As

any sort of copper or brass work, he is quite ignorant of the craft, for the very morning before this, he brought to me a pan of his own to be repaired. By his desire, therefore, I put in a bran new bottom, for which he paid me very honestly as well as handsomely, so that I wish I had many more such liberal customers. for these foolish people that make such a clatter, they are not worthy to be believed for an instant; for I leave it to your Majesty to consider whether so many bottoms as they speak of could be put into their vessels by all the braziers in the place, in the course of a single night. The thing is impossible; and besides, if it could be done, there is no man alive that could do such a job conscientiously, under ten times the price which they confess to have paid to him. I am a judge and ought to know."

The Caliph was very much diverted with this speech of the brazier, which made all the disconcerted pan-bearers hang down their heads. He then turned round to the Cadi and

asked what he thought of the case; the latter having given his answer, the crier was commanded to procure silence in the court, and the Caliph stood up to give judgment.

"Your observation," said he, turning towards the Cadi, "is both learned and just. I am of opinion, likewise, that the holding up of the bottoms of brazen pans, is not amongst any of the known forms of agreement. Thus there was no legal bargain on either side,”—and at these words the disappointed people, raising up their hands towards the Prophet in appeal against the injustice of the Caliph, there arose a new flashing of brass and copper bottoms, and a fresh clatter of all the pans.

66

Notwithstanding," continued the Caliph, 66 as there seems to have been some evasion of a secret understanding between the two parties, my decree therefore is this, that the criminal shall receive two hundred strokes upon the soles of his feet;" and herewith, the hands fall

ing down again with satisfaction, there ensued a fresh clanking chorus throughout the hall.

"However," the Caliph went on thus, as soon as there was silence "it is necessary that justice on both sides should be equal and complete; wherefore, as the complainants did but hold up their pans, and then reckon that the order for the new bottoms was distinct, so it shall be sufficient for the executioner to lift up his arm two hundred times, and the criminal shall be deemed to have suffered as many stripes of the bastinado."

At this pleasant decision, there was a great shout of applause in the court; but the discomfited pan-bearers departed in great dudgeon, with more clangour than ever; and almost in a temper to hang up their pans, like the kettles of the Turkish Janizaries, as the signals for a revolt.

As for Agib, he suffered the penalty, according to his sentence; but the Caliph was so much

delighted with his wit and address, that before long he raised him to be one of his Ministers of State. The two elder ones, on the contrary, being very dull and slow, howbeit very proper men, rose no higher than to be soldiers of the Body Guard. Thus the expectation of Abendali was fulfilled, the Little Agib, though last in birth and least in stature, becoming the foremost in fortune and the highest in dignity of the Three Brothers.

THE END.

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