before I ventured
to produce myself as a dervish upon that stage, I resolved to try my
talent in relating a story before a Semnan audience. Accordingly, I
went to a small open space, that is situated near the entrance of the
bazaars, where most of the idlers of the town flock about noon; and
making the sort of exclamations usual upon such occasions, I soon
collected a crowd, who settled themselves on the ground, round the place
which I had fixed upon for my theatre. A short story, touching a barber
at Bagdad (which I had heard when I was myself in that profession),
luckily came into my memory; and, standing in the middle of a circle
of louts with uplifted eyes and open mouths, I made my debut in the
following words:--

'In the reign of the Caliph Haroun al-Rashid, of happy memory, lived in
the city of Bagdad a celebrated barber, of the name of Ali Sakal. He was
so famous for a steady hand, and dexterity in his profession, that
he could shave a head, and trim a beard and whiskers, with his eyes
blindfolded, without once drawing blood. There was not a man of any
fashion at Bagdad who did not employ him; and such a run of business had
he, that at length he became proud and insolent, and would scarcely ever
touch a head, whose master was not at least a _Beg_ or an _Aga_. Wood
for fuel was always scarce and dear at Bagdad; and as his shop consumed
a great deal, the wood-cutters brought their loads to him in preference,
almost sure of meeting with a ready sale. It happened one day, that a
poor wood-cutter, new in his profession, and ignorant of the character
of Ali Sakal, went to his shop, and offered him for sale a load of wood
which he had just brought from a considerable distance in the country,
on his ass: Ali immediately offered him a price, making use of these
words, "_for all the wood that was upon the ass."_ The woodcutter
agreed, unloaded his beast, and asked for the money. "You have not given
me all the wood yet," said the barber; "I must have the pack-saddle
(which is chiefly made of wood) into the bargain; that was our
agreement." "How!" said the other, in great amazement--"who ever heard
of such a bargain?--it is impossible." In short, after many words and
much altercation, the overbearing barber seized the pack-saddle,
wood and all, and sent away the poor peasant in great distress. He
immediately ran to the cadi, and stated his griefs: the cadi was one of
the barber's customers, and refused to hear the case. Th