I would not at first tell him my name and returned him evasive answers；but he conjured metill I told him who I waswhereupon he sprang to his feet and said'IndeedI wondered that such excellence should belong to any but the like of thee；and Fortune hath done me a service for which I cannot avail to thank her. Butbelikethis is a dream；for how could I hope that the family of the Khalifate should visit me in my own house and carouse with me this night？' I conjured him to be seated；so he sat down and began to question mein the most courteous termsas to the cause of my visit. So I told him the whole matterconcealing nothingand said to him'VerilyI have had my desire of the foodbut not of the hand and wrist.'
Quoth he'Thou shalt have thy desire of them alsoso God will.' Then said he to the slave-girl'Bid such an one come down.' And he called his slave-girls downone by one and showed them to me；but I saw not my mistress among themand he said'O my lordthere is none left save my mother and sister；butby AllahI must needs have them also down and show them to thee.'
I marvelled at his courtesy and large-heartedness and said，'May I be thy ransom！ Begin with thy sister.'Willingly，'replied he. So she came down and beholdit was she whose hand and wrist I had seen. 'May God make me thy ransom！' said I.
'This is the damsel whose hand and wrist I saw at the lattice.'
Then he sent at once for witnesses and bringing out two myriads of dinarssaid to the witnesses'This our lord Ibrahim ben el Mehdiuncle of the Commander of the Faithfulseeks the hand of my sister such an oneand I call you to witness that I marry her to him and that he has endowed her with a dowry of ten thousand dinars.' And he said to me'I give thee my sister in marriageat the dowry aforesaid.'I consent，' answered I.
Whereupon he gave one of the bags to her and the other to the witnessesand said to me'O my lordI desire to array a chamber for thee；where thou mayst lie with thy wife.' But I was abashed at his generosity and was ashamed to foregather with her in his house；so I said'Equip her and send her to my house.' And by thy lifeO Commander of the Faithfulhe sent me such an equipage with herthat my house was too strait to hold itfor all its greatness！ And I begot on her this boy that stands before thee.'
The Khalif marvelled at the merchant's generosity and said，'Gifted of God is he！ Never heard I of his like.' And he bade Ibrahim bring him to courtthat he might see him. So he brought him and the Khalif conversed with him；and his wit and good breeding so pleased himthat he made him one of his chief officers.
THE WOMAN WHOSE HANDS WERE CUT OFF FOR THAT SHE GAVE ALMS TO THE POOR.
A certain King once made proclamation to the people of his realmsaying'If any of you give alms of aughtI will assuredly cut off his hand；' wherefore all the people abstained from alms-givingand none could give to any.
One day a beggar accosted a certain woman（and indeed hunger was sore upon him）and said to her'Give me an alms.'How can I give thee aught，' answered she'when the King cutteth off the hands of all who give alms？' But he said'I conjure thee by God the Most Highgive me an alms.' Sowhen he adjured her by Godshe had compassion on him and gave him two cakes of bread. The King heard of this；so he called her before him and cut off her handsafter which she returned to her house.
A while afterthe King said to his mother'I have a mind to take a wife；so do thou marry me to a fair woman.' Quoth she，'There is among our female slaves one who is unsurpassed in beauty；but she hath a grievous blemish.'What is that？' asked the King；and his mother answered'She hath had both her hands cut off.' Said he'Let me see her.' So she brought her to him，and he was ravished by her and married her and went in to her；and she brought him a son.
Now this was the womanwho had her hands cut off for alms-giving；and when she became queenher fellow-wives envied her and wrote to the King [who was then absent] that she was unchaste；so he wrote to his motherbidding her carry the woman into the desert and leave her there. The old queen obeyed his commandment and abandoned the woman and her son in the desert；whereupon she fell to weeping and wailing exceeding sore for that which had befallen her. As she went alongwith the child at her neckshe came to a river and knelt down to drinkbeing overcome with excess of thirstfor fatigue and grief；butas she bent her headthe child fell into the water.
Then she sat weeping sore for her childand as she weptthere came up two menwho said to her'What makes thee weep？' Quoth she'I had a child at my neckand he hath fallen into the water.'Wilt thou that we bring him out to thee？' asked they，and she answered'Yes.' So they prayed to God the Most High，and the child came forth of the water to hersafe and sound.
Quoth they'Wilt thou that God restore thee thy hands as they were？'Yes，' replied she： whereupon they prayed to God，blessed and exalted be He！ and her hands were restored to her，goodlier than before. Then said they'Knowst thou who we are？'
'God [only] is all-knowing，' answered she；and they said'We are thy two cakes of breadthat thou gavest in alms to the beggar and which were the cause of the cutting off of thy hands. So praise thou God the Most Highfor that He hath restored thee thy hands and thy child.' So she praised God the Most High and glorified Him.
