A brickmaker’s son, tired of his humble profession, resolves to travel, in hopes of improving his fortunes. He arrives at a city, in which, after spending what little he had, he becomes much distressed. At length, he is addressed one day in a mosque by a rich merchant, who offers, if he will comply with a request he has to make, to reward him handsomely.
The young man desires his commands; when the merchant informs him, that his daughter and son in law, though passionately fond of each other, having had a dispute, the husband in his anger had pronounced the vow of final divorce, of which he now repented; but, according to the laws of the Mahummedan religion, could not take his wife again, till she should be wedded and divorced by another man, called on such occasions Hulla, or solver of difficulty; which office, if he would take upon him, he should be dismissed, on his divorcing the lady on the morning succeeding marriage, with a handsome present.
The young brickmaker gladly consented, and the wedding was celebrated with magnificence becoming the lady’s quality. In the morning the hulla was desired to perform his promise, but he was so fond of his wife and she of him, that they agreed not to part. The merchant and his late son in law, enraged at his refusal to make the divorce, threaten to chastize him, but he disregards them. They then offer bribes, but in vain. The hulla, by advice of the lady, pretends that he is the son of a rich merchant, and had left his father on some disgust, but that now he was married, he had sent to beg pardon for his conduct, and made no doubt, but that he should soon have a fortune remitted him far superior to that of his predecessor in the wife’s affections. Upon this assurance the merchant is satisfied, sends away the former husband, and the young couple are left unmolested.
A month passes very happily, but the time drawing near which had been fixed by the brickmaker for the return of the pretended messenger, he and the lady are involved in apprehension, lest the discovery of the imposition should make the father cast them off without a provision. In this melancholy state they are overheard singing some verses expressive of their situation by the sultaun, who was walking the city in disguise to learn the state of the police. He is charmed with the harmony, and knocking at the door, begs admittance for a benighted traveller. He is received, and in the course of conversation informed of their distress.
The next morning a messenger arrives, with a letter and rich presents as from the father of the young man, and an invitation from the sultaun to court, as the son of his friend. The merchant comes with exultation to congratulate his new son in law on this great honour. The brickmaker was astonished and alarmed, but, persuaded by his wife, ventures to court, and in the sultaun sees his last night’s guest; who taking him aside, informs him of his disguise, and then conferring upon him the rank of nobility, receives him among his favoured courtiers, to the great joy of his father in law the merchant, and the lasting satisfaction of the fortunate brickmaker and his wife.*