The merchant Yussuf took great pains to train up his only son in
prudence, that he might be able, when he was no more, to carry on his
business, as he had done before him, with credit and success. But
in spite of all his lessons, he would be continually putting his
confidence in worthless persons; and in particular he fostered an
intimacy with a young Jew of dangerous character, who had several
times, by fraud and cunning, cheated him out of large sums, all the
while leading young Yussuf to believe that what he had done was fair
and just; nor would he listen to his father's suspicion of him.
The merchant Yussuf had to take a journey to Africa with his son;
and while preparing for it, he lamented loudly over the difficulty
he was in as to placing his money in safety during his absence.
"Now, if you had not been so suspicious of my friend the Jew," said
young Yussuf, "there's a man who would have taken care of it for you!"
"You know my opinion of him," replied his father.
"Ah! you're so suspicious," replied young Yussuf, "I know him better."
"Well, if you think so well of him, I will on your advice ask him to
take care of a strong-box for me."
"Well done, father!" replied the young man; "you'll see you'll never
repent it."
The same evening, the merchant Yussuf sent a large chest, heavy enough
to contain a vast amount of treasure, to the Jew, by the hand of his
son; and the next day they set out for Africa.
Having brought their affairs to a prosperous termination, the two
Yussufs returned home to Granada.
On the morrow of their arrival, the merchant sent his son to the
Jew, to reclaim the strong-box. Young Yussuf returned presently,
full of indignation.
"Father, you have insulted my friend beyond all possibility of
reconciliation. He tells me it was not money you entrusted to his
keeping, but a parcel of broken stones!"
"And pray," replied his father, "how did your honourable friend
discover what was in my strong-box? To find this out, he must have
broken my locks; which will, I think, show you it was very well I
gave no greater value into his keeping."
Young Yussuf hung his head, and suffered himself to be guided after
that by his father's experience in his judgment of mankind.