On hearing these words of the porter, the lady laughed after her anger. Then approaching the men, she said, Acquaint me with your histories, for there remaineth of your lives no more than an hour. Were ye not persons of honourable and high condition, or governors,[III_41] I would hasten your recompense.--The Khaleefeh said to Jaạfar, Wo to thee, O Jaạfar! make known to her who we are; otherwise she will kill us.--It were what we deserve, replied he.--Jesting, said the Khaleefeh, is not befitting in a time for seriousness: each has its proper occasion.--The lady then approached the mendicants, and said to them, Are ye brothers? They answered, No, indeed; we are only poor foreigners.[III_42] She said then to one of them, Wast thou born blind of one eye?--No, verily, he answered; but a wonderful event happened to me when my eye was destroyed, and the story of it, if engraved on the understanding, would serve as a lesson to him who would be admonished. She asked the second and the third also; and they answered her as the first; adding, Each of us is from a different country, and our history is wonderful and extraordinary. The lady then looked towards them and said, Each of you shall relate his story, and the cause of his coming to our abode, and then stroke his head,[III_43] and go his way. The first who advanced was the porter, who said, O my mistress, I am a porter; and this cateress loaded me, and brought me hither, and what hath happened to me here in your company ye know. This is my story; and peace be on you.--Stroke thy head, then, said she, and go:--but he replied, By Allah, I will not go until I shall have heard the story of my companions.--The first mendicant then advanced, and related as follows:-- THE STORY OF THE FIRST ROYAL MENDICANT.