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But, Sir, ſays Scheherazade, having told you what happened to the Fiſherman, I muſt acquaint you next, with what befel the Sultan’s Cook-maid, whom we ſhall find in a mighty Perplexity. As ſoon as ſhe had gutted the Fiſhes, ſhe put them upon the Fire in a Frying-pan, with Oil, and when ſhe thought them fry’d enough on one ſide, ſhe turned them upon the other; but, O monſtrous Prodigy! Scarce were they turned, when the Wall of the Kitchen opened, and in comes a young Lady of wonderful Beauty, and comely Size. She was clad in flower’d Sattin, after the Egytptian manner, with Pendants in her Ears, a Necklace of large Pearl, and Bracelets of Gold, garniſhed with Rubies, with a Rod of Myrtle in her Hand, She came towards the Frying-pan, to the great Amazement of the Cook-maid, who continued unmoveable at this ſight, and ftriking one of the Fiſhes with the end of the Rod, ſays, Fiſh, Fiſh, art thou in thy Duty? The Fiſh having anſwered nothing, ſhe repeated theſe Words, and then the four Fiſhes lift up their Heads altogether, and ſaid to her, Yes, yes; if you reckon, we reckon ; if you pay your Debt, we pay ours; if you fly, we overcome, and are content. As ſoon as they had finiſhed thoſe Words, the Lady overturn’d the Frying-pan, and enter’d again into the open part of the Wall, which ſhut immediately, and became as it was before.
The Cook-maid was mightily frightned at this, and coming a little to her ſelf, went to take up the Fiſhes that fell upon the Hearth, but found them blacker than Coal, and not fit to be carried to the Sultan, She was grievouſly troubled at it, and fell a weeping moſt bitterly: Alas! ſays ſhe, what will become of me? If I tell the Sultan what I have ſeen, I am ſure he will not believe me, but will be mightily enraged againft me.
Whilſt ſhe was thus bewailing her ſelf, in comes the Grand Viſier, and ask’d her if the Fiſhes were ready; ſhe told him all that had happened, which we may eaſily imagine aſtoniſhed him mightily, but without ſpeaking a word of it to the Sultan, he invented an Excuſe that ſatisfied him, and ſending immediately for the Fiſherman, bid him bring him four more ſuch Fiſh, for a Misfortune had beſallen the other, that they were not fit to be carried tothe
