SIDI NOUMAN. 387

after our marriage, when I perceived you taking your rice only
in such small quantities, and in a way that would have offended
any other husband than myself. I beseech you, tell me, are not
the dishes of our table quite as good as the flesh of a dead
person ?”

I had scarcely uttered these last words than Aminé, who per-
fectly understood that I had observed what passed at night, fell
into a most inconceivable passion. In the height of her fury she
took a glass of water which was near her, and throwing the
water in my face, said in a furious tone, “Wretch, take the
punishment of thy curiosity, and become a dog.”

Scarcely had Aminé, whom I had not yet known to be a sor-
ceress, uttered these words, than all at once I found myself
changed into a dog. The surprise and astonishment in which 1
was, at a change so sudden and so little expected, prevented at
first my running away, which gave her an opportunity of taking
a stick to beat me, and in truth she made use of it upon me with
so much violence that I scarcely know how I avoided being
killed on the spot.

The pain I felt made me cry 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 baker. This
baker seemed of a lively and merry disposition, as indeed
he proved. He was then at dinner, and though I shewed no
signs that I wanted to eat, he nevertheless threw me a piece of
bread. I was not hungry; however, as I thought it would
please him, I took the bread and ate it very slowly, to intimate
that I did so out of compliment to him. He observed all this,
and allowed me to remain near his shop.

I was extremely well treated there, and he neither break-
fasted, dined, nor supped, without giving me as much as I
wanted ; and on my part I had for him all the attachment and
fidelity which he could expect from my gratitude. My eyes
were constantly fixed upon him, and he never stirred about the
house but I was always ready to follow. I had been in this
house some time, when one day a woman came to buy some
bread. In payment for this, she gave my host, among some
good money, one bad piece. The baker, who noticed the bad
piece of money, gave it back to the woman, and asked her to
change it. She refused to take it again, and said it was good,