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Said the house mistress, "Thy tale is indeed a rare; so rub thy

head and wend thy ways;" but he replied, "I will not budge till I

hear my companions' stories." Then came forward the third

Kalandar, and said, "O illustrious lady! my history is not like

that of these my comrades, but more wondrous and far more

marvellous. In their case Fate and Fortune came down on them

unawares; but I drew down destiny upon my own head and brought

sorrow on mine own soul, and shaved my own beard and lost my own

eye. Hear then

The Third Kalandar's Tale.