from her pocket a purse and drew out a knotted string, whereon were strung five hundred and seventy[17] seal rings, and asked, "Know ye what be these?" They answered her saying, "We know not!" Then quoth she; "These be the signets of five hundred and seventy men who have all futtered me upon the horns of this foul, this foolish, this filthy Ifrit; so give me also your two seal rings, ye pair of brothers. When they had drawn their two rings from their hands and given them to her, she said to them, "Of a truth this Ifrit bore me off on my bride-night, and put me into a casket and set the casket in a coffer and to the coffer he affixed seven strong padlocks of steel and deposited me on the deep bottom of the sea that raves, dashing and clashing with waves; and guarded me so that I might remain chaste and honest, quotha! that none save himself might have connexion with me. But I have lain under as many of my kind as I please, and this wretched Jinni wotteth not that Destiny may not be averted nor hindered by aught, and that whatso woman willeth the same she fulfilleth however man nilleth. Even so saith one of them:— Rely not on women; ✿ Trust not to their hearts, Whose joys and whose sorrows ✿ Are hung to their parts! Lying love they will swear thee ✿ Whence guile ne'er departs: Take Yusuf[18] for sample ✿ 'Ware sleights and 'ware smarts! Iblis[19] ousted Adam ✿ (See ye not?) thro' their arts. And another saith:— "Stint thy blame, man! 'Twill drive to a passion without bound; ✿ My fault is not so heavy as fault in it hast found. If true lover I become, then to me there cometh not ✿ Save what happened unto many in the by-gone stound. For wonderful is he and right worthy of our praise ✿ Who from wiles of female wits kept him safe and kept him sound."