When they reached the tomb，one of those who were carrying the case said，'What aileth thee O Sawab？'； and said the other，'What is the matter O Kafur？'[86] Quoth he，'Were we not here at supper tide and did we not leave the door open？''Yes，'replied the other，'that is true.'''See，'said Kafur，'now it is shut and barred.''How weak are your wits！'cried the third who bore the adze and his name was Bukhayt，[87] 'know ye not that the owners of the gardens use to come out from Baghdad and tend them and，when evening closes upon them，they enter this place and shut the door，for fear lest the wicked blackmen，like ourselves，should catch them and roast 'em and eat 'em.'[88] 'Thou sayest sooth，'said the two others，'but by Allah，however that may be，none amongst us is weaker of wits than thou.''If ye do not believe me，'said Bukhayt，'let us enter the tomb and I will rouse the rat for you； for I doubt not but that，when he saw the light and us ****** for the place，he ran up the date tree and hid there for fear of us.'When Ghanim heard this，he said in himself，'O curstest of slaves！ May Allah not have thee in His holy keeping for this thy craft and keenness of wit！ There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah，the Glorious，the Great！ How shall I win free of these blackamoors？'Then said the two who bore the box to him of the adze，'Swarm up the wall and open the gate for us，O Bukhayt，for we are tired of carrying the chest on our necks； and when thou hast opened the gate thou shalt have one of those we catch inside，a fine fat rat which we will fry for thee after such excellent fashion that not a speck of his fat shall be lost.'But Bukhayt answered，'I am afraid of somewhat which my weak wits have suggested to me： we should do better to throw the chest over the gateway； for it is our treasure.''If we throw it 'twill break，'replied they； and he said，'I fear lest there be robbers within who murder folk and plunder their goods，for evening is their time of entering such places and dividing their spoil.''O thou weak o'wits，'said both the bearers of the box，'how could they ever get in here！'[89] Then they set down the chest and climbing over the wall dropped inside and opened the gate，whilst the third slave （he that was called Bukhayt） stood by them holding the adze，the lanthorn and the hand basket containing the mortar. After this they locked the gate and sat down； and presently one of them said，'O my brethren，we are wearied with walking and with lifting up and setting down the chest，and with unlocking and locking the gate； and now 'tis midnight，and we have no breath left to open a tomb and bury the box： so let us rest here two or three hours，then rise and do the job. Meanwhile each of us shall tell how he came to be castrated and all that befel him from first to last，the better to pass away our time while we take our rest.'Thereupon the first，he of the lanthorn and whose name was Bukhayt，said，'I'll tell you my tale.''Say on，'replied they；so he began as follows the Tale of the First Eunuch，Bukhayt.
Know，O my brothers，that when I was a little one，some five years old，I was taken home from my native country by a slave driver who sold me to a certain Apparitor.[90] My purchaser had a daughter three years old，with whom I was brought up； and they used to make mock of me，letting me play with her and dance for her[91] and sing to her，till I reached the age of twelve and she that of ten； and even then they did not forbid me seeing her. One day I went in to her and found her sitting in an inner room，and she looked as if she had just come out of the bath which was in the house； for she was scented with essences and reek of aromatic woods，and her face shone like a circle of the moon on the fourteenth night. She began to sport with me，and I
with her. Now I had just reached the age of puberty； so my prickle stood at point，as it were a huge key. Then she threw me on my back and，mounting astraddle on my breast，fell a wriggling and a bucking upon me till she had uncovered my yard. When she saw it standing with head erect，she hent it in hand and began rubbing it upon the lips of her little slit[92] outside her petticoat trousers. Thereat hot lust stirred in me and I threw my arms round her，while she wound hers about my neck and hugged me to her with all her might，till，before I knew what I did，my pizzle split up her trousers and entered her slit and did away her maiden head. When I saw this，I ran off and took refuge with one of my comrades. Presently her mother came in to her； and，seeing her in this case，fainted clean away. However she managed the matter advisedly and hid it from the girl's father out of good will to me； nor did they cease to call to me and coax me，till they took me from where I was. After two months had passed by，her mother married her to a young man，a barber who used to shave her papa，and portioned and fitted her out of her own monies； whilst the father knew nothing of what had passed. On the night of consummation they cut the throat of a pigeon poult and sprinkled the blood on her shift.[93] After a while they seized me unawares and gelded me； and，when they brought her to her bridegroom，they made me her Agha，[94] her eunuch，to walk before her wheresoever she went，whether to the bath or to her father's house. I abode with her a long time enjoying her beauty and loveliness by way of kissing and clipping and coupling with her，[95] till she died，and her husband and mother and father died also； when they seized me for the Royal Treasury as being the property of an intestate，and I found my way hither，where I became your comrade. This，then，O my brethren，is the cause of my cullions being cut off； and peace be with you！ He ceased and his fellow began in these words the Tale of the Second Eunuch，Kafur.
