Khoja, like many another man, was fond of something nice for his
supper.

But no matter how often he bought a piece of liver to make a tasty dish,
his wife always gave it away to a certain friend of hers, and when the
Khoja came home in the evening he got nothing to eat but cakes.

"Wife," said he at last, "I bring home some liver every day that we may
have a good supper, and you put nothing but pastry before me. What
becomes of the meat?"

"The cat steals it, O Khoja!" replied his wife.

On this the Khoja rose from his seat, and taking the axe proceeded to
lock it up in a box.

"What are you doing with the axe, Khoja?" said his wife.

"I am hiding it from the cat," replied the Khoja. "The sort of cat who
steals two pennyworth of liver is not likely to spare an axe worth forty
pence."

_Tale_ 19.--The Cadi's Ferejeh.

One day a certain Cadi of Sur-Hissar, being very drunk, lay down in a
garden and fell asleep. The Khoja, having gone out for a walk, passed
by the spot and saw the Cadi lying dead drunk and senseless, with his
ferejeh--or overcoat--half off his back.

It was a very valuable ferejeh, of rich material, and the Khoja took it
and went home remarkably well dressed.

When the Cadi recovered his senses he found that his ferejeh was gone.
Thereupon he called his officers and commanded them, saying: "On
whomsoever ye shall see my ferejeh, bring the fellow before me."

Meanwhile the Khoja wore it openly, and at last the officers took him
and brought him before the Cadi.

"O Khoja!" said the Cadi, "how came you by what belongs to me? Where did
you find that ferejeh?"

"Most exemplary Cadi," replied the Khoja, "I went out yesterday for a
short time before sunset, and as I walked I perceived a
disreputable-looking fellow lying shamefully drunk, and exposed to the
derision of passers-by in the public gardens. His ferejeh was half off
his back, and I said within myself, 'This valuable ferejeh will
certainly be stolen, whilst he to whom it belongs is sleeping the sleep
of drunkenness. I will therefore take it and wear it, and when the owner
has his senses restored to him, he will be able to see and reclaim it.'
So I took the ferejeh, and if it be thine, O Cadi, take it!"

"It cannot be my ferejeh, of course," said the Cadi hastily; "though
there is a similarity which at first deceived me."

"Then I will keep it till the man claims it," said the Khoja.

And he did so.

_Tale_ 20.--The Two Pans.