Then the Khalifeh approached the porter, who was asleep upon the floor, and stirred him with his foot so that he awoke and sat up. "O thou carrier of goods and vast quantities of wine," said the Khalifeh, "wouldst thou be the Wag of Harun-er-Rashid, Fifth Khalifeh of the House of Abbas?" The porter grinned. "O Prince of the Faithful," said he, "I was born with that ambition, for they say that when the Khalifeh's Wag waggeth his tongue no other tongue may wag." And with this he kissed the ground seven times in mock obeisance. "It is well," said the Khalifeh, "for verily thou art a wag." And they all applauded his seeming royalty and said one among another, "Never have we seen such an excellent impersonation of a king."
The Khalifeh then pointed to the first signs of day in the east, saying, "There was never so pleasant a night but morning ended it." And then, with Ja'far and Mesrur, he set about taking his departure, thanking the ladies for their kind hospitality and bidding them remember the promise they had given. The Three Royal Calenders and the porter also bade the sisters farewell, and, when they were outside the house, the Calenders were directed to a Khan, while the porter took his own way home and the Khalifeh and his two officials returned to the palace.
On the following morning the Khalifeh of Baghdad sat on his throne, and his first thought was to send for the Three Royal Calenders, the three ladies, and the porter. "Lose no time in bringing them hither, O Vizier," said the Khalifeh to Ja'far. The Vizier sent in great haste, and, when the messengers returned with all of them, Er-Rashid received them in private audience.
Not one of them recognised the three merchants of the
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