' 
 

THE 
 
 FIRST BOOK 
 
 ANVARI SUHELI 
 
 A LITERAL TRANSLATION IN ENGLISH, 
 
 REV. H. G. K E E N E, 
 
 LATE ARABIC AND PERSIAN PROFESSOR, AT THE EAST INDIA COLLEGE, 
 HAILEYBURY, HERTS. 
 
 HERTFORD : 
 PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY ST. AUSTIN & SONS, 
 
 BOOKSELLERS AND STATIONERS TO THE EAST INDIA COLLEGE ; 
 AND 
 
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 TO THE 
 
 STUDENTS AT THE EAST INDIA COLLEGE. 
 
 GENTLEMEN, 
 
 I had the satisfaction for several years to 
 serve as a Professor in your College : I wish I could think 
 that my usefulness was equal to my earnest desire for the 
 prosperity of our Indian Possessions; the welfare of the Natives; 
 and the health and happiness of those who are called by 
 Providence to the important duty of governing those ancient 
 and interesting Nations. 
 
 At the request of the Students, I translated a portion 
 of the ANVARI SUHELI, to help them in learning Persian. 
 
 Permit me thus to offer it to your use ; partly that I may 
 make this public avowal of the deep interest I shall always 
 feel in the prosperity of the College ; and partly that I may 
 indulge the hope of not being forgotten among you. 
 
 I have the honour to be, 
 
 GENTLEMEN, 
 
 In great truth, 
 Your earnest well-wisher, 
 
 H. G. KEENE. 
 
PREFACE, 
 
 The sole object of this Translation is to help 
 those who are learning Persian, to read the original 
 with such ease, that they shall at once feel the appropriate 
 sense of each word; and shall, imperceptibly, fall into 
 the proper order of arranging the words, and acquire 
 a familiarity with the idiomatic turns of the language. 
 The learner must, however, take the trouble of referring 
 to the Dictionary, for those words of which he does not 
 know the original, as well as the figurative, meaning ; 
 and he must be careful to note down every example, 
 where the grammatical construction of Persian differs 
 from that of the Classical Languages : and then he will 
 not find much difficulty in turning such a Translation 
 as this back into Persian. 
 
 With these objects in view, the Translation has 
 been made as literal as possible ; and except where the 
 passage was very simple, an attempt has been made to 
 represent each separate word of the original, and to 
 place the words, or at least the clauses of each sentence, 
 very nearly in the order in which they would stand in 
 Persian. And the consequence has been, that the 
 language of the Translation is neither pure nor elegant; 
 and may, in some parts, perhaps, be found incorrect 
 and obscure. 
 
IV. PREFACE. 
 
 If the object bad been to amuse tbe reader with the 
 story, or with an example of the ornaments of Persian 
 composition, a very different course must have been 
 pursued ; and such faults would deserve censure : but, 
 when the purpose is rather to teach the language, than 
 to give the sense of the author, such defects are 
 inevitable ; and are hardly to be reckoned as such. 
 
 Those for whose service this Translation has been 
 made, will feel both the difficulty and the usefulness of 
 the task ; and will be slow to censure those blemishes 
 by which they benefit : if it should chance to fall into 
 the hands of others, they are requested, in candour, to 
 consider the object that was in view. 
 
 It would be a bold thing to say, that, even as a 
 literal translation, it has no faults. It requires a more 
 thorough knowledge, than any foreigner can hope to 
 acquire, to seize the exact meaning of all those idioms, 
 refined similies, and distant allusions, in which the 
 Persian language abounds. And the Translator is 
 aware, that he may have fallen into some mistakes, 
 either from ignorance or inadvertence ; and he regrets 
 that he had not the advantage of consulting one who 
 was able to set him right. It is hoped, however, 
 that such mistakes, are not numerous, and that they 
 will be viewed with indulgence. 
 
CHAPTER I. 
 
 On avoiding