There was once a devout man of the children of Israel[FN#59],
whose family span cotton; and he used every day to sell the
yarn they span and buy fresh cotton, and with the profit he
bought the day's victual for his household. One day, he went
out and sold the day's yarn as usual, when there met him one of
his brethren, who complained to him of want; so he gave him the
price of the yarn and returned, empty-handed, to his family,
who said to him, 'Where is the cotton and the food?' Quoth he,
'Such an one met me and complained to me of want; so I gave him
the price of the yarn.' And they said, 'How shall we do? We
have nothing to sell.' Now they had a broken platter and a jar;
so he took them to the market; but none would buy them of him.
Presently, as he stood in the market, there came up a man with
a stinking, swollen fish, which no one would buy of him, and he
said to the Jew, 'Wilt thou sell me thine unsaleable ware for
mine?' 'Yes,' answered the Jew and giving him the jar and
platter, took the fish and carried it home to his family, who
said, 'What shall we do with this fish?' Quoth he, 'We will
broil it and eat of it, till it please God to provide for us.'
So they took it and ripping open its belly, found therein a
great pearl and told the Jew, who said, 'See if it be pierced.
If so, it belongs to some one of the folk; if not, it is a
provision of God for us.' So they examined it and found it
unpierced.
On the morrow, the Jew carried it to one of his brethren, who
was skilled in jewels, and he said, 'Whence hadst thou this
pearl?' 'It was a gift of God the Most High to us,' replied the
Jew, and the other said, 'It is worth a thousand dirhems, and I
will give thee that sum; but take it to such an one, for he
hath more money and skill than I.' So the Jew took it to the
jeweller, who said, 'It is worth threescore and ten thousand
dirhems and no more. Then he paid him that sum and the Jew
hired two porters to carry the money to his house. As he came
to his door, a beggar accosted him, saying, 'Give me of that
which God the Most High hath given thee.' Quoth the Jew, 'But
yesterday, we were even as thou; take half the money.' So he
made two parts of it, and each took his half. Then said the
beggar, 'Take back thy money and God prosper thee in it; I am a
messenger, whom thy Lord hath sent to try thee.' Quoth the Jew,
'To God be the praise and the thanks!' and abode with his
family in all delight of life, till death.
ABOU HASSAN EZ ZIYADI AND THE MAN FROM
KHORASSAN.
Quoth Abou Hassan ez Ziyadi[FN#60], 'I was once in very needy
case, and the baker and grocer and other purveyors importuned
me, so that I was in sore straits and knew of no resource nor
what to do. Things being thus, there came in to me one day one
of my servants and said to me, "There is a man, a pilgrim, at
the door, who seeks admission to thee." Quoth I, "Admit him."
So he came in and behold, he was a native of Khorassan. We
exchanged salutations and he said to me, "Art thou Abou Hassan
ez Ziyadi?" "Yes," answered I. "What is thy business?" Quoth
he, "I am a stranger and am minded to make the pilgrimage; but
I have with me a great sum of money, which is burdensome to me.
So I wish to deposit with thee these ten thousand dirhems,
whilst I make the pilgrimage and return. If the caravan return
and thou see me not, know that I am dead, in which case the
money is a gift from me to thee; but if I come back, it shall
be mine." "Be it as thou wilt," answered I, "so it please God
the Most High." So he brought out a leather bag and I said to
the servant, "Fetch the scales." He brought them and the man
weighed out the money and handed it to me, after which he went
his way. Then I called the tradesmen and paid them what I owed
and spent freely, saying in myself, "By the time he returns,
God will have succoured me with one or another of His bounties."
However, next day, the servant came in to me and said, "Thy
friend the man from Khorassan is at the door."
