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But after this there occurreth a sign respecting a matter which

will befall thee and whereof I will not speak." "O thou," cried

I, "by Allah, thou weariest me and scatterest my wits and thy

forecast is other than good; I sent for thee to poll my head and

naught else: so up and shave me and prolong not thy speech." "By

Allah," replied he, "if thou but knew what is about to befall

thee, thou wouldst do nothing this day, and I counsel thee to act

as I tell thee by computation of the constellations." "By Allah,"

said I, "never did I see a barber who excelled in judicial

astrology save thyself: but I think and I know that thou art most

prodigal of frivolous talk. I sent for thee only to shave my

head, but thou comest and pesterest me with this sorry prattle."

"What more wouldst thou have?" replied he.