enough to aspire to this high dignity wrote one after another what they thought fit. After they had done, I advanced and took the roll, but all the people cried out that I would tear it or throw it into the sea, till they saw how properly I held the roll, and made a sign that I would write in my turn. Their apprehensions then changed into wonder. However, as they had never seen an ape that could write, and could not be persuaded that I was cleverer than others of my kind, they wished to take the roll out of my hand; but the captain took my part once more. “Let him alone,” said he; “allow him to write.” I then took the pen, and wrote six sorts of hands used among the Arabians, each specimen containing an extemporary quatrain in praise of the sultan. When I had done, the officers took the roll, and carried it to the sultan.
The sultan took little notice of any of the writings except mine, which pleased him so much that he said to the officers, “Take the finest horse in my stable, with the richest trappings, and a robe of the most sumptuous brocade to put on the person who wrote the six hands, and bring him hither.” At this command the officers could not forbear laughing. The sultan was incensed at their rudeness, and would have punished them, had they not explained. “Sire,” said they, “we humbly beg your majesty’s pardon. These hands were not written by a man, but by an ape.” “What do you say?” exclaimed the sultan. “Those admirable characters, are they not written by a man?” “No, Sire,” replied the officers; “we
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