row, he, not only implicitly followed this, know that I cannot enter the mosque without this purification: I beg of you, therefore, to lend me a pitcher of water. I granted her what she asked, she performed her ablutions, went to the mosque, and came afterwards to thank me. I wished to keep her to dine with me, thinking I could not do better than to retain a female for my acquaintance who had shewn herself so

advice, but also added that of forgetting one day what he had done the preceding one: he was, therefore, the happiest fellow in the whole city. His work was, no labour to him, and he no longer sought after those pleasures, of which he had formerly been the slave. He knew, by experience, the little dependence that was to be placed on friendship; he was respected in his pre-devout, and whom I might engage to offer sent situation, and he only worked as much as was requisite for his own subsistence. He was naturally sober, and he had neither wives nor children: he was the happiest of all Mussulmen.

As he was returning home at midnight from a country-house, whereto he had been carrying some baggage, he heard, as he walked along the banks of the Tigris, the voice of a woman, and which seemed as if it came from the middle of the flood. He plainly distinguished the following words: "In the name of Allab, in the name of his Holy Prophet, I implore you to assist me." The dulcet tones of this voice penetrated the heart of the porter, and he did not hesi- || tate a moment to throw off his clothes, and swim to the place whence the voice seemed to proceed; he was fortunate enough to save this interesting female, as she was struggling for life against the rapidity of the stream, aud her strength was on the point of failing her for ever: he bore her safely to land, and when she had recovered from her terror, she requested him to accompany her to a house, the road to which she pointed out to him. Dgerberi willingly consented; aud when he arrived at the door he heard several children crying, and demanding loudly and lamentably for their mother. Dgerberi entered the house, with his companion; and, by the aid of the light, he contemplated a woman of the most ravishing beauty: she made him sit down, ordered a fire to be lighted to dry his garments, and then recounted to him her history, which she interrupted a thousand times to express to him her excessive gratitude.

. "Six months ago," said she," an aged woman came to my dwelling, and said, '1 have never failed to go and hear the preaching at the Great Mosque; but, to-day, a multiplicity of affairs has prevented me from making the requisite ablutions: you

up the prayers of piety for my husband, who is now absent from home. But she refused, saying, 'My daughter, I will pray to Allah to give you a reward for what you have done for me but it is not becoming, in a woman of my age, to dine from home.' After blessing me a thousand times, she left me. Since that time, she has been to visit me every Friday; she came yesterday, as usual, and said to me, You have often asked me to stay and pass some time with you; if it is agreeable, I will comply, this night, with your wish. I will sup with you, and we will pass the night in praying to God for the safe return of your husband: but, however, I must make one condition, that we shall both set off together, early in the morning, for my country-house, as want you to help me to make some preparations for the wedding of one of my female relatives. I shall take care to see you safe home again. I accepted her proposal: we went off at daybreak, and took a boat to cross a part of the Tigris, and we arrived at a very lonely habitation. An old decrepid man, very meanly clad, came to help us out of the boat, and conducted us to a shepherd's cottage, where we found near fifteen females assembled together.— Notwithstanding the gracious reception they gave me, every thing I saw served to put me on my guard, and seemed to convince me that the old woman had deceived me. I anxiously asked her where the wedding could be celebrated to which she had invited me? She assured me it would take place that very evening, when the lovers of all those different young girls would arrive. Then,' added she, "we shall all sup together; we shall drink wine; and you, also, shall choose the lover that shall be most agreeable to your taste.' I soon saw through the wickedness of this old female. I kept, however, my thoughts to myself, and inwardly and fervently

aspers a day."-Dgerberi consented to this proposal, and the porters were exact in their payments: he lived at his ease, and kept his promise also: but idleness began to enervate him, and diminish that strength which labour had sustained. His constitution became impaired, and he fell sick : as he had never given a thought to the future, he was soon reduced to a most miserable state; and the porters seeing him so feeble, would no longer give him the stipulated sum. In his misfortune he supplicated the Supreme Being, and the holy Prophet appeared before him in a vision, in' all the splendour of glory :-" Dgerberi," said Mahomet, thou hast been visited with sickness, because thou hast not exercised the strength that Allah has bestowed on thee: humble thyself before him,-continue to laJbour, and it shall be restored unto thee."-The heart of Dgerberi was penetrated, his health was restored, but he was yet too weak to follow his occupation as before. One day, as he was sitting at the door of the Grand Vizier's palace, a woman, who was weeping piteously, came and seated herself beside him, as she was waiting to attend the audience of the Vizier. Dgerberi asked her why she'wept ?—“ Alas!" said she, "yesterday my only son was as. sassinated! He died beside me, without being able to name who was his assassin. He was my sole resource. I have implored the Vizier to find out his murderer.”— "But," said Dgerber), “for that purpose, cannot you give him some clue to find him out ?"" Alas! no," said she. "I am the widow of a merchaut, my son was very young, yet I placed all my hopes ou him.”

