There lived once in Cairoin the days of the Khalif El Hakim bi Amrillaha butcher named Werdanwho dealt in sheep's flesh；and there came to him every forenoon a lady and gave him a dinerwhose weight was nigh two and a half Egyptian diners，saying'Give me a lamb.'So he took the money and gave her the lambwhich she delivered to a porter she had with her；and he put it in his basket and she went away with him to her own place. This went on for some timethe butcher profiting a dinar by her every daytill at last he began to be curious about her and said to himself'This woman buys a diner's worth of meat of me every daypaying ready moneyand never misses a day. Verilythis is a strange thing！'So he took an occasion of questioning the porterin her absenceand said to him，'Whither goest thou every day with yonder woman？'I know not what to make of her，'answered the porter；'forevery day，after she hath taken the lamb of theeshe buys fresh and dried fruits and wax candles and other necessaries of the tablea dinar's worthand takes of a certain Nazarene two flagons of winefor which she pays him another diner. Then she loads me with the whole and I go with her to the Vizier's Gardenswhere she blindfolds meso that I cannot see where I set my feet，and taking me by the handleads me I know not whither.
Presentlyshe says'Set down here；'and when I have done so，she gives me an empty basket she has ready and taking my hand，leads me back to the placewhere she bound my eyesand there does off the bandage and gives me ten dirhems.'God be her helper！'quoth Werdan；but he redoubled in curiosity about her case；disquietude increased upon him and he passed the night in exceeding restlessness.
Next morning[quoth Werdan，] she came to me as of wont and taking the lambdelivered it to the porter and went away. So I gave my shop in charge to a boy and followed herunseen of her；nor did I cease to keep her in sighthiding behind her，till she left Cairo and came to the Vizier's Gardens. Then I hidwhilst she bound the porter's eyesand followed her again from place to placetill she came to the mountain and stopped at a place where there was a great stone. Here she made the porter set down his crateand I waitedwhilst she carried him back to the Vizier's Gardensafter which she returned and taking out the contents of the basketdisappeared behind the stone. Then I went up to the stone and pulling it away，discovered behind it an open trap-door of brass and a flight of steps leading downward. So I descendedlittle by littleinto a long corridorbrilliantly lightedand followed ittill I came to a [closed] dooras it were the door of a room. I looked about till I discovered a recesswith steps therein；then climbed up and found a little niche with an opening therein giving upon a saloon.
So I looked in and saw the lady cut off the choicest parts of the lamb and laying them in a saucepanthrow the rest to a huge great bearwho ate it all to the last bit. When she had made an end of cookingshe ate her fillafter which she set on wine and fruits and confections and fell to drinkingusing a cup herself and giving the bear to drink in a basin of gold，till she was heated with winewhen she put off her trousers and lay down. Thereupon the bear came up to her and served her，whilst she gave him the best of what belongeth to mankindtill he had made an endwhen he sat down and rested. Presentlyhe sprang to her and served her again；and thus he didtill he had furnished half a score coursesand they both fell down in a swoon and abode without motion.
