abu alhasan almadaini said there were dates in almadain. whenever his servant entered a shop he would try to trick him. sometimes he would be detained and he would accuse him of eating dates. one day he asked him and he denied it. so he called for a piece of white cotton and said chew it. so he chewed it. when he took it out he found it sweet and yellow. he said is this your habit every day and i do not know?
قال أبو الحسن المدائني كان بالمدائن ١ تمار ٢ ، وكان غلامه إذا دخل الحانوت يحتال فربما احتبس ٣ فاتهمه بأكل التمر. فسأله يوما فأنكر، فدعا بقطنة بيضاء، ثم قال امضغها فمضغها، فلما أخرجها وجد فيها حلاوة وصفرة. قال هذا دأبك ٤ كل يوم، وأنا لا أعلم؟