When the Khalif saw thisthe vein of anger started out between his eyes and he descended and said to the Vizier'O Jaafer，never saw I men of piety in such a case！Do thou mount this tree and look upon themlest the benisons of the devout escape thee.'
So Jaafer climbed upperplexed at these wordsand looking in，saw Noureddin and the damsel and Gaffer Ibrahim with a cup in his hand. At this sighthe made sure of ruin and descendingstood before the Commander of the Faithfulwho said to him'O Jaafer，praised be God who hath made us of those who observe the external forms of the Divine ordinances！'Jaafer could make no answer for excess of confusionand the Khalif continued'I wonder how these people came hither and who admitted them into my pavilion！
But the like of the beauty of this youth and this girl my eyes never beheld！'Thou art rightO Commander of the Faithful，'
replied Jaaferhoping to propitiate him. Then said the Khalif，'O Jaaferlet us both mount the branch that overlooks the windowthat we may amuse ourselves with looking at them.'So they both climbed the tree and looking inheard Ibrahim say'O my ladyI have laid aside gravity in drinking winebut this is not thoroughly delectable without the melodious sound of the strings. 'By Allah，'replied Enis el Jelis'if we had but some musical instrumentour joy would be complete！'When the old man heard what she saidhe rose to his feetand the Khalif said to Jaafer'I wonder what he is going to do.'I know not，'replied Jaafer. Then Ibrahim went out and returned with a lute；and the Khalif looked at it and knew it for that of Isaac the boon-companion. 'By Allah，'said he'if this damsel sing illI will crucify youall of you；but if she sing wellI will pardon them and crucify thee.'God grant she may sing ill！'said Jaafer'Why so？'asked the Khalif. 'Because，'replied Jaafer 'if thou crucify us all togetherwe shall keep each other company.'The Khalif laughed at his speech；then the damsel took the lute and tuning itplayed a measure which made all hearts yearn to her，then sang the following verses：
O ye that to help unhappy lovers are fain！We burn with the fire of love and longing in vain.
Whatever ye dowe merit it： seewe cast Ourselves on your ruth！
Do not exult in our pain.
For we are children of sadness and low estate. Do with us what you will；we will not complain.
What were your glory to slay us within your courts？ Our fear is but lest you sin in working us bane.
'By Allah，'said the Khalif'it is goodO Jaafer！Never in my life have I heard so enchanting a voice！'Belike，'said Jaafer，'the Khalif's wrath hath departed from him.'Yes，'said the Khalif'it is gone.'Then they descended from the treeand the Khalif said to Jaafer'I wish to go in and sit with them and hear the damsel sing before me.'O Commander of the Faithful，'replied Jaafer'if thou go in to themthey will most like be troubled and Gaffer Ibrahim will assuredly die of fright.'O Jaafer，'said the Khalif'thou must teach me some device，whereby I may foregather with themwithout being known of them.'
So they walked on towards the Tigrisconsidering of this affair，and presently came upon a fisher man standing fishing under the windows of the pavilion. Now some time before thisthe Khalif（being in the pavilion） had called to Gaffer Ibrahim and said to him'What is this noise I hear under the windows？'It is the voices of the fishermenfishing，'answered he；and the Khalif commanded him to go down and forbid them to resort thither；so the fishermen were forbidden to fish there. Howeverthat night a fisherman named Kerimhappening to pass by and seeing the garden gate opensaid to himself'This is a time of negligence： I will take advantage of it to fish.'So he went inbut had hardly cast his netwhen the Khalif came up alone and standing behind himknew him and called out to himsaying'HoKerim！'The fishermanhearing himself called by his nameturned roundand seeing the Khaliftrembled in every limb and exclaimed'O Commander of the FaithfulI did it not in mockery of the edict；but poverty and distress drove me to what thou seest.'Quoth the Khalif'Make a cast in my name.'At this the fisherman was glad and going to the bankcast his netthen waiting till it had spread out to the utmost and settled downpulled it up and found in it various kinds of fish. The Khalif was pleased and said'O Kerimput off thy clothes.'So he put off a gown of coarse woollen stuffpatched in a hundred places and full of disgusting verminand a turban that had not been unwound for three years，but to which he had sewn every rag he came across. The Khalif pulled off his cassock and mantle and two vests of Alexandria and Baalbec silk and saying to the fisherman'Take these and put them on，'donned the latter's gown and turban and tied a chin band round the lower part of his face. Then said he to the fisherman'Go about thy business.'So he kissed the Khalif's feet and thanked him and recited the following verses：
Thou hast heaped benefits on mepast all that I could crave！My tongue suffices not to praise thy goodness to thy slave.
So I will thank thee whilst I live；and when I come to dieMy very bones shall never cease to thank thee in the grave.
Hardly had he finishedwhen the lice began to crawl over the skin of the Khalifwho fell to snatching them with either hand from his neck and throwing them downexclaiming'Out on theeO fishermanthis gown is swarming with vermin！
