For the first time in his life, Jafar al-Sharif knew what it was to sleep in regal splendor. He was given a room with a large canopied bed, its posts carved in the exquisite likenesses of birds and animals. The sheets were of the finest silk, seductive to the touch after so many nights on lumpy mattresses in caravanserais. An incense of gentle spices scented the room with pleasant associations. And all of this luxury was wasted on the storyteller, for he was so tired after the day’s activities and the large meal that he fell almost instantly asleep.
In the middle of the night, though, Jafar al-Sharif was awakened by the sound of someone entering his room. “Who’s there?” he whispered. He sat up suddenly and reached for the khanjar he’d placed on the floor beside the bed before going to sle
