Yeawhensoe'er the rich man speaksthough in his speech he err，'Thou hast not spoken a vain thing，'they say；'indeed，thou'rt right.'
Butfor the poor manan he speakalbeit he say soothThey say'Thou liest，'and make void his speech and hold it light For moneyverilyin all the lands beneath the sunWith goodliness and dignity cloth its possessors dight.
A very tongue it is for him who would be eloquent And eke a weapon to his hand who hath a mind to fight.'
When he heard thishe bowed his head awhilethenraising it，said'If it must be soI will have of thee other three thousand diners.'I hear and obey，'answered I and sent one of my servants to my house for the money. When he came back with itI handed it to the Sherifwho rose and bidding his servants shut his shopinvited his brother-merchants to the wedding；after which he carried me to his house and drew up the contract of marriage between his daughter and myselfsaying to me'After ten daysI will bring thee in to her.'So I went home rejoicing and shutting myself up with the apetold him what had passed；
and he said'Thou hast done well.'
When the time appointed by the Sherif drew nearthe ape said to me'There is a thing I would fain have thee do for me；and afterthou shalt have of me what thou wilt.'What is that？'
asked I. Quoth he'At the upper end of the bridechamber stands a cabineton whose door is a padlock of brass and the keys under it. Take the keys and open the cabinetin which thou wilt find a coffer of ironwith four talismanic flags at its angles. In its midst is a brass basin full of moneywherein is tied a white cock with a cleft comb；and on one side of the coffer are eleven serpents and on the other a knife. Take the knife and kill the cock；cut away the flags and overturn the chest；then go back to the bride and do away her maidenhead. This is what I have to ask of thee.'I hear and obey，'answered I and betook myself to the Sherif's house.
As soon as I entered the bridechamberI looked for the cabinet and found it even as the ape had described it. Then I went in to the bride and marvelled at her beauty and grace and symmetryfor indeed they were such as no tongue can set forth. So I rejoiced in her with an exceeding joy；and in the middle of the night，when she sleptI rose and taking the keysopened the cabinet.
Then I took the knife and killed the cock and threw down the flags and overturned the cofferwhereupon the girl awoke and seeing the closet open and the cock slainexclaimed'There is no power and no virtue but in God the Most Highthe Supreme！ The Marid hath gotten me！'Hardly had she made an end of speaking，when the Marid came down upon the house and seizing the bride，flew away with her；whereupon there arose a great clamour and in came the Sherifbuffeting his face. 'O Abou Mohammed，'said he，'what is this thou hast done？ Is it thus thou requitest us？ I made the talisman in the cabinet in my fear for my daughter from this accursed one；for these six years hath he sought to steal away the girlbut could not. But now there is no more abiding for thee with us；so go thy ways.'
So I went out and returned to my own housewhere I made search for the apebut could find no trace of him；whereby I knew that he was the Maridwho had taken my wife and had tricked me into destroying the talisman that hindered him from taking herand repentedrending my clothes and buffeting my face；and there was no land but was straitened upon me. So I made for the desert，knowing not whither I should goand wandered onabsorbed in melancholy thoughttill night overtook me. PresentlyI saw two serpents fightinga white one and a tawny. So I took up a stone and throwing it at the tawny serpentwhich was the aggressor，killed it；whereupon the white serpent made offbut returned after awhile accompanied by ten others of the same colourwhich went up to the dead serpent and tore it in piecestill but the head was left. Then they went their ways and I fell prostrate for weariness on the ground where I stood；butas I laypondering my caseI heard a voice repeat the following versesthough I saw no one：
Let destiny with slackened rein its course appointed fare And lie thou down by night to sleep with heart devoid of care.
Fortwixt the closing of the eyes and th'opening thereofGod hath it in His power to change a case from foul to fair.
When I heard thisgreat concern got hold of me and I was beyond measure troubled；and I heard a voice from behind me repeat these verses also：
Muslimwhose guide's the Koran and his dueRejoicefor succour cometh thee unto.
Let not the wiles of Satan make thee rueFor we're a folk whose creed's the Onethe True.
Then said I'I conjure thee by Him whom thou worshippestlet me know who thou art！'Thereupon the unseen speaker appeared to me，in the likeness of a manand said'Fear not；for the report of thy good deed hath reached usand we are a people of the true-believing Jinn. Soif thou lack aughtlet us know itthat we may have the pleasure of fulfilling thy need.'Indeed，'
answered I'I am in sore needfor there hath befallen me a grievous calamitywhose like never yet befell man.'Quoth he，'Surelythou art Abou Mohammed the Lazy？'And I answered'Yes.'
'O Abou Mohammed，'rejoined the genie'I am the brother of the white serpentwhose enemy thou slewest. We are four brothersby one father and motherand we are all indebted to thee for thy kindness. Know that he who played this trick on theein the likeness of an apeis a Marid of the Marids of the Jinn；and had he not used this artificehe had never been able to take the girl；for he hath loved her and had a mind to take her this long whilebut could not win at herbeing hindered of the talisman；
and had it remained as it washe could never have done so.
Howeverfret not thyself for that；we will bring thee to her and kill the Marid；for thy kindness is not lost upon us.'
