Duizend en één Nacht. Arabische vertellingen. Derde deel

In a remote village on the southern edge of Great Tartary, a modest tailor lives a quiet, contented life with his strikingly beautiful wife. One evening, a tiny, sprightly man—no taller than a candle—stumbles into their home, tambourine in hand, and begins to entertain them with lively songs. The couple, delighted by his performance, invite him to share their dinner, a fragrant fish stew they have prepared with care. As the guest eats heartily, a stubborn bone becomes lodged in his throat, and he suddenly collapses, choking to death at their very table.

Stunned and terrified, the tailor and his wife fear that the sudden death might be blamed on them, bringing the harsh judgment of the local magistrate. Desperate to conceal the tragedy, they devise a plan: they will transport the lifeless dwarf to a nearby Jewish physician, hoping the doctor’s expertise will help them hide the evidence. When they arrive, the doctor, startled by the unexpected payment and the faint glimmer of a lantern, discovers the corpse on the stairwell and is left shaken, his pleas for light echoing the couple’s frantic attempt to keep their secret.