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were come;and heard the Reaſon of their being call’d for, they did all they could to convince her that ſhe was in the wrong; but to no purpoſe; She told ’em ſhe would rather die than yield that Point to her Husband. Her Father and Mother ſpoke to her by her ſelf, and to!d her that what ſhe deſired to know was of no Importance to her, but they could gain nothing upon her either by their Authority or Intreaties. When her Children ſaw that nothing would prevail to bring her out of that ſullen Temper, they wept bitterly. The Merchant himſelf was like a Man out of his Senſes and was almoſt ready to risk his own Life, to ſave that of his Wiſe, whom he lov’d dearly.
Now, my Daughter, ſays the Viſier to Scheherazade, this Merchant had fifty Hens, and a Cock, with a Dog that gave good heed to all that paſs’d, and while the Merchant was ſet down, as I ſaid, and conſidering what he had beſt to do, he ſees his Dog run toward the Cock, as he was treading a Hen, and heard him; ſpeak to him thus; Cock, ſays he, I am ſure Heaven will not let you live long, are you not aſham’d to do that thing to-day? The Cock ftanding upon tiptoe, anſwers the Dog fiercely, And why, ſays he, ſhould I not do it to-day as well as other Days? If you don’t know; replies the Dog, then I tell you, that this Day our Maſter is in great Perplexity. His Wife would have him reveal a Secret which is of ſuch a Nature, that it will coſt him his Life if he doth it. | Things are come to that paſs; that it is to be fear’d he will ſcarcely have Reſolution enough to reſiſt his Wife’s Obſtinacy; for he loves her, and is affected with the Tears that ſhe continually ſheds, and perhaps it may coſt him his Life. We are all alarm’d at it, and you only inſult our Melancholy, and have the Impudence to divert your ſelf with your Hens.
The anſwer’d the Dogs Reproof thus: What, has our Maſter ſo little Senſe? He has but one Wife, and can’t govern her, and tho’ I have Fifty, I make them all do what I pleaſe. Let him make uſe of his Reaſon, he will ſpeedily find a Way to rid himſelf of his Trouble. Ho, ſays the Dog, what would you have him do? Let him go into the Room where his Wife is, ſays the Cock, lock theDoor,
