It hath reached me，O auspicious King，that in times of yore and in years and ages long gone before，there lived in Damascus a merchant among the merchants，a wealthy man who had a son like the moon on the night of his fulness[80] and withal sweet of speech，who was named Ghanim bin 'Ayyub，surnamed the Distraught，the Thrall o'Love. He had also a daughter，own sister to Ghanim，who was called Fitnah，a damsel unique in beauty and loveliness.
Their father died and left them abundant wealth.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Thirty-ninth Night，She said，It hath reached me，O auspicious King，that the merchant left his two children abundant wealth and amongst other things an hundred loads[81] of silks and brocades，musk pods and mother o'pearl； and there was written on every bale，'This is of the packages intended for Baghdad，'it having been his purpose to make the journey thither，when Almighty Allah took him to Himself，which was in the time of the Caliph Harun al-Rashid.
After a while his son took the loads and，bidding farewell to his mother and kindred and townsfolk，went forth with a company of merchants，putting his trust in Allah Almighty，who decreed him safety，so that he arrived without let or stay at Baghdad. There he hired for himself a fair dwelling house which he furnished with carpets and cushions，curtains and hangings； and therein stored his bales and stabled his mules and camels，after which he abode a while resting. Presently the merchants and notables of Baghdad came and saluted him，after which he took a bundle containing ten pieces of costly stuffs，with the prices written on them，and carried it to the merchants'bazar，where they welcomed and saluted him and showed him all honour； and，****** him dismount from his beast，seated him in the shop of the Syndic of the market，to whom he delivered the package. He opened it and，drawing out the pieces of stuff，sold them for him at a profit of two diners on every diner of prime cost. At this Ghanim rejoiced and kept selling his silks and stuffs one after another，and ceased not to do on this wise for a full year. On the first day of the following year he went，as was his wont，to the Exchange which was in the bazar，but found the gate shut； and enquiring the reason was told，'One of the merchants is dead and all the others have gone to follow his bier，[82] and why shouldst thou not win the meed of good deeds by walking with them？'[83] He replied 'Yes，'and asked for the quarter where the funeral was taking place，and one directed him thereto. So he purified himself by the Wuzu-ablution[84] and repaired with the other merchants to the oratory，where they prayed over the dead，then walked before the bier to the burial place，and Ghanim，who was a bashful man，followed them being ashamed to leave them. They presently issued from the city，and passed through the tombs until they reached the grave where they found that the deceased's kith and kin had pitched a tent over the tomb and had brought thither lamps and wax candles. So they buried the body and sat down while the readers read out and recited the Koran over the grave； and Ghanim sat with them，being overcome with bashfulness and saying to himself 'I cannot well go away till they do.'They tarried listening to the Koranic perfection till nightfall，when the servants set supper and sweetmeats[85] before them and they ate till they were satisfied； then they washed their hands and again took their places. But Ghanim's mind was preoccupied with his house and goods，being in fear of robbers，and he said to himself，'I am a stranger here and supposed to have money； if I pass the night abroad the thieves will steal my money bags and my bales to boot.'So when he could no longer control his fear he arose and left the assembly，having first asked leave to go about some urgent business； and following the signs of the road he soon came to the city gate. But it was midnight and he found the doors locked and saw none going or coming nor heard aught but the hounds baying and the wolves howling. At this he exclaimed，'There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah！ I was in fear for my property and came back on its account，but now I
find the gate shut and I am in mortal fear for my life！'Then he turned back and，looking out for a place where he could sleep till morning，presently found a Santon's tomb，a square of four walls with a date-tree in the central court and a granite gateway. The door was wide open； so he entered and would fain have slept，but sleep came not to him； and terror and a sense of desolation oppressed him for that he was alone amidst the tombs.
So he rose to his feet and，opening the door，looked out and lo！
he was ware of a light afar off in the direction of the city gate； then walking a little way towards it，he saw that it was on the road whereby he had reached the tomb. This made him fear for his life，so he hastily shut the door and climbed to the top of the dale tree where he hid himself in the heart of the fronds.
The light came nearer and nearer till it was close to the tomb；then it stopped and he saw three slaves，two bearing a chest and one with a lanthorn，an adze and a basket containing some mortar.