'O King,' answered he, 'I have
with me drugs and cosmetics and powders and ointments and
plasters and rich stuffs and Yemen rugs and other costly
merchandise, not to be borne of mule or camel, and all manner
essences and spices and perfumes, civet and ambergris and camphor
and Sumatra aloes-wood, and tamarinds and Asafiri olives to boot,
such as are rare to find in this country.' When she heard talk
of Asafiri olives, her heart yearned for them and she said to the
captain, 'How much olives hast thou?' 'Fifty jars full,'
answered he. 'Their owner is not with us, but the King shall
take what he will of them.' Quoth she, 'Bring them ashore, that
I may see them.' So he called to the sailors, who brought her
the fifty jars; and she opened one and looking at the olives,
said to the captain, 'I will take the whole fifty and pay you
their value, whatever it may be.' 'By Allah, O my lord,'
answered he, 'they have no value in our country and the fifty
jars may be worth some hundred dirhems; but their owner tarried
behind us, and he is a poor man.' 'And what are they worth
here?' asked she. 'A thousand dirhems,' replied he. 'I will
take them at that price,' quoth she and bade carry the fifty jars
to the palace.
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