Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love and good-will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Bhang-eater said to the Sultan:?I had no property save a single bull and poverty confused my wits. So I resolved to sell Roger[FN#239] and going to the Bazar stood therein expecting someone to buy it, but none came to me until the last of the day. At that time I drove it forth and dragged it off till we reached half-way to my home, where I came upon a tree and sat down to rest in the cool shade. Now I had somewhat of Bhang with me, also a trifle of bread which I brought out and ate, and after I drank a draught of water from the spring. Presently the Bhang began to wobble in my brains and behold a bird in the tree-top which men call a Magpie[FN#240] fell a-cawing, so I said to her, "Thou, O Mother of Solomon, hast thou a mind to buy the bull?" and she cawed again. I continued, "Whatso price ever thou settest upon the bull, at that will I cede it to thee." Again a croak and I, "Haply thou hast brought no money?" Another croak and cried I, "Say the word and I will leave the bull with thee till next Friday when thou wilt come and pay me its price." But she still cawed and I, whenever she opened beak, O King of the Age, fancied that she bespake me and wanted the bull. But all this was of the excess of my Bhang which kept working in my brains and I mistook the croaking for her conversing. Accordingly I left with her the bull bound to the tree and turned towards my village; and, when I went in to my wife, she asked me anent the bull and I told her of my selling it to the Mother of Solomon. "Who may she be?" asked my rib, and I replied, "She dwelleth in yonder tree;" whereat my spouse rejoined "Allah compensate thee with welfare." So I awaited patiently the appointed term; then, after swallowing somewhat of Bhang, I repaired to the tree and sat beneath it when, lo and behold! the pie cawed and I cried to her, "Hast thou brought the coin?" A second caw! Then said I, "Come hither and bring me the money." A third caw! Hereat I waxed wroth and arose and taking up a bittock of brick I threw it at her as she sat perched upon the tree, whereupon she flew off and alit upon an 'old man'[FN#241] of clay hard by. So it occurred to my mind, "By Allah, the Mother of Solomon biddeth me follow her and recover the value of the bull from yonder 'old man.'" Presently I went up to it and digging therein suddenly came upon a crock[FN#242] full of gold wherefrom I took ten ashrafis, the value of the bull, and returned it to its place, saying, "Allah ensure thy weal, O Mother of Solomon." Then I walked back to my village and went in to my wife and said, "By Allah, verily the Mother of Solomon is