A young merchant, named Houssun, impressed by religious ardour, bestows all his property on the poor, and embraces the life of a wandering penitent. As he is journeying one day, he finds in the midst of a forest an holy man, who, with his beautiful daughter, had retired from the world, to spend their days in secluded devotion. Houssun falls in love with the young lady, and she with him. The father consents to their marriage; after which Houssun returns with her towards his own country.
The young couple arrive at a city, and being distressed for money, offer for sale a vestband of most exquisite embroidery, worked by the wife. A wicked vizier, desirous of enjoying the lady, and having the embroidery, confines Houssun and Gohera in separate places, under pretext that they were thieves. In the night a young man, a domestic of the vizier, who had been captivated by the charms of Gohera, throws a rope-ladder up to the window of her prison, and she descends into his arms, supposing it was her husband who was her deliverer.
The young man, hoping to escape with her into another territory, travels with her all night in silence. In the morning she discovers that she has been deceived, and is so overpowered with grief and fatigue that she faints away. While in this state, a soldier mounted upon a camel appears, and being charmed by her beauty, forces her from the young man, and mounts her before him.
The soldier is proceeding with great speed when he is stopped by a prince, who with his attendants are hunting. The prince enquires whence he comes, and wherefore he travels so rapidly with such a beautiful woman, who, by her tears, seems not to be willingly his companion? The vizier with his suite, who on the discovery of Gohera’s escape had set off in pursuit of her, and also the young man who released her, now come up, and each claim her as their property. The prince, astonished, questions the wife; and upon her relating her story, seizes the vizier, and obliges him to send for the injured husband; to whom he returns Gohera, with a gift of money to enable them to continue their journey.
Houssun and Gohera once more united, retire to a lodging for the night. The former goes to buy some oil at a grocer’s, and unfortunately throws down a lamp, when the tradesman, who had been lately robbed, supposing Houssun was a thief, and had extinguished the light that he might steal something, calls out Robbery! when the watch rush in, and convey the unfortunate husband to prison.
Gohera, after an uneasy night, wanders in the city to search for Houssun, and at length sees him among other criminals conducting to the cutwal for examination. She follows, and requests the magistrate to release him; but he refuses, unless she will consent to his embraces. She then goes to the cauzi, and requests his interference; but the judge offers her relief only on the same condition as the cutwal. She seemingly consents, and appoints a time for his visit at her lodging; then goes to the cutwal, and makes also an assignation with that officer.
At night the cauzi comes, bringing with him provisions for a treat; and, after feasting, becomes pressing for enjoyment, but is interrupted by a loud knocking at the door. Fearful of being discovered, he entreats Gohera to conceal him, and she shews him a large jar, into which he creeps, and the lid is fastened upon him.
The cutwal now enters; when after some time the door sounds again, and this magistrate is put into a chest, which is locked by Gohera. Next morning she hires porters, and has the grave magistrates carried before the sultaun, who orders them to be severely punished, and releases Houssun. After this the husband and wife reach their own country without any further misfortune.*