y own. The vizier shall receive me with great pomp,
and shall give me the right hand and place me above himself, to do me
the more honor. On my return I will appoint two of my handsomest slaves
to throw money among the populace, that every one may speak well of my
generosity.

"When we arrive at my own palace, I will take great state upon me, and
hardly speak to my wife. She shall dress herself in all her ornaments,
and stand before me as beautiful as the full moon, but I will not look
at her. Her slaves shall draw near and entreat me to cast my eyes upon
her; which, after much supplication, I will deign to do, though with
great indifference. I will not suffer her to come out of her apartment
without my leave; and when I have a mind to visit her there, it shall be
in a manner that will make her respect me. Thus will I begin early to
teach her what she is to expect the rest of her life.

"When her mother comes to visit her she will intercede with me for her.
'Sir,' she will say (for she will not dare to call me son, for fear of
offending me by so much familiarity), 'do not, I beseech, treat my
daughter with scorn; she is as beautiful as an Houri, and entirely
devoted to you.' But my mother-in-law may as well hold her peace, for I
will take no notice of what she says. She will then pour out some wine
into a goblet, and give it to my wife, saying, 'Present it to your lord
and husband; he will not surely be so cruel as to refuse it from so fair
a hand.' My wife will then come with the glass, and stand trembling
before me; and when she finds that I do not look on her, but continue to
disdain her, she will kneel and entreat me to accept it; but I will
continue inflexible. At last, redoubling her tears, she will rise and
put the goblet to my lips, when, tired with her importunities, I will
dart a terrible look at her and give her such a push with my foot as
will spurn her from me." Alnaschar was so interested in this imaginary
grandeur that he thrust forth his foot to kick the lady, and by that
means overturned his glasses and broke them into a thousand pieces.

236

"The Camel and the Pig" is from P. V. Ramaswami
Raju's _Indian Folk Stories and Fables_, an
excellent book of adaptations for young
readers. The idea that every situation in life
has its advantages as well as its disadvantages
is one of those common but often overlooked
truths which serve so well as