Page 207 of 1116

She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when

the fishes spoke, and the young lady upset the frying pan with

her rod, and went forth by the way she came and the wall closed

up, the Wazir cried out, "This is a thing not to be hidden from

the King." So he went and told him what had happened, where upon

quoth the King, "There is no help for it but that I see this with

mine own eyes." Then he sent for the Fisherman and commanded him

to bring four other fish like the first and to take with him

three men as witnesses. The Fisherman at once brought the fish:

and the King, after ordering them to give him four hundred gold

pieces, turned to the Wazir and said, "Up and fry me the fishes

here before me!" The Minister, replying "To hear is to obey,"

bade bring the frying pan, threw therein the cleansed fish and

set it over the fire; when lo!