Shahrazad began to relate
THE STORY OF THE KAZI WHO BARE A BABE.[204]
It hath been related that in Tarábulus-town[205] of Syria was a Kází appointed under orders of the Caliph Hárún al-Rashíd to adjudge law-suits and dissolve contracts and cross-examine witnesses; and after taking seat in his Mahkamah[206] his rigour and severity became well known to all men. Now this judge kept a black hand-maiden likest unto a buffalo-bull and she cohabited with him for a lengthened while; for his nature was ever niggardly nor could anyone wrest from him half a Faddah or any alms-gift or aught else; and his diet was of biscuit[207] and onions. Moreover, he was ostentatious as he was miserly: he had an eating-cloth bordered with a fine bell fringe,[208] and when any person entered about dinner-time or supper-tide he would cry out, "O handmaid, fetch the fringed table-cloth;" and all who heard his words would say to themselves, "By Allah, this must needs be a costly thing." Presently one day of the days his assessors and officers said to him, "O our lord the Kazi, take to thyself a wife, for yon negress becometh not a dignitary of thy degree." Said he, "An this need be, let any who hath a daughter give her to me in wedlock and I will espouse her." Herewith quoth one present, "I have a fair daughter and a marriageable," whereto quoth the Kazi, "An thou wouldst do me a favour this is the time." So the bride was fitted out and the espousals took place forthright and that same night the Kazi's father-in-law came to him and led him in to his bride saying in his heart, "I am now connected with the Kazi." And he took pleasure in the thought for he knew naught of the judge's stinginess and he could not suppose but that his daughter would be comfortable with her mate and well-to-do in the matter of diet and dress and furniture. Such were the fancies which occurred to him; but as for the Kazi, he lay with the maid and abated her maidenhead; and she in the morning awaited somewhat wherewith to break her fast and waited in vain. Presently the Kazi left her and repaired to his court- house whither the city folk came and gave him joy of his marriage and wished him good morning, saying in themselves, "Needs must he make a mighty fine bride feast." But they sat there to no purpose until past noon when each went his own way privily damning the judge's penuriousness. As soon as they were gone he returned to his Harem and cried out to his black wench, "O handmaiden, fetch the fringed table-cloth;" and his bride hearing this rejoiced, saying to herself, "By Allah, his calling for this cloth requireth a banquet which befitteth it, food suitable for the Kings." The negress arose and faring forth for a short time returned with the cloth richly fringed and set upon it a Kursi- stool,[209] and a tray of brass whereon were served three biscuits and three onions. When the bride saw this, she prayed in her heart saying, "Now may my Lord wreak my revenge upon my father!" but her husband cried to her, "Come hither, my girl," and the three sat down to the tray wherefrom each took a biscuit and an onion. The Kazi and the negress ate all their portions, but the bride could not swallow even a third of the hard bread apportioned to her; so she rose up, heartily cursing her father's ambition in her heart. At supper-tide it was the same till the state of things became longsome to her and this endured continuously for three days, when she was ready to sink with hunger. So she sent for her sire and cried aloud in his face. The Kazi hearing the outcries of his bride asked, "What is to do?" whereupon they informed him that the young woman was not in love with this style of living.?And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, "How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth she, "And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?" Now when it was the next night and that was