ES-SINDIBAD OF THE SEA 27

acquainted him with my story; whereupon he
bestowed benefits upon me, and appointed me
clerk of the harbour of this city, and I ob-
tained profit in his service, and favour with
him. Therefore these goods that thou hast are
my goods and my portion.”

But the master said, ‘There is no strength
nor power but in God, the High, the Great!
There is no longer faith nor conscience in any
one !”—‘‘ Wherefore, O master,” said I, ‘“ when
thou hast heard me tell thee my story?” He
answered, ‘‘ Because thou heardest me say that
I had goods whose owner was drowned: there-
fore thou desirest to take them without price ;
and this is unlawful to thee; for we saw him
when he sank, and there were with him many
of the passengers, not one of whom escaped.
How then dost thou pretend that thou art the
owner of the goods?” So I said to him, “O
master, hear my story, and understand my
words, and my veracity will become manifest
to thee; for falsehood is a characteristic of the
hypocrites.” Then I related to him all that I
had done from the time that I went forth
with him from the city of Baghdad until we
arrived at that island upon which we were sub-
merged in the sea, and I mentioned to him