he bond there was a great commotion, and
some said, "Surely the Prince BULLEBOYE is drunken with wine;"
and others, "He is possessed of an evil spirit;" and his friends
expostulated with him, saying, "What thou hast done is not the custom
of the bazaars,--behold, it is not BIZ!" But to all the prince answered
gravely, "It is right; on my own head be it!"

But the oldest and wisest of the merchants, they who had talked with
Prince BADFELLAH the same morning, whispered together, and gathered
around the BROKAH whose bond the Prince BULLEBOYE had torn up. "Hark
ye," said they, "our brother the Prince BULLEBOYE is cunning as a
jackal. What bosh is this about ruining himself to save thee? Such
a thing was never heard before in the bazaars. It is a trick, O thou
mooncalf of a BROKAH! Dost thou not see that he has heard good news
from his godmother, the same that was even now told us by the Prince
BADFELLAH, his confederate, and that he would destroy thy bond for fifty
thousand sequins because his STOKH is worth a hundred thousand! Be not
deceived, O too credulous BROKAH! for this what our brother the prince
doeth is not in the name of ALLAH, but of BIZ, the only god known in the
bazaars of the city."

When the foolish BROKAH heard these things he cried, "Justice, O Aga
of the BROKAHS,--justice and the fulfilment of my bond! Let the prince
deliver unto me the STOKH. Here are my fifty thousand sequins." But the
prince said, "Have I not told that my godmother is dying, and that
my STOKH is valueless?" At this the BROKAH only clamored the more for
justice and the fulfilment of his bond. Then the Aga of the BROKAHS
said, "Since the bond is destroyed, behold thou hast no claim. Go thy
ways!" But the BROKAH again cried, "Justice, my lord Aga! Behold, I
offer the prince seventy thousand sequins for his STOKH!" But the prince
said, "It is not worth one sequin!" Then the Aga said, "Bismillah! I
cannot understand this. Whether thy godmother be dead, or dying, or
immortal, does not seem to signify. Therefore, O prince, by the laws
of BIZ and of ALLAH, thou art released. Give the BROKAH thy STOKH for
seventy thousand sequins, and bid him depart in peace. On his own head
be it!" When the prince heard this command, he handed his STOKH to the
BROKAH, who counted out to him seventy thousand sequins. But the heart
of the virtuous prince did not rejoice, nor did the BROKAH, when he
found his STOKH was valueless; but the merchants lifted their h