One of the men laughed at his assertion that he the ugly little creature, was the tall handsome shopman but the other man, who believed he was being made fun of, lost his temper and rated him in no measured terms. Kalum was beside himself and called his neighbours to testify that his shop was the one known as the shop of the handsome young assistant. But the neighbours, who were jealous of the trade he drove, pretended to know nothing about the matter and the two men struck the “old liar,” as they called him. Kalum protected himself more by shrieking and yelling than by using his fists and so he attracted a crowd to his shop. Everyone in the town knew him to be an avaricious old cheat and so no one interfered, for they thought he deserved all he was getting. One of the men had seized him by the beard and was about to further ill-treat him when he was seized and flung violently to the ground, so that his turban and both his shoes flew off.
The crowd, who would have enjoyed seeing Kalum ill-used, began to murmur, the companion of the man who had been knocked down advanced to his assistance, but when he saw himself confronted by a tall, handsome young fellow he thought it better not to strike him. Kalum no sooner spied his assistant than he began calling out, “There he is, there is the handsome young shopman called Said.” The man who had been knocked down got up again and limped away rather ashamed of himself, without having bought either shawl or veil.
“Oh! prince of shop-assistants,” cried Kalum-Bek, “you did indeed arrive at the very moment you were wanted. How can I reward you for the service you have done me?”
Said had merely acted on the spur of the moment, and now that the affair was over he half regretted having interfered on the old man’s behalf, for he well knew he deserved a good punishment. However, he thought he might make use of the old fellow’s offer of a reward. So he asked to be given one evening a week for his own amusement, either to take a walk or to spend it as he wished, and Kalum-Bek, who knew his assistant had too much good sense to attempt to escape without money, readily granted him the favour.
The man was seized and flung violently to the ground. (P. [304].)
The following Wednesday was the day upon which the young men of high rank met to hold their tournament, and so Said asked if he could have this evening for himself. Kalum being willing, the young man went straight off to the street in which the fairy lived and knocked at the door, which immediately flew open. The servants appeared to be prepared to receive him, for, without asking his business, they took him upstairs to a fine apartment where they first gave him magic water to wash in. Having laved his face he looked at himself in a mirror and found that his face was tanned as by the sun and that he had a fine black beard, so that he looked at least ten years older than he had done previously.
After that they led him into another room where a superb suit of clothes awaited him which might not have disgraced the Caliph himself. In addition to a turban of the finest materials, having a heron’s plume fastened with a diamond clasp, there was a dress of shimmering red silk embroidered with silver flowers, a corselet of silver chain-work, so finely made that it accommodated itself to every movement of his body, and was yet so strong that neither lance nor sword could pierce it. A Damascus sword with richly-jewelled scabbard and hilt completed his warlike attire.
When he was completely equipped and about to leave the house, one of the servants gave him a silk handkerchief and told him that the mistress of the house had sent it to him, so that when he wished to become his usual self again he had but to wipe his face with it and the tan colour and beard would disappear.
In the courtyard of the house three beautiful horses were standing. Said mounted the finest and his servants the other two, and he then rode joyously forth to the tournament.