Three men once went out in quest of riches and came upon a block
of gold, weighing a hundred pounds. When they saw it, they took
it up on their shoulders and fared on with it, till they drew
near a certain city, when one of them said, 'Let us sit in the
mosque, whilst one of us goes and buys us what we may eat." So
they sat down in the mosque and one of them arose and entered the
city. When he came therein, his soul prompted him to play his
fellows false and get the gold for himself alone. So he bought
food and poisoned it; but, when he returned to his comrades, they
fell upon him and slew him, so they might enjoy the gold without
him. Then they ate of the [poisoned] food and died, and the gold
abode cast down over against them.
Presently, Jesus, son of Mary (on whom be peace!) passed by and
seeing this, besought God the Most High for tidings of their
case; so He told him what had betided them, whereat great was his
wonderment and he related to his disciples what he had seen.
Quoth one of them, 'O Spirit of God,[FN#251] nought resembleth
this but my own story.' 'How so?' asked Jesus, and the other
said,