you！'
So they went out in affright and the king said to Abdallah； 'O man； （may God bless thee in that He hath bestowed on thee！） no harm shall befall thee； but tell me truly； whence gottest thou these jewels； for I am a king and have not the like of them。' 'O king of the age；' answered the fisherman； 'I have a basketful of them at home。' And he told him of his friendship with the merman； adding； 'We have made a covenant together that I shall bring him every day a basketful of fruit and that he shall fill me the basket with these jewels。' 'O man；' said the king； 'this is thy lot； but wealth hath need of station。' （200） I will protect thee for the once against men's usurpations； but it may be I shall be deposed or die and another be made king in my stead； and he shall put thee to death； because of his love of the things of this world and his covetousness。 Wherefore I am minded to marry thee to my daughter and make thee my vizier and bequeath thee the kingdom after me； so none may oppress thee after my death。'
Then said he to his officers； 'Carry this man to the bath。' So they carried him to the bath and washed his body and clad him in royal apparel； after which they brought him back to the king； and he made him his vizier and sent to his house couriers and the soldiers of his guard and all the wives of the notables； who clad his children in royal apparel and mounting the former in a horselitter； with the little child in her lap； carried her to the palace； whilst the guards and couriers and Cadis walked before her。 Moreover； they brought her elder children in to the king； who made much of them； taking them in his lap and seating them by his side； for they were nine male children and the king had no ＇male＇ offspring； nor had he been blessed with any child； save this one daughter； Umm esSuwood。 Meanwhile the queen entreated Abdallah's wife with honour and bestowed favours on her and made her her vizieress。 Then the king manded to draw up the contract of marriage between his daughter and the fisherman； who assigned to her； as her dower； all the precious stones and jewels in his possession； and they opened the chapter of festivity。 Moreover； the king made proclamation； manding to decorate the city； in honour of his daughter's wedding； and Abdallah went in to the princess and did away her maiden head。
Next morning； the king looked out of window and saw Abdallah carrying on his head a basket full of fruit。 So he said to him； 'What hast thou there； O my soninlaw； and whither goest thou？' 'I go to my friend Abdallah the merman；' answered the fisherman； and the king said； 'O my soninlaw； this is no time to go to thy friend。' Quoth Abdallah； 'Indeed； I fear to break tryst with him； lest he reckon me a liar and say； 〃The things of the world have distracted thee from me。〃' 'True；' rejoined the king。 'Go to thy friend and God help thee！' So he passed through the city on his way to the seashore； and as he went； he heard those who knew him say； 'There goes the king's soninlaw to exchange fruit for jewels；' whilst those who knew him not said； 'Harkye； how much a pound？ e； sell to me。' And he answered； saying； 'Wait till I e back to thee；' for that he would not vex any。
Then he fared on till he came to the seashore and foregathered with his friend the merman； to whom he delivered the fruit； receiving jewels in return。 As he passed by the shop of the baker； on his return； he saw it closed； and thus he did ten days； during which time the shop abode shut and he saw nothing of the baker。 So he said in himself； 'This is a strange thing！ I wonder what is e of the baker！' Then he enquired of his neighbour； saying； 'O my brother； where is thy neighbour the baker and what hath God done with him？' 'O my lord；' answered he； 'he is sick and eth not forth of his house。' 'Where is his house？' asked Abdallah； and the other replied； 'In such a quarter。'
So he ； but； when he knocked at the door； the baker looked out of window and seeing his friend the fisherman； with a full basket on his head； came down and opened the door to him。 Abdallah entered and throwing himself on the baker； embraced him and wept； saying； 'How dost thou； O my friend？ Every day； I pass by thy shop and see it closed； so I asked thy neighbour； who told me that thou wast sick； and I enquired for thy house； that I might see thee。' 'God requite thee for me with all good！' answered the baker。 'Nothing ails me； but it was told me that the king had taken thee； for that certain of the folk had lied against thee and accused thee of being a thief； wherefore I feared and shut my shop and hid myself' 'It is well；' said Abdallah and told him all that had befallen him with the king and the Syndic of the jewellers； adding； 'Moreover； the king hath given me his daughter to wife and made me his vizier： so do thou take what is in this basket to thy share and fear nothing。'
