224 THE ARABIAN NIGHTS’ ENTERTAINMENTS.

 

stick and beat me, and half opened the door, with the intention, I
believe, of crushing me against the door-post as I ran out. I fortu-
nately escaped without further injury than the loss of a part of my tail.
The pain I felt made me ery and howl as I ran along the street. This
occasioned other dogs to run after and worry me. To avoid their
pursuit, I ran into the shop of a man who dressed and sold sheep’s heads,
tongues, and feet; and there I got shelter. I soon saw a great many
dogs of the neighbourhood, drawn thither by the smell of the meat,
collected round the shop of my host, waiting till he threw them some-
thing; these I joined, and so got something to eat. The next day I
found shelter with a baker, who treated me kindly. Here I stayed
some months. One day, as a woman was buying some bread, she gave
some bad money to my master. He asked her to change it for another
piece. The woman refused, and maintained it was good money. The
baker asserted the contrary, and said, ‘The piece of money is so bad
that I am sure my dog would distinguish it. Come here,’ said he, calling
me, and throwing down the pieces of money; ‘see if there is a bad
piece of money among these.’ I looked over all the pieces, and putting
my foot upon the bad one, I separated it. from the rest, looking in my
master’s face as if to show it him.

The baker was extremely surprised, and when the woman was gone
told his neighbours what had happened. They quickly came to test my
talent, and I never failed to pick out from the silver or gold pieces those
which were bad, and to separate them with my foot. The report of me
procured my master so much custom, he could scarcely get through it.
One day a woman came to buy bread, and, to test my knowledge, put
down six pieces of good and six pieces of bad money, and told me
to separate them; I did so with my foot. On her leaving the shop she
made me a sign to follow her, which I understood and obeyed.

I followed her at a distance, and reached her as she stopped at her
house. I entered with her, and she presented me to her daughter.
‘Daughter,’ she said, ‘I have brought you the baker’s famous dog, who
s0 well knows how to distinguish false money from good. On the first
report that was spread about him, you know [ told you my idea of his
being a man, changed into a dog by some wicked enchantment. What
say you; am I deceived in my conjecture?’ ‘You are not deceived,
mother,’ replied the daughter, ‘as I shall soon convince you.’

The young lady rose from her seat, took a vessel full of water, into
which she dipped her hand, and throwing some of the water on me,
she said, ‘If you were born a dog, remain a dog; but if you were born
aman, resume the figure of a man, by virtue of this water.’ At that
moment the enchantment was broken; I lost the form of a dog, and
saw myself once more a man. I immediately expressed my deep grati-
tude to this fair lady, and told her by what means I lost my human
shape. ‘Sidi Nouman,’ said the young woman, ‘T try to do all the
good I can with the knowledge of magic which I possess; I will yet
further help you. Return to your home; and when you see Amine,