SOME CURRENT PERSIAN TALES. 377 



yolk of an egg from amidst the white." The son replied, " Don't be alarmed, father, 

 but make the arrangements for my journey." 



The father made the arrangements. There were present four experienced mer- 

 chants ; so placing his son's hand in theirs he said, " Never get separated for a moment 

 from my son, especially in Kirman, for that city possesses women full of wile." They 

 replied, " Set your mind at rest." So they took their goods and departed from 'Abbasi 

 and in time reached the city of Kirman. On the march Khwaja Ibrahim went no- 

 where without informing his companions, nor was he ever allowed to go anywhere 

 alone. After unloading their goods in the caravansera of Kirman they went to the 

 bath. Here we will leave them, while I say a few words about the wife of Khwaja 

 Sa'id, a merchant. 



The evening previous to this the lady was dining with her husband, when lifting 

 up a merry thought from the dish and turning to her husband she said, " Let us have 

 a philopena — the forfeit what you please" {i.e., anything the loser may choose). Her 

 husband agreed, and they broke the merry thought. 



In the morning the husband rose and went off to his office in the caravansera. The 

 lady gazed fixedly at her heel ' while thousands of wiles taught her by her mother came 

 into her head, for said she, " I must to-day win this philopena." Veiling herself with 

 the veil of deceit she left her home and went off to the bazar. By chance she happened 

 to pass the entrance of the bath just as Khwaja Ibrahim was coming out in compan}^ 

 with his merchants. From his appearance she saw that he was a fine and sturdy youth 

 so she just showed him a little of her face from under her veil. Now as soon 

 as the eyes of Khwaja Ibrahim lighted on the lady, the reins of restraint went out 

 of his hands. Giving his merchants the slip he made off and followed the lady, 

 till she came to her own door and entered. Khwaja Ibrahim was left standing on 

 the outside. As he had no excuse for entering, he went and sat by the edge of a 

 stream near by, and taking out his book began to read. Presently the lady went on 

 to the roof : her eyes fell on Khwaja Ibrahim and she recognised him as the youth she 

 had seen coming out of the bath. She called to him from the roof, " Young man, 

 what is that book in your hand ? " Khwaja Ibrahim replied, " This book is called 

 the ' Wiles of Women,' and I have myself composed it." " Oh ! ' said the lady, 

 " get up and come in. I'll teach you more about the wiles of women than ever your 

 book can." 



Now Khwaja Ibrahim was just longing for this. He entered the house and sat 

 down in the guest chamber. The lady rose, laid the table and got everything ready for 

 a carouse, and then sitting by his side began to take wine. Then Khwaja Ibrahim 

 recited a couplet, and drained a glass^ and put his arm round the lady's neck, and kissed 

 her a few times on the cheek. Just then a noise of knocking came from the street door. 

 The lady called out from the talar, " Who is knocking at the door ? " Her husband's 

 voice replied out from outside, " Get up ; come, and open the door to me." Khwaja 

 Ibrahim on hearing the voice said, " Who is on the other side of the door ?" The 



1 Vide note 10, page 396. 



