A Fakir abode once with one of the nobles of a certain town, who made him a daily allowance of three scones and a little clarified butter and honey. Now such butter was dear in those parts and the Devotee laid all that came to him together in a jar he had, till he filled it and hung it up over his head for safe keeping. One night, as he sat on his bed staff in hand, he fell a musing upon the butter and the greatness of its price and said in himself, "Needs must I sell all this butter I have by me and buy with the price an ewe and take to partner within it a Fellah fellow who has a ram. The first year she will bear a male lamb and a female and the second a female and a male and these in their turn will bear other males and other females, nor will they give over bearing females and males, till they become a great matter. Then will I take my share and vent of it what I will. The males I will sell and buy with them bulls and cows, which will also increase and multiply and become many; after which I will purchase such a piece of land and plant a garden within it and build thereon a mighty fine palace. Moreover, I will get me robes and raiment and slaves and slave girls and hold a wedding never was seen the like of it. I will slaughter cattle and make rich meats and sweetmeats and confections and assemble all the musicians and mimes and mountebanks and player folk and after providing flowers and perfumes and all manner sweet herbs I will bid rich and poor, Fakirs and Olema, captains and lords of the land, and whoever asks for anything, I will cause it to be brought him; and, I will make ready all manner of meat and drink and

The Fakir And His Jar Of Butter. 41 send out a crier to cry aloud and say, 'whoever seeks anything, let him ask and get it.' Lastly I will go in to my bride, after her unveiling and enjoy her beauty and loveliness; and I will eat and drink and make merry and say to myself, 'truly, have you won your wish,' and will rest from devotion and divine worship. Then in due time my wife will bear me a boy, and I shall rejoice in him and make banquets in his honour and rear him daintily and teach him philosophy and mathematics and polite letters; so that I shall make his name renowned among men and glory in him among the assemblies of the learned; and I will bid him do good and he shall not gainsay me, and I will forbid him from lewdness and iniquity and exhort him to piety and the practice of righteousness; and, I will bestow on him rich and goodly gifts; and, if I see him obsequious in obedience, I will redouble my bounties towards him: but, If I see him incline to disobedience, I will come down on him with this staff."

So saying, he raised his hand, to beat his son as well but the staff hit the jar of butter which overhung his head, and brake it; whereupon the shards fell upon him and the butter ran down upon his head, his rags and his beard. So his clothes and bed were spoiled and he became a caution to whoever will be cautioned. "Why, O King," added the Wazir, "it behoves not a man to speak of anything before it come to pass." Answered the King, "You say truth! Fair fall you for a Wazir! Truly the truth you speak and righteousness you counsellest. Indeed, your rank with me is such as you could wish and you will never cease to be accepted of me." Thereupon the Wazir prostrated himself before the King and wished him permanence of prosperity, saying, "Allah prolong your days and your rank upraise! Know that I conceal from you nothing, nor in private nor in public anything; your pleasure is my pleasure, and your displeasure my displeasure. There is no joy for me save in your joyance and I cannot sleep o' nights If you be angered against me, for that Allah the Most High has vouchsafed me all good through your bounties to me: Why I beseech the Almighty to guard you with His angels, and to make fair your reward whenas you meetest Him."

The King rejoiced in this, whereupon Shimas arose and went out from before him. In due time the King's wife bare a male child, and the messengers hastened to bear the glad tidings and to congratulate the Sovran, who rejoiced within it with joy exceeding and thanked all with abundant thanks, saying, "praise be to God—laud to the Lord—who has vouchsafed me a son, after I had despaired for He is pitiful and ruthful to His servants." Then he wrote to all the subjects of his land, acquainting them with the good news and bidding them to his capital; and great were the rejoicings and festivities in all the realm. Accordingly there came Emirs and Captains, Grandees and Sages, Olema and literati, scientists and philosophers from every quarter to the palace and all presenting themselves before the King, company after company, according to their different degrees, gave him joy, and he bestowed largesse upon them. Then he signed to the seven chief Wazirs, whose head was Shimas, to speak, each after the measure of his wisdom, upon the matter which concerned him the most. So the Grand Wazir Shimas began and sought leave of the King to speak, which being granted, he spoke as follows. "Praised be Allah who brought us into existence from non existence and who favours His servants with Kings that observe justice and equity in that wherewith He has invested them of rule and dominion, and who act righteously with that which he appoints at their hands of provision for their subjects; and most especially our Sovereign by whom He has quickened the deadness of our land, with that which He has conferred upon us of bounties, and has blessed us of His protection with ease of life and tranquillity and fair dealing! What King did ever with his folk that which this King has done with us in fulfilling our needs and giving us our dues and doing us justice, one of other, and in abundant carefulness over us and redress of our wrongs? Indeed, it is of the favour of Allah to the people that their King be assiduous in ordering their affairs and in defending them from their foes; for the end of the enemy's intent is to subdue his enemy and hold him in his hand; and many peoples bring their sons as servants unto Kings, and they become

The Fishes And The Crab. 43 with them in the stead of slaves, to the intent that they may repel ill willers from them. As for us, no enemy has trodden our soil in the days of this our King, by reason of this passing good fortune and exceeding happiness, that no describer may avail to describe, for indeed it is above and beyond all description. And truly, O King, you are worthy of this highest happiness, and we are under your safeguard and in the shadow of your wings, may Allah make fair your reward and prolong your life! Indeed, we have long been diligent in supplication to Allah Almighty that He would vouchsafe an answer to our prayers and continue you to us and grant you a virtuous son, to be the coolth of yours eyes: and now Allah (extolled and exalted be He!) has accepted of us and replied to our petition,"—

When it was the Nine Hundred and third night

The King asked, "And how was that, and what is the tale?"; and Shimas answered him, "Hear, O King the story of