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I arrived here this very night, and was standing in doubt whither

I should go, when suddenly I saw this second Kalandar; so I

salam'd to him saying-"I am a stranger!" and he answered:-"I too

am a stranger!" And as we were conversing behold, up came our

companion, this third Kalandar, and saluted us saying:-"I am a

stranger!" And we answered:-"We too be strangers!" Then we three

walked on and together till darkness overtook us and Destiny

crave us to your house. Such, then, is the cause of the shaving

of my beard and mustachios and eyebrows; and the manner of my

losing my right eye. They marvelled much at this tale and the

Caliph said to Ja'afar, "By Allah, I have not seen nor have I

heard the like of what hath happened to this Kalandar!" Quoth the

lady of the house, "Rub thy head and wend thy ways;" but he

replied, "I will not go, till I hear the history of the two

others." Thereupon the second Kalandar came forward; and, kissing

the ground, began to tell

The Second Kalandar's Tale.