in which The Dog Ate.

Some time erst there was a man, who had accumulated debts, and his case was straitened upon him, so that he left his people and family and went forth in distraction; and he did not stop wander: on at random till he came after a time to a city tall of walls and firm of foundations. He entered it in a state of despondency and despair, harried by hunger and worn with the weariness of his way. As he passed through one of the main streets, he saw a company of the great going along; so he followed them till they reached a house like to a royal palace. He entered with them, and they stayed not faring forwards till they came in presence of a person seated at the upper end of a saloon, a man of the most dignified and majestic aspect, surrounded by pages and eunuchs, as he were of the sons of the Wazirs. When she saw the visitors, he rose to greet them and received them with honour; but the poor man aforesaid was confounded at his own boldness, when beholding,—

When it was the Three Hundred and Forty first night

So he took the price of the dish and a suitable gift; and, setting out, journeyed day and night,

The Man who Stole the Dish of Gold. 267 till he came to that city; he entered it and sought the place where the man lived; but he found there nothing save ruins mouldering in row and croak of crow, and house and home desolate and all conditions in changed state. At this, his heart and soul were troubled, and he repeated the saying of him who says,

"Void are the private rooms of treasury: As void were hearts of fear and piety Changed is the Wady nor are its gazelles Those fawns, nor sand hills those I wont to see."

And that of another,

"In sleep came Su'adá's shade and wakened me Near dawn, when comrades all a sleeping lay: But waking found I that the shade was fled, And saw air empty and shrine far away."

Now when the man saw these mouldering ruins and witnessed what the hand of time had manifestly done with the place, leaving but traces of the substantial things that erewhiles had been, a little reflection made it needless for him to enquire of the case; so he turned away. Presently, seeing a wretched man, in a plight which made him shudder and feel goose skin, and which would have moved the very rock to ruth, he said to him, "Ho you! What have time and fortune done with the lord of this place? Where are his lovely faces, his shining full moons and splendid stars; and what is the cause of the ruin that is come upon his abode, so that nothing save the walls of it remain?" the other said, "He is the miserable you see mourning that which has left him naked. But know you not the words of the Apostle (whom Allah bless and keep!), in which is a lesson to him who will learn by it and a warning to whoever will be warned by that and guided in the right way, 'truly it is the way of Allah Almighty to raise up nothing of this world, except He cast it down again?"

If you question of the cause of this accident, indeed it is no wonder, considering the chances and changes of Fortune. I was the lord of this place and I builded it and founded it and owned it; and I was the proud possessor of its full moons lucent and its circumstance resplendent and its damsels radiant and its garniture magnificent but Time turned and did away from me wealth and servants and took from me what it had lent (not given); and brought upon me calamities which it held in store hidden. But there must needs be some reason for this your question: so tell it me and leave wondering." Thereupon, the man who had grew wealthy being sore concerned, told him the whole story, and added, "I have brought you a present, such as souls desire, and the price of your dish of gold which I took; for it was the cause of my affluence after poverty, and of the replenishment of my dwelling place, after desolation, and of the dispersion of my trouble and straitness." But the man shook his head, and weeping and groaning and complaining of his lot answered, "Ho you! I think you are mad for this is not the way of a man of sense. How should a dog of mine make generous gift to you of a dish of gold and I meanly take back the price of what a dog gave? This were indeed a strange thing! Were I in extremest unease and misery, By God, I would not accept of you anything; no, not the worth of a nail paring! So return from where you came in health and safety." Whereupon the merchant kissed his feet and taking leave of him, returned from where he came, praising him and reciting this couplet,

"Men and dogs together are all gone by; So peace be with all of them! dogs and men!"

and Allah is All knowing! Again men tell the tale of

The Sharper and the Chief of Police. 269