"There is no God but God! Praise be to Allah who has preserved me from an unfortunate and unseemly end!" At that, the robber, with wild cries of fear, turned and ran, and I saw him no more. Such, O bountiful patron, is the disgraceful story of the dog Ahzab, my seventh and twin brother. But all that which I endured happened by Fate and Destiny, and from that which is written there is no escape nor flight. * * * * * Our worthy host (concluded Hassan) laughed heartily at this story, saying: "O Es-Samit, it is evident to me that thy paucity of speech alone preserved thee from drowning! But acquaint us, I beg, with the fate of thy dog of a brother, and of thy beautiful Pomegranate Flower." "O glory of beholders!" replied the barber, "by the mouth of the girl who was in Jullanar's confidence--Ahzab, that shame of mules, learned, whilst in hiding, how the Walî had said in the presence of many witnesses: 'Assuredly if thou escapest alive, thou shalt wed Jullanar.'" "Tellest thou me that he had the effrontery to demand the fulfilment of a pledge so spoken, O Es-Samit?" "Alas!" replied the barber, with tears pouring like rain down the wrinkles of his aged cheek, "he lived with her the most joyous, and most agreeable, and most comfortable, and most pleasant life, until they were visited by the terminator of delights, and the separator of companions!" THE END. * * * * * * * * * Transcriber's Note: The following printer's errors have been corrected in the text: