بخش 55 - دعوی کردن ترک و گرو بستن او کی درزی از من چیزی نتواند بردن

When he (the story-teller) had related many instances of the perfidy of tailors, the Turk became annoyed and angry and aggrieved, And said, ‘O story-teller, in your city who is the greatest expert in this (kind of) deceit and fraud?’

He replied, ‘There is a tailor named Pír-i Shush who beats (all other) folk in light-fingeredness and thievery.’ ‘I warrant,’ said he (the Turk), ‘that (even) with a hundred efforts he will not be able to take away a coil of thread in my presence.’

Then they told him, ‘Cleverer persons than you have been checkmated by him: do not soar (too high) in your pretensions.

Go to, be not so deluded by your intelligence, else you will be lost in his wiles.’

The Turk became (still) hotter and made a wager there (and then) that he (the tailor) would not be able to rob (him of anything) either old or new.

Those who flattered his hopes made him hotter (than before): immediately he wagered and declared the stakes,

Saying, ‘I will pay this Arab horse of mine as a forfeit if he artfully steals my stuff;

And if he cannot rob (me) I shall receive a horse from you (as an equivalent) for the first stake.’

Because of his anxiety sleep did not overcome the Turk (all) that night: he was fighting with the phantom of the thief.

In the morning he put a piece of satin under his arm, went to the bazaar, and (entered) the shop of that cunning rogue.

Then he saluted him warmly, and the master(-tailor) sprang up from his seat and opened his lips to bid him welcome.

He inquired (after his health, etc.) with a cordiality exceeding (even) that of the Turk, so that he planted in his (the Turk's) heart (feelings of) affection for him.

When he (the Turk) heard from him a song like the nightingale's, he threw down before him the piece of Stamboul satin,

Saying, ‘Cut this into a coat for the day of battle: (let it be) wide below my navel and tight above it—

Tight above, to show off my body (figure); wide below, so as not to hamper my legs.’

He replied, ‘O kindly man, I will do (you) a hundred services,’ and in (token of) accepting it (the commission) he laid his hand upon his eye.

Then he measured (the satin) and inspected the working surface (of it) and, after that, opened his lips in idle chat.

Of stories about other Amírs and of the bounties and gifts of those persons

And about the misers and their (mean) economies—(of all this) he gave a sample for the purpose of (exciting) laughter.

In a flash he whipped out a pair of scissors and went on cutting while his lips were full of tales and beguiling talk.