That fop, Ben Zerfa, who chopped hashish seeds Among us here, said: "We have had good luck This summer, and I'm going to pay my debts. I'll execute my drill with stick and sword And serve my sheik the very best I can." If you had seen Ben Zerfa as he ran, So lightly, bearing on his sturdy back A basket filled with, heaven alone knows what! It looked like cactus-pears, the basket closed. El Hadj Batâta--see his silly trance! With shirt unbuttoned and with collar off, And cap on eyes, at beating of the drums, He shows his tuft denuded all of hair. Even Móstafa ben el Meddâh desired To go to Paris and his fortune make. "On my return," he said, "I'll buy a lamp, A coffee-tray, and goodly sugar-bowl; A big and little mattress, too, I'll buy, A carpet and a rug so soft and fine." Es Snybla, bellows-faced, who used to work For our good mayor, off to Paris went To make the soldiers' coffee. When he comes Back home again, so much he will have earned. He will be richer than a merchant great. Oh, welcome, Sydy Omar! All of Paris Is charmed to see you, O my Snybla dear! If he would only go to Mexico, And stay there it would be a riddance good. He is a cafékeeper, and his son A baker. For associate he has Sydy Aly Mehraz, who does his work Astride a thorn; he surely doth deserve Our compliments. All three you see are dressed In duck, in fashion of the Christian men. There's de Merzong; the people say he's good, But still they fear him, he is so uncouth. Good God! When he begins aloud to cry In Soudanese, it is enough to make You fly to the antipodes away. Oulyd ben Zamoum saw his cares increase-- Since he is a musician, as he thinks, The world is rid of him. And when he starts To play the first string of the violin, The while the Jewess doth begin to sing! With him two Jews departed, and the like You never saw on earth. A porcupine The first resembled, and the other one Was one-eyed. You should hear them play the lute! Some persons heard my story from afar, Oulyd Sydy Sáyd, among them, and Brymat, who laughed abundantly. And with Them was the chief of Miliana. All Were seated on an iron bench, within The right-hand shop. They called me to their booth Where I had coffee and some sweets. But when They said, "Come take a smoke," I was confused. "Impossible," I answered, "for I have With Sydy Hasan Sydy Khelyl studied, And the Senousyya. So I cannot." Ben Aysa came to me, with angry air, "The Antichrist," he said, "shall spring from thee. I saw within that book you have at home His story truly told." "You're right," said I, "Much thanks!" And then I laughed to see Him turn his eyes in wrath. He said to me 'Tis not an action worthy of a man; He glared at me with eyes as big as cups And face an egg-plant blue. He wanted to Get at me, in his rage, and do me harm.