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But not another day shall go by ere I fare forth from here." Said

we to him, "Allah upon thee, tell us the tale;" and the youth

replied (the Barber changing colour from brown to yellow as he

spoke): Know, O fair company, that my father was one of the chief

merchants of Baghdad, and Almighty Allah had blessed him with no

son but myself. When I grew up and reached man's estate, my

father was received into the mercy of Allah (whose Name be

exalted!) and left me money and eunuchs, servants and slaves; and

I used to dress well and diet well. Now Allah had made me a hater

of women kind and one day, as I was walking along a street in

Baghdad, a party of females met me face to face in the footway;

so I fled from them and, entering an alley which was no

thoroughfare, sat down upon a stone bench at its other end.