The Magic Napkin

A taleb made a proclamation in these terms: "Is there anyone who will sell
himself for 100 mitquals?" A man agreed to sell himself. The stranger took
him to the cadi, who wrote out the bill of sale. He took the 100 mitquals
and gave them to his mother and departed with the taleb. They went to a
place where the latter began to repeat certain formulas. The earth opened
and the man entered it. The other said to him, "Bring me the candlestick of
reed and the box." He took this and came out keeping it in his pocket.

"Where is the box?" asked the taleb.

"I did not find it."

"By the Lord, let us go." He took him to the mountains, cast a stone at
him, and went away. He lay on the ground for three days. Then he came to
himself, went back to his own country, and rented a house. He opened the
box, found inside a silk napkin, which he opened, and in which he found
seven folds. He unfolded one. Genii came around the chamber, and a young
girl danced until the day dawned. The man stayed there all that day until
night. The King came out that night, and, hearing the noise of the dance,
he knocked at the door, with his vezir. They received him with a red
_h'aik._ He amused himself until the day dawned. Then he went home
with his vezir. The latter sent for the man and said, "Give me the box
which you have at home." He brought it to the King, who said to him: "Give
me the box which you have so that I may amuse myself with it, and I will
marry you to my daughter." The man obeyed and married the Sultan's
daughter. The Sultan amused himself with the box, and after his death his
son-in-law succeeded him.