but before they were united the damsel changed
my wife into this hind, which you see here.

Since this, my son has become a widower, and is now traveling. Many
years have passed since I have heard anything of him. I have,
therefore, now set out with a view to gain some information; and as I
did not like to trust my wife to the care of any one during my search,
I thought proper to carry her along with me. This is the history of
myself and this hind. Can anything be more wonderful?

"I agree with you," said the genie, "and in consequence, I grant to
you a half of the blood of this merchant."

As soon as the first old man had finished, the second, who led the two
black dogs, made the same request to the genie for a half of the
merchant's blood, on the condition that his tale exceeded in interest
the one that had just been related. On the genie signifying his
assent, the old man began.

THE HISTORY OF THE SECOND OLD MAN AND THE TWO BLACK DOGS

Great Prince of the genies, you must know that these two black dogs,
which you see here, and myself, are three brothers. Our father, when
he died, left us one thousand sequins each. With this sum we all
embarked in business as merchants. My two brothers determined to
travel, that they might trade in foreign parts. They were both
unfortunate, and returned at the end of two years in a state of abject
poverty, having lost their all. I had in the meanwhile prospered. I
gladly received them, and gave them one thousand sequins each, and
again set them up as merchants.

My brothers frequently proposed to me that I should make a voyage with
them for the purpose of traffic. Knowing their former want of success,
I refused to join them, until at the end of five years I at length
yielded to their repeated solicitations. On consulting on the
merchandise to be bought for the voyage, I discovered that nothing
remained of the thousand sequins I had given to each. I did not
reproach them; on the contrary, as my capital was increased to six
thousand sequins, I gave them each one thousand sequins, and kept a
like sum myself, concealing the other three thousand in a corner of my
house, in order that if our voyage proved unsuccessful we might be
able to console ourselves and begin our former profession.

We purchased our goods, embarked in a vessel, which we ourselves
freighted, and set sail with a favorable wind. After sailing about a
month, we arrived, without any accident, at a port, where we