There was once a man who was cautious exceedingly concerning himself, and he set out one day on a journey to a land abounding in wild beasts. The caravan wherewith he fared came by night to the gate of a city; but the warders would not open to them, for there were lions there; so they nighted without the walls. Now that man, of the excess of his caution, could not determine a place in which he should pass the night, for fear of the wild beasts and reptiles; so he went about seeking an empty stead in which he might lie. At last, as there was a ruined building close by, he climbed up on to a high wall and did not stop clambering here and there, of the excess of his carefulness, till his feet betrayed him and he slipped and fell to the bottom and died, whilst his companions arose in the morning safe and sound. Now, had he overmastered his wrongous counsel and had he submitted himself to Fate and Fortune, it had been safer and better for him; but he made light of the folk and belittled their wit and was not content to take example by them; for his soul whispered him that he was a man of wits and he fancied that, If he abode with them, he would perish; so his folly cast him into perdition. "Nor," continued the Wazir, "is this stranger than the story of the Man who was lavish of his house and his provision to one he knew not." When the King heard this, he said, "I will not separate myself

The Man Who Was Lavish Of His House. 177 from the folk and slay my Minister." And he bade him hie to his own house.

The Fifteenth Night of the Month

When the evening evened, the King bade fetch the Wazir and required of him the story. So he said, "Hear, O King,