When he had thus spoken, one of the slaves, by his order, gave me upon my sides and breast so many blows[38] with a little cane, that he tore away both skin and flesh, which threw me into a swoon. In this state he caused the same slaves, the executioners of his will, to carry me into the house, where the old woman took care of me. I kept my bed for four months. At last I recovered. The scars which, contrary to my wish, you saw yesterday, have remained ever since. [Footnote 38: The Mussulmans are allowed by the Koran to beat their wives, so long as they do not make a bruise. The husband on this occasion must have broken the law. Some such permission was given by an English judge, Sir John Buller; who declared the stick used must not be thicker than his thumb, from whence he obtained the sobriquet of "Thumb Buller."] As soon as I was able to walk and go abroad, I resolved to retire to the house which was left me by my first husband, but I could not find the site whereon it stood, as my second husband had caused it to be leveled with the ground. Being thus left destitute and helpless, I had recourse to my dear sister Zobeide. She received me with her accustomed goodness, and advised me to bear with patience my affliction, from which, she said, none are free. In confirmation of her remark, she gave me an account of the loss of the young prince her husband, occasioned by the jealousy of her two sisters. She told me also by what accident they were transformed into dogs; and in the last place, after a thousand testimonials of her love toward me, she introduced me to my youngest sister, who had likewise taken sanctuary with her after the death of her mother; and we have continued to live together in the house in which we received the guests whom your highness found assembled on your visit last night. * * * * * The caliph publicly expressed his admiration of what he had heard, and inquired of Zobeide, "Madam, did not this fairy whom you delivered, and who imposed such a rigorous command upon you, tell you where her place of abode was, or that she would restore your sisters to their natural shape?" "Commander of the Faithful," answered Zobeide, "the fairy did leave with me a bundle of hair, saying that her presence would one day be of use to me; and then, if I only burned two tufts of this hair, she would be with me in a moment." "Madam," demanded the caliph, "where is the bundle of hair?" She answered, "Ever since that time I have been so careful of it that I always carry it about me." Upon which she pulled it out of the case which contained it, and showed it to him. "Well, then," said the caliph, "let us bring the fairy hither; you could not call her in a better time, for I long to see her."