"He that seeketh, shall find, and to him that knocketh shall be
opened," says an old Arab proverb.
"I will try that," said a youth one day. To carry out his intention he
journeyed to Bagdad, where he presented himself before the Vizier.
"Lord!" said he, "for many years I have lived a quiet and solitary
life, the monotony of which wearies me. I have never permitted myself
earnestly to will any thing. But as my teacher daily repeated to
me, 'He that seeketh shall find, and to him that knocketh shall be
opened,' so have I now come to the resolution with might and heart to
will, and the resolution of my will is nothing less than to have the
Caliph's daughter for my wife."
The Vizier thought the poor man was mad, and told him to call again
some other time.
Perseveringly he daily returned, and never felt disconcerted at the
same often repeated answer. One day, the Caliph called on the Vizier,
as the youth was repeating his statement.
Full of astonishment the Caliph listened to the strange demand, and
being in no humor for having the poor youth's head taken off, but on
the contrary, being rather inclined for pleasantry, his Mightiness
condescendingly said: "For the great, the wise, or the brave, to
request a Princess for wife, is a moderate demand; but what are
your claims? To be the possessor of my daughter you must distinguish
yourself by one of these attributes, or else by some great
undertaking. Ages ago a carbuncle of inestimable value was lost in the
Tigris; he who finds it shall have the hand of my daughter."
The youth, satisfied with the promise of the Caliph, went to the
shores of the Tigris. With a small vessel he went every morning to the
river, scooping out the water and throwing it on the land; and after
having for hours thus employed himself, he knelt down and prayed. The
fishes became at last uneasy at his perseverance; and being fearful
that, in the course of time, he might exhaust the waters, they
assembled in great council.
"What is the purpose of this man?" demanded the monarch of the
fishes.
"The possession of the carbuncle that lies buried in the bottom of the
Tigris," was the reply.
"I advise you, then," said the aged monarch, "to give it up to him;
for if he has the steady will, and has positively resolved to find
it, he will work until he has drained the last drop of water from the
Tigris, rather than deviate a hair's breadth from his purpose."
The fishes, out of fear, threw the carbuncle into the vessel of the
youth; and the latter, as a reward, received the daughter of the
Caliph for his wife."
"He who earnestly wills, can do much!"
* * * * *