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"Belike my Fortune may her bridle turn * And Time bring weal

although he's jealous hight; Forward my hopes, and further all my

needs, * And passed ills with present weals requite."

And when I drew near the fire aforesaid lo! it was a palace with

gates of copper burnished red which, when the rising sun shone

thereon, gleamed and glistened from afar showing what had seemed

to me a fire. I rejoiced in the sight, and sat down over against

the gate, but I was hardly settled in my seat before there met me

ten young men clothed in sumptuous gear and all were blind of the

left eye which appeared as plucked out. They were accompanied by

a Shaykh, an old, old man, and much I marvelled at their

appearance, and their all being blind of the same eye. When they

saw me, they saluted me with the Salam and asked me of my case

and my history; whereupon I related to them all what had befallen

me, and what full measure of misfortune was mine. Marvelling at

my tale they took me to the mansion, where I saw ranged round the

hall ten couches each with its blue bedding and coverlet of blue

stuff[FN#283] and amiddlemost stood a smaller couch furnished

like them with blue and nothing else.