h hangs over my
head?" The caliph and his companions looked up and perceived the tanned
skin of a young ox, which appeared to have been used for carrying water.
"It is that by which I gain my daily bread. I am Yussuf, son of Aboo
Ayoub, who dying some five years ago, left me nothing but a few dirhems
and this strong carcass of mine, by which to gain a livelihood. I was
always fond of sports and pastimes--overthrew every body who wrestled
with me; nay, the man who affronts me, receives a box on the ear which
makes it ring for a week afterwards."

"Allah preserve us from affronting him," whispered the caliph.

"When old Aboo died, I perceived, if I did not speedily turn my strength
to some account, I should starve; so it struck me that there were no
people more merry than the water-carriers, who supply for a few paras to
the houses of this city the soft water of the river. I resolved to
become one, but instead of going backwards and forwards with a goat-skin
on my shoulders, I went down to the curriers, and selected the soft skin
of the young ox which hangs above me, fitted it to my shoulders, and
filling it at the river, marched up to the bazaar. No sooner did I
appear than all the water-carriers called out, `That villain, Yussuf, is
about to take away our bread. May Shitan seize him. Let us go to the
cadi and complain.' The cadi listened to their story, for they accused
me of witchcraft, saying that no five men could lift the skin when it
was full. He sent one of his beeldars to summon me before him. I had
just filled my skin at the river, when the officer came from this
distributor of bastinadoes. I followed him to the court, laden as I
was. The crowd opened to let me pass, and I appeared before the cadi,
who was much astonished at my showing so little inconvenience from such
an enormous burthen. `Oh! Yussuf,' cried he, `hear and answer; thou
art accused of witchcraft.' `Who accuses me, O cadi?' replied I,
throwing down my skin of water. Whereupon two hang-dogs stepped
forward, and cried with loud voices, `Behold us here, O wise and just
one.' The cadi put one aside, and questioned the other, who swore on
the book, that the devil had given me a _pig's_ skin, and had promised
that as long as I served the followers of the Prophet out of the unclean
vessel, he would enable me to carry as much as ten men. The second
witness confirmed this evidence; and added, that he heard me talking
with the devil, who