"Admit him," answered I. So he came in and said to me, "I had
thought to make the pilgrimage; but news hath reached me of the
death of my father, and I have resolved to return; so give me
the money I deposited with thee yesterday." When I heard this,
I was troubled and perplexed beyond measure and knew not what
reply to make him; for, if I denied it, he would put me to my
oath, and I should be shamed in the world to come; whilst, if I
told him that I had spent the money, he would make an outcry
and disgrace me. So I said to him, "God give thee health! This
my house is no stronghold nor place of safe custody for this
money. When I received thy leather bag, I sent it to one with
whom it now is; so do thou return to us to-morrow and take thy
money, if it be the will of God."
So he went away, and I passed the night in sore concern, because
of his return to me. Sleep visited me not nor could I close my
eyes: so I rose and bade the boy saddle me the mule. "O my lord,"
answered he, "it is yet but the first watch of the night." So I
returned to bed, but sleep was forbidden to me and I ceased not
to awaken the boy and he to put me off, till break of day, when
he saddled me the mule, and I mounted and rode out, not knowing
whither to go. I threw the reins on the mule's shoulders and
gave myself up to anxiety and melancholy thought, whilst she
fared on with me to the eastward of Baghdad. Presently, as I
went along, I saw a number of people in front and turned aside
into another path to avoid them; but they, seeing that I wore
a professor's hood, followed me and hastening up to me, said,
"Knowest thou the lodging of Abou Hassan ez Ziyadi?" "I am he,"
answered I; and they rejoined, "The Commander of the Faithful
calls for thee." Then they carried me before El Mamoun, who
said to me, "Who art thou?" Quoth I, "I am a professor of the
law and traditions, and one of the associates of the Cadi Abou
Yousuf." "How art thou called?" asked the Khalif. "Abou Hassan
ez Ziyadi," answered I, and he said, "Expound to me thy case."
So I told him how it was with me and he wept sore and said to
me, "Out on thee! The Apostle of God (whom may He bless and
preserve) would not let me sleep this night, because of thee;
for he appeared to me in my first sleep and said to me,
'Succour Abou Hassan ez Ziyadi.' Whereupon I awoke and knowing
thee not, went to sleep again; but he came to me a second time
and said to me, 'Woe to thee! Succour Abou Hassan ez Ziyadi.' I
awoke a second time, but knew thee not, so went to sleep again;
and he came to me a third time and still I knew thee not and
went to sleep again. Then he came to me once more and said,
'Out on thee! Succour Abou Hassan ez Ziyadi!' After that I
dared not go to sleep again, but watched the rest of the night
and aroused my people and sent them in all directions in quest
of thee." Then he gave me ten thousand dirhems, saying, "This
is for the Khorassani," and other ten thousand, saying, "Spend
freely of this and amend thy case therewith, and set thine
affairs in order." Moreover, he gave me yet thirty thousand
dirhems, saying, "Furnish thyself with this, and when the day
of estate comes round, come thou to me, that I may invest thee
with an office."
So I took the money and returned home, where I prayed the
morning-prayer. Presently came the Khorassani, so I carried him
into the house and brought out to him ten thousand dirhems,
saying, "Here is thy money." "It is not my very money,"
answered he. "How cometh this?" So I told him the whole story,
and he wept and said, "By Allah, hadst thou told me the truth
at first, I had not pressed thee! And now, by Allah, I will not
accept aught of the money; and thou art quit of it." So saying,
he went away and I set my affairs in order and repaired on the
appointed day to the Divan, where I found the Khalif seated.
When he saw me, he called me to him and bringing forth to me a
paper from under his prayer-carpet, said to me, "This is a
patent, conferring on thee the office of Cadi of the western
division of the Holy City[FN#61] from the Bab es Selam[FN#62]
to the end of the town; and I appoint thee such and such
monthly allowances. So fear God (to whom belong might and
majesty) and be mindful of the solicitude of His Apostle (whom
may He bless and preserve) on thine account." The folk marvelled
at the Khalif's words and questioned me of their meaning; so I
told them the whole story and it spread abroad amongst the
people.'
And [quoth he who tells the tale] Abou Hassan ez Ziyadi ceased
not to be Cadi of the Holy City, till he died in the days of El
Mamoun, the mercy of God be on him!