صفحة 145 من 1116

Thereupon he stripped and, diving down to the net, busied himself

with it till it came to land. Then he opened the meshes and found

therein a cucumber shaped jar of yellow copper,[FN#65] evidently

full of something, whose mouth was made fast with a leaden cap,

stamped with the seal ring of our Lord Sulayman son of David

(Allah accept the twain!). Seeing this the Fisherman rejoiced and

said, "If I sell it in the brass bazar 'tis worth ten golden

dinars." He shook it and finding it heavy continued, "Would to

Heaven I knew what is herein. But I must and will open it and

look to its contents and store it in my bag and sell it in the

brass market." And taking out a knife he worked at the lead till

he had loosened it from the jar; then he laid the cup on the

ground and shook the vase to pour out whatever might be inside.

He found nothing in it; whereat he marvelled with an exceeding

marvel.