An Arabian Tale for Children.
From the French of M. P. Granal.
AJEB was a youth of Cairo, who had inherited from his father a fortune of about two thousand piastres. Had he invested his little capital in trade, and had he been industrious, he might have done very well; but shortly after his father's death he must needs fall in love with a beautiful girl, and then he could think of nothing else. He had met the maiden accidentally at the fountain of a mosque, and she had drawn aside her veil for a moment in order to drink. She was plainly dressed, and appeared to belong to some humble but respectable family. As soon as she became aware of the young man's admiring gaze she replaced her veil with modest haste, and hurried away, not once looking backward over her shoulder, which showed that she was no coquette. Rajeb followed her and saw her enter a small house, of the kind occupied by middle-class folk. He had fallen in love at first sight, and lost no time in making inquiries concerning his enchantress. He could learn no more of her, however, than the fact that she was as good as she was beautiful.
He then called upon her parents, and boldly asked them to give him their daughter in marriage. They seemed not averse to the match, but when the subject of her dowry was discussed, he was astounded to hear that they demanded of their daughter's husband no less than five thousand piastres. In vain the disconcerted lover protested that such a sum was beyond his means; he was told that he must either pay the money or lose the girl. As the latter alternative was intolerable, he begged that they would allow him a few days' delay. This request was granted, but if, said the parents, he did not appear within the appointed time, they should consider themselves at liberty to accept other proposals.
Rajeb, as he returned to his home, reproached himself for having idled away his past time. "Ah!" he said to himself, "if only I had worked hard, I might now have been rich enough to purchase my happiness!" He took out his money and counted it again and again, but no amount of counting or of wishing would make it more than two thousand piastres. He went to bed, but could not sleep for thinking of possible and impossible ways and means of procuring the rest of the money. At last a plan that seemed feasible presented itself