Then he left him； after having done away his fear from him； and returned with the empty basket to the king； who said to him； 'O my soninlaw； it would seem thou hast not foregathered with thy friend the merman today。' 'I went to him；' replied Abdallah； 'but that which I got of him I gave to my friend the baker； to whom I owe kindness。' 'Who is this baker？' asked the king； and the fisherman answered； 'He is a benevolent man； who did with me thus and thus in the days of my poverty and never neglected me a single day nor vexed my spirit。' Quoth the king； 'What is his name？' ' His name is Abdallah the baker；' replied the fisherman； 'and my name is Abdallah of the land and that of my friend the merman Abdallah of the sea。' 'And my name； also； is Abdallah；' rejoined the king； and the servants of God （201） are all brethren。 So send and fetch thy friend the baker that I may make him my vizier of the left。'
So he sent for the baker and the king invested him with the vizier's habit and made him vizier of the left； making Abdallah of the land his vizier of the right。 On this wise the fisherman abode a whole year； every day carrying the merman the basket full of fruit and receiving it back； full of jewels； and when fruit failed from the gardens； he carried him raisins and almonds and hazelnuts and walnuts and figs and so forth； and all that he brought him the merman accepted and returned him the basket full of jewels； as of wont。
It chanced one day that he carried him the basket； full of dry （202） fruits； according to custom； and his friend took them from him。 Then they sat down to converse； the fisherman on the beach and the merman in the water； near the shore； and conversed； and the talk went round between them； till it fell upon the subject of tombs； y brother； they say that the Prophet （whom God bless and preserve！） is buried with you on the land。 Knowest thou his tomb？' 'Yes；' answered Abdallah。 'It lies in a city called Yethrib。' （203） 'And do the people of the land visit it？' asked the merman。 'Yes；' replied the fisherman； and the other said； 'I give you joy； O people of the land； of visiting ＇the tomb of＇ that noble and passionate prophet； which whoso visits merits his intercession！ Hast thou visited it； O my brother？' 'No；' answered the fisherman； 'for I was poor and had not what to spend by the way； nor have I been at my ease but since I knew thee and thou bestowedst on me this good fortune。 But it behoves me to visit it； after I have made the pilgrimage to the Holy House of God； （204） and nought withholds me therefrom but my love for thee； for I cannot leave thee for one day。'
'And dost thou set the love of me；' rejoined the merman； 'before the visitation of the tomb of Mohammed （whom God bless and preserve！）； who shall intercede for thee on the day of appearance before God and shall save thee from the fire and through whose intercession thou shalt enter Paradise？ And dost thou； for the love of the world； leave to visit the tomb of thy Prophet Mohammed； whom God bless and preserve？' 'No； by Allah；' replied Abdallah。 'I set the visitation of the Prophet's tomb above all else； and I crave thy leave to visit it this year。' 'I grant thee leave；' answered the merman； 'but I have a trust to give thee； so e thou with me into the sea； that I may carry thee to my city and my house and entertain thee there and give thee a deposit； and when thou standest by the Prophet's tomb； do thou lay it thereon； saying； 〃O apostle of God； Ahdallah the merman salutes thee and sends thee this present； imploring thine intercession to save him from the fire。〃' 'O my brother；' said the fisherman； 'thou wast created in the water and it is thine abidingplace and doth thee no hurt； but； if thou shouldst e forth to the land； would any harm betide thee？' ' Yes；' answered the merman； 'my body would dry up and the breezes of the land would blow upon me and I should die。' 'And I； in like manner；' rejoined the fisherman； 'was created on the land and it is my abidingplace； but； if I went down into the sea； the water would enter my belly and choke me and I should die。' 'Have no fear for that； replied the other； 'for I will bring thee an ointment； wherewith when thou hast anointed thy body； the water will do thee no hurt； though thou shouldst pass the rest of thy life going about in the sea； and thou shalt lie down and rise up in the sea and nought shall harm thee。' 'If the case be so；' said the fisherman； 'well and good； but bring me the ointment； so I may make proof of it。' 'So be it；' answered the merman and taking the basket； disappeared in the sea。
After awhile； he returned with an ointment； as it were the fat of oxen； yellow as gold and sweet of savour。 'What is this； O my brother？' asked the fisherman。 'It is the liverfat of a kind of fish called the dendan；' （205） answered the merman； 'which is the biggest of all fish and the fiercest of our foes。 Its bulk is greater than that of any beast of the land； and were it to meet a camel or an elephant； it would swallow it at one mouthful。' 'O my brother；' asked Abdallah； 'what eateth this baleful ＇beast＇？' 'It eateth of the beasts of the sea；' replied the merman。 'Hast thou not heard the byword； 〃Like the fishes of the sea： the strong eateth the weak？〃'
'True；' answered the fisherman； 'but have you many of these dendans in the sea？' And the other said； 'Yes； there be many of them with us。 None can tell their tale