A CROW once dwelt in a tree, he and his wife, in all delight of life, till they came to the time of the hatching of their young, which was the midsummer season, when a Serpent issued from its hole and crawled up the tree wriggling around the branches till it came to the Crows' nest, where it coiled itself up and there abode all the days of the summer, whilst the Crow was driven away and found no opportunity to clear his home nor any place in which to lie. When the days of heat were past, the Serpent went away to its own place and the Crow to his said wife "Let us thank Almighty Allah, who has preserved us and delivered us from this Serpent, albeit we are forbidden from increase this year. Yet the Lord will not cut off our hope; so let us express our gratitude to Him for having vouchsafed us safety and soundness of body: indeed, we have none other in whom to confide, and if He will and we live to see the next year, He shall give us other young in the stead of those we have missed this year." Next summer when the hatching season came round, the Serpent again sallied forth from its place and made for the Crows' nest: but, as it was coiling up a branch, a kite swooped down on it and struck claws into its head and tare it, whereupon it fell to the ground a swoon, and the ants came out upon it and ate it. So the Crow
The Crow And The Serpent. 47 and his wife abode in peace and quiet and bred a numerous brood and thanked Allah for their safety and for the young that were born to them. "In like manner, O King," continued the Wazir, "it behoves us to thank God for that wherewith He has favoured you and us in vouchsafing us this blessed child of good omen, after despair and the cutting off of hope. May He make full your future reward and the issue of yours affair!"—
When it was the Nine Hundred and fourth night
; the third Wazir presently rose and said, "Rejoice, O just King, in the assurance of present prosperity and future felicity; for him, whom the denizens of Earth love, the denizens of Heaven likewise love, and indeed Almighty Allah has made affection to be your portion and has stablished it in the hearts of the people of your kingdom Why to Him be thanks and praise from us and from you, so He may deign increase His bounty unto you and unto us in you! For know, O King, that man can originate nothing but by command of Allah the Most High and that He is the Giver and all good which befalls a creature has its end and issue in Him. He allotts His favours to His creatures, as it likes Him, to some he gives gifts galore while others He dooms barely to win their daily bread. Some He makes Lords and Captains, and others Recluses, who abstain from the world and aspire but to Him, for He it is who says, 'I am the Harmer with adversity and the Healer with prosperity. I make whole and make sick. I enrich and impoverish. I kill and quicken: in my hand is everything and unto Me all things do tend.' Why it behoves all men to praise Him. Now, especially you, O King, art of the fortunate, the pious, of whom it is said, 'The happiest of the just is he for whom Allah units the weal of this world and of the next world who is content with that portion which Allah allotts to him and who gives Him thanks for that which He has stablished.' And indeed he that is rebellious and seeks other than the dole which God has decreed unto him and for him, favours the wild Ass and the Jackal." The King asked, "And what is the story of the twain?"; the Wazir answered, "Hear, O King, the tale of