be a fool; and some said: 'The fellow's
mad! As though one could buy or sell patience!'

At length it came to the ears of the king of Dur that there was a
madman in the market trying to buy patience. And the king laughed and
said:

'I should like to see that fellow, bring him here!'

And immediately his attendants went to seek the man, and brought him
to the king, who asked:

'What is this you want?'

And the man replied: 'Sire! I am bidden to ask for patience.'

'Oh,' said the king, 'you must have a strange master! What does he
want with it?'

'My master wants it as a present for his daughter Imani,' replied the
servant.

'Well,' said the king, 'I know of some patience which the young lady
might have if she cares for it; but it is not to be bought.'

Now the king's name was Subbar Khan, and Subbar _means_ 'patience';
but the messenger did not know that, or understand that he was making
a joke. However, he declared that the princess Imani was not only
young and beautiful, but also the cleverest, most industrious, and
kindest-hearted of princesses; and he would have gone on explaining
her virtues had not the king laughingly put up his hand and stopped
him saying:

'Well, well, wait a minute, and I will see what can be done.'

With that he got up and went to his own apartments and took out a
little casket. Into the casket he put a fan, and shutting it up
carefully he brought it to the messenger and said:

'Here is a casket. It has no lock nor key, and yet will open only to
the touch of the person who needs its contents--and whoever opens it
will obtain patience; but I can't tell whether it will be quite the
kind of patience that is wanted.' And the servant bowed low, and took
the casket; but when he asked what was to be paid, the king would take
nothing. So he went away and gave the casket and an account of his
adventures to his master.

As soon as their father got back to his country Kupti and Imani each
got the presents he had brought for them. Imani was very surprised
when the casket was brought to her by the hand of a messenger.

'But,' she said, 'what is this? I never asked for anything! Indeed I
had no time, for the messenger ran away before I had unravelled my
tangle.'

But the servant declared that the casket was for her, so she took it
with some curiosity, and brought it to the old fakir. The old man
tried to open it, but in vain--so closely did the lid fit that it
seemed to be quite immovabl