
satisfactorily was the safe custody of a thousand pieces of gold which
he wished to leave behind him.

After some thought, Ali Cogia hit upon a plan which seemed a safe one.
He took a large vase, and placing the money in the bottom of it, filled
up the rest with olives.