s you will have
observed. Every baker and tailor knows more in his own conceit of
bleeding than a barber of fifteen years' experience like myself. They
are able to pass judgment as to the question of too much or too little
without hesitation and with the utmost exactness. It is a story as old
as King Ad--the more ignorant they are the more sure they be.
Presently they will discover that men should never be let blood at all,
forgetting that we bleed our horses also,[2] and find it does them
good. And, for myself, I know after fifteen years' experience how much
to take both from the healthy and from the sick.'

"'Accursed barber,' interrupted the other, fiercely, 'I believe verily
that thou canst neither bleed without killing nor shave without
cutting.'

'"As for my bleeding,' retorted the barber, in a rage, 'I have bled
many score without accident or ill-result, excepting only your brother,
who was a drunkard and as good as dead before ever I saw him; while as
for my being able to shave without cutting, I will have you to know
that there lives no creature on this earth, from an ape to the
illustrious Caliph himself, whom may Allah preserve and exalt, that I
will not shave without giving him so much as a scratch.'

"'That,' said I, willing to end the dispute between the two men, 'is a
very bold challenge on the part of the barber. The Caliph indeed can
be scarcely got to submit himself to the test, but we will get an ape,
and if this honest man shaves him, as he says he can, without
inflicting a scratch, I will adjudge him to be a very proficient barber
and an adept in each branch of his trade, both bleeding and shaving.'

"The people, who are easily led and amused, received my decision with
delight. They cried out, 'An ape! an ape!' All were desirous to see
how the creature would submit himself to the operation of being shaved.
Even the man who had lost his brother could not altogether refrain from
a grin of satisfaction at the thought of the troublesome task the
barber had before him."

Haroun Alraschid smiled and stroked his beard, saying, "Sidi ibn
Thalabi, that was a happy inspiration, and extricated you cleverly from
what threatened to become for you a rather embarrassing position."

Sidi ibn Thalabi acknowledged this compliment to his sagacity by a low
bow, and continued--

"For the people to find an ape on which the barber could exhibit his
skill was no easy matter, none knew where such an animal co