ty once more.

[Illustration: Day-Dreaming]

DAY-DREAMING

Now there was once a man at Bagdad who had seven sons, and when he
died he left to each of them one hundred dirhems; and his fifth son,
called Alnaschar the Babbler, invested all this money in some
glassware, and, putting it in a big tray, from which to show and sell
it, he sat down on a raised bench, at the foot of a wall, against
which he leant back, placing the tray on the ground in front of him.
As he sat he began day-dreaming and said to himself: "I have laid out
a hundred dirhems on this glass. Now I will surely sell it for two
hundred, and with it I will buy more glass and sell that for four
hundred; nor will I cease to buy and sell till I become master of
much wealth. With this I will buy all kinds of merchandise and jewels
and perfumes and gain great profit on them till, God willing, I will
make my capital a hundred thousand dinars or two million dirhems. Then
I will buy a handsome house, together with slaves and horses and
trappings of gold, and eat and drink, nor will there be a singing girl
in the city but I will have her to sing to me." This he said looking
at the tray before him with glassware worth a hundred dirhems. Then he
continued: "When I have amassed a hundred thousand dinars I will send
out marriage-brokers to demand for me in marriage the hand of the
Vizier's daughter, for I hear that she is perfect in beauty and of
surpassing grace. I will give her a dowry of a thousand dinars, and if
her father consent, 'tis well; if not, I will take her by force, in
spite of him. When I return home, I will buy ten little slaves and
clothes for myself such as are worn by kings and sultans and get a
saddle of gold, set thick with precious jewels. Then I will mount and
parade the city, with slaves before and behind me, while the people
will salute me and call down blessings upon me: after which I will go
to the Vizier, the girl's father, with slaves behind and before me, as
well as on either hand. When the Vizier sees me, he will rise and
seating me in his own place, sit down below me, because I am his
son-in-law. Now I will have with me two slaves with purses, in each a
thousand dinars, and I will give him the thousand dinars of the dowry
and make him a present of another thousand dinars so that he may
recognize my nobility and generosity and greatness of mind and the
littleness of the world in my eyes; and for every ten words he will
say to m