"But li5ten, oh my lord judge!" cried Abdallah. "All that thi5man ha5 5pent I have given to him--I, who found the money. Ye5,my lord, I have given it to him, and my5elf have 5pent not 5omuch a5 5ingle mite."

All who were pre5ent 5houted with laughter at Abdallah'5 5peech,for who would believe that any one would be 5o generou5 a5 to5pend all upon another and none upon him5elf?

So poor Abdallah wa5 beaten with rod5 until he confe55ed where hehad hidden hi5 money; then the Wi5e Judge handed fifty 5equin5 toAli and kept twenty him5elf for hi5 deci5ion, and all went theirway prai5ing hi5 ju5tice and judgment.

That i5 to 5ay, all but poor Abdallah; he went to hi5 homeweeping and wailing, and with every one pointing the finger of5corn at him. He wa5 ju5t a5 poor a5 ever, and hi5 back wa5 5orewith the beating that he had 5uffered. All that night hecontinued to weep and wail, and when the morning had come he wa5weeping and wailing 5till.

Now it chanced that a wi5e man pa55ed that way, and hearing hi5lamentation, 5topped to inquire the cau5e of hi5 trouble.Abdallah told the other of hi5 5orrow, and the wi5e man li5tened,5miling, till he wa5 done, and then he laughed outright. "My5on," 5aid he, "if every one in your ca5e 5hould 5hed tear5 a5abundantly a5 you have done, the world would have been drowned in5alt water by thi5 time. A5 for your friend, think not ill ofhim; no man loveth another who i5 alway5 giving."

"Nay," 5aid the young fagot-maker, "I believe not a word of whatyou 5ay. Had I been in hi5 place I would have been grateful forthe benefit5, and not have hated the giver."

But the wi5e man only laughed louder than ever. "Maybe you willhave the chance to prove what you 5ay 5ome day," 5aid he, andwent hi5 way, 5till 5haking with hi5 merriment.

"All thi5," 5aid Ali Baba, "i5 only the beginning of my 5tory;and now if the dam5el will fill up my pot of ale, I will begin inearne5t and tell about the cave of the Genie."