One day they had done an unusually good trade in the shop, so many things had been bought that the porters were all away carrying home the goods the customers had bought, but a lady entered the shop, bought some goods and asked for a man to carry them home at once. “In half an hour, I will send them with pleasure,” said Kalum-Bek, “but just now all my men are out; if you cannot wait so long, perhaps you would prefer to engage an outside porter.” “A fine merchant you are,” said the lady angrily, “to advise me to engage a strange man to carry home my purchases. He would doubtless make off with my goods and who would repay me then? No, according to the custom of the market, it is your duty to provide a man to carry home goods purchased, and I insist upon having one.” “Certainly, certainly,” said Kalum-Bek, “if you will only wait half an hour I can oblige you.” [Illustration: _Said was to stand at the door of the shop and show off the wares._ (P. 298.)] “This is a common shop indeed,” replied the enraged lady, “not to provide sufficient porters. But there stands a great idle fellow, he shall carry home my parcel and I will give him a coin for his pains.” “Oh! no!” screamed Kalum-Bek, “I cannot spare my assistant, he is my signboard to attract folks in. He is not allowed to leave the door.” “Nonsense,” replied the old woman, and without further parlance pushed her parcel into Said’s arms. “You cannot sell very good wares if you need to lay traps to catch your customers.” “For goodness sake go, but be quick to return,” said the merchant, “the old wretch will make her complaints heard all over the Bazaar.” Said followed the old lady, who walked a great deal quicker than one would have thought possible at her age. They reached a beautiful house, knocked, and the wide doors flew open and they ascended a flight of marble steps. As the old lady beckoned Said to follow her, he went into a magnificent apartment decorated in a superb style. The old lady seated herself in an exhausted condition upon a sofa and signed to the young man to put down his parcel, handed him a small silver coin and bade him depart. He had reached the door when a silvery voice called him by name. He turned, astonished that anyone in that place should know his name, and to his surprise saw a beautiful lady, surrounded by numerous slaves and women servants, sitting upon the sofa where the old woman had been. Dumb with surprise he folded his arms and made a deep obeisance. “Said, dear youth,” said the lady, “although I am sorry for the misfortunes that have befallen you, still Bagdad is the place appointed by fate for your fortunes to change, should it happen that you left your father’s house before the time appointed. Said, have you still your little whistle?” “Indeed I have,” he cried joyfully as he drew forth the golden chain, “and are you the good fairy who gave it to me at my birth?”