re her husband, a little shrivelled-up man, was
performing his duties with great devotion. Yussuf without saying a
word, took him up, carpet and all, and was about to carry him off.

"In the name of the Prophet, to what class of madmen do you belong?"
screamed the astonished devotee; "release me, do not crush my poor ribs
within your grasp. Set me down, and I will walk with you, as soon as I
have put on my slippers."

The people crowded round to know what was the matter. "Ho, ho, that
will presently appear," replied Yussuf. "His wife is his creditor, and
I am her law officer; my demand is, that you restore to her fifty
dinars, besides all the gold jewels and ornaments she has had these last
fifty years."

"How can that be," replied the little man, "seeing that I am not forty
years old."

"That may be the case in fact," replied Yussuf; "but law is a very
difficult thing, as you will find out. So come along with me to the
cadi."

The party then proceeded on their way to the cadi, but they had not gone
many yards, when the papouche-maker whispered to Yussuf, "Most valiant
and powerful sir, I quarrelled with my wife last night, on account of
her unreasonable jealousy. I did pronounce the divorce, but there was
no one to hear it. If we slept together once more, she would be
pacified. Therefore, most humane sir, I entreat you to interfere."

"Was there no witness?" inquired Yussuf.

"None, good sir," replied the man, slipping five dirhems into the hand
of Yussuf.

"Then I decide that there is no divorce," replied Yussuf, pocketing the
money; "and therefore you are no debtor. Woman, come hither. It
appears that there was no divorce--so says your husband--and you have no
witness to prove it. You are therefore no creditor. Go to your
husband, and walk home with him; he is not much of a husband, to be
sure, but still he must be cheap at the three dirhems which you have
paid me. God be with you. Such is my decree."

The woman, who had already repented of her divorce, was glad to return,
and with many compliments, they took their leave of him. "By Allah!"
exclaimed Yussuf, "but this is good. I will live and die an officer of
the law." So saying he returned home for his basket, purchased his
provisions and wine, and lighting up his house, passed the evening in
carousing and singing as before.

While Yussuf was thus employed, the caliph was desirous of ascertaining
the effect of the new decree, relative