prayed to Allah to grant me his protection.
I then said to the old woman, I am much
obliged to you for bringing me into a place
where I can enjoy those pleasures, which 1 ||
could not expect in my solitary way of life.'
This completely deceived her, and slie gave
free expression to the wicked principles of
her heart. As soon as the sun began to
set, I saw come in, from different parts, as
many as twenty thieves, the greatest part
of whom were lame. They saluted the
old woman, and asked her why she had||
been so long in coming to see them? She
excused herself on the difficulty she had
found in being able to bring me to them
She then introduced me, and they all agreed
that she never had brought them a female
that pleased them so much. Supper was
now served up, and my thoughts were
solely employed on the means of escape.
was obliged to affect the utmost good hu
mour; and at length I pretended that the
heat of the apartment obliged me to go out
for the air, and the old woman took a flam-
beau, to light me out of the house.
know,' said she, you are angry with me;
so it always happens at first, but to-mor-
row you will thank me.' I did not deign ||
to answer, but as soon as I got at a short ||
distance from the house, I found means to
put out the light, and then begged she
would go back and light it again, to which
she consented. I then addressed a short
prayer to the Prophet, who knew that I
would prefer a violent death,› with virtue,||
to a life of pleasure, if it was licentious:
and I immediately precipitated myself into
the Tigris. You heard my cries, and never
can I forget the service you rendered me."
The beautiful lady then presented the por-
ter with a rich piece of carpeting and an
hundred sequins, which Dgerberi would
not, accept; but, to oblige her, he took the
carpet, saying, that he was amply repaid
by the pleasure of obliging a person of her
merit.

He then took his leave. Dgerberi, as has been before observed, was endued with extraordinary strength, and which his continual labour had only served to augment. The other street-porters, vexed to see him taking away all their labour, united, and said to him one day, "Dgerberi, if you will consent to remain quiet for a time, without doing any thing, we will engage to allow you ten

|

"The Vizier will, no doubt, tell you," said Dgerberi, "that, in such a populous city as Bagdad, it is not possible to describe and find out the murderer of a man, who is not known. But tell him, that if Dgerberi, the street porter, was Vizier, he would find a method of discovering the murderer of your son."-The afflicted mother did not build much on such a feeble support, notwithstanding she thanked him. The Vizier, worn out with the tears and prayers of this woman, ordered that she should quit his presence; but, falling at his feet, she said, "O, my Lord, deign to consult Dgerberi, the street porter, and I shall find out who it was that murdered my son."-"This is,

f

as a compensation. He then sent every one from the divan, and told the Muezin to tell all those who asked why he was arrested, that he had been mistaken for another. But, above all things, he charged

and should ask why he was called away at such an undue hour, that he would take particular notice of the first, and the most urgent, in putting this question to him.

at least, throwing some light on the matter," said the Vizier. "You accuse him, then, as his assassin!"-"No, my Lord," said the woman; "but he told me, that if he was Vizier, he would soon find out who was the murderer."-The Vizier, then, turn-him, that amongst those who came to pray, ing to his officers, said, “Go and find this wise man, and bring him before me."When Dgerberi was brought into his presence, the Vizier said to him, "Knowest thou this woman?"" No, Sir," replied Dgerberi." But you know her son ?"--"No, my Lord.""Did you know his murderer?"-"No more than yourself.""How, then, couldest thou discover him ?" "My Lord," said Dgerberi, "if I had your authority, I would find out, by tomorrow, who had killed the son of this poor woman.""I invest you with my authority," said the Vizier; but if thou dost not succeed in thy discovery, I promise thee a good bastinading.""I agree to it," || said the porter.

||

Dgerberi then ordered an officer of justice to repair to the mosque that was situated nearest to the wretched mother's habi- || tation; to remain there till it was near the time of sunset, and to wait at the door for the Muezin, that cried from the top of the minaret, with orders to give him a few boxes on the ear, to bind him hand and foot, and to bring him before him.or

The Muezin went away very well satisfied; and no sooner was he returned to the mosque, than a young man came running to him, and asked him why he had been carried that evening to the Vizier? The Muezin simply answered, that he had been mistaken for another. When this was told to Dgerberi, he ordered the young man to be brought before him; to whom he or dered so severe a bastinading for his vcuriosity, that he confessed the whole manner in which he had assassinated the young man. Dgerberi, according to the Turkish law, delivered up to the mother the murderer of her son, and she desired he might be put to death, which was immediately granted.

The Vizier, struck with the good sense and judgment of Dgerberi, desired him to relate the history of his life; and after reproaching him with having embraced so low a profession as a street porter, raised him to the command of the troops; which the Caliph was then sending out against

When the Muezin was in his presence, he made a thousand apologies for having treat- || the Guebres. ed him so ill, and offered him ten sequins

POPULAR ENJOYMENTS.

THE LISTENER.

THOSE people are most egregiously mistaken, who imagine, that it is the higher classes of society who alone enjoy the most exquisite and varied pleasures; no, a certain decorum prevents them, in general, from giving themselves up to the genuine impulses of gaiety unrestrained: while persons born amongst the lower classes, abandon themselves, without scruple and without restraiut, to all the emotions of frank and animated pleasure; it is thus that dancing, with those people who make it a study, where it is used as a pastime, more for vanity than pleasure, is, to the

joyous inhabitants of a country village, a real amusement. Were we to recapitulate the fashions, new inventions, public esta• blishments, pleasures, and sports of every kind, we should find that the common people, who seldom invent any thing, only resort to that which seems the best, and the most diverting.

Minuets, minuets de la cour, quadrilles, and waltzes, were all first, invented for those who compose the most brilliant societies; but the rustic dancer enjoys nothing so much as a good country dance, which he dances with all his heart; and, with a countenance animated by joy and

former are worn out with cares and un- lage; of the churchwarden, who is conticasiness in order to preserve their wealth, || nually bringing to me all the orphan chilor to increase it, I think only of my plea-dren he can lay hold of, and every widow sures, of agreeable recollections of the past evening, and of my hopes for the morrow. I shall not dwell on the happy care, lessness of my disposition, nor on the calm I enjoy, nor the real and sweet philosophy by which I am guided; but I will draw only a slight parallel between my lot and that of the opulent man, so much the envied object of the vulgar.

JAHIA AND MEIMOUNE.-A TURKISH TALE.