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by the rights of thy munificence!" The King marvelled at their

words and shook with mirth and said, "I am minded to buy this ape

of the Captain." Then he sent messengers to the ship with the

mule, the dress, the guard and the state drums, saying, "Not the

less do you clothe him in the robe of honour and mount him on the

mule and let him be surrounded by the guards and preceded by the

band of music." They came to the ship and took me from the

Captain and robed me in the robe of honour and, mounting me on

the she mule, carried me in state procession through the

streets', whilst the people were amazed and amused. And folk said

to one another, "Halloo! is our Sultan about to make an ape his

Minister?"; and came all agog crowding to gaze at me, and the

town was astir and turned topsy turvy on my account.