"What hast thou got there, my friend," inquired the judge.
"My lord," replied the porter, placing the box on the ground, "it is your bride; you have only to take off the covering and you will see what she is like."
The cadi removed the cloth and saw a girl three feet and a half high: she had a lank visage covered with blotches, eyes sunk deep in their sockets and as red as fire, not the least vestige of a nose, but above her mouth two horrid wide nostrils like those of a crocodile. He could not look at this object without horror; he hastily replaced the cover, and, turning to the porter, cried,
"What am I to do with this miserable creature?"
"My lord," replied the porter, "it is the daughter of master Omar, the dyer, who told me you had married her from choice."
"Merciful heavens!" exclaimed the cadi, "is it possible to marry such a monster as that?"
At that moment the dyer, who had foreseen the surprise of the judge, arrived.
"Wretch," said the cadi, "what dost thou take me for? Thou certainly hast an amazing amount of impudence to dare to play me such a trick as this. Dost thou dare thus to treat me who have it in my power to revenge myself on my enemies; me who, when I please, can put the like of thee in fetters? Dread my wrath, wretch! Instead of the hideous monster which thou hast sent me, give me instantly thy other daughter, whose beauty is unparalleled, or thou shalt experience what an angry cadi can do!"
"My lord," replied Omar, "spare your threats, I beg, and don't be angry with me. I swear by the Creator of the light that I have no other daughter but this. I told you a thousand times that she would not suit you; you would not believe—whose fault is it?"
The cadi at these words felt his soul sink within him, and said to the dyer,