A child born to Haroun al Rashid, the caliph, and his beloved wife, Abbasah, dies shortly after its birth and Abbasah loses her reason. The royal physician, the high priest, the palace poet and musician, are all consulted, to aid in the restoration of her reason, but all to no purpose. Mousali, a young and beautiful woman, poverty-stricken, deserted and friendless, sees nothing but starvation for her and her babe. She prays to the Most High to help her in her distress. She goes to the palace with her babe clasped to her breast, and passing the window on which the caliph's attendants have placed his dead child, she overhears Abbasah, its mother, praying and beseeching her God to restore her babe to life, and give her the hope which she had so cherished, to retain the love of her husband. Mousali, with fear and trembling, takes her dead child, and puts her own living one in its place. Dashing away with the lifeless infant, she disappears. Abbasah sees the living babe. She lifts it to her lips and graciously thanks the Diety for giving heed to her supplications. Haroun, entering, sees his wife in the transports of joy, and her right mind, and soon learns the cause. Dancing girls and musicians are brought into the palace court and general rejoicing takes the place of mourning. Mousali is found wandering with the dead child and arrested by the palace guards. She tells them her story and they readily recognize the wisdom of keeping silence. They sympathize with the poor woman, and after disposing of the body of the dead child, they bring her to the caliph and his wife, telling them that they have found a nurse for their infant. Mousali takes her child to her bosom, happy to be near it and radiant in the assurance that its future is provided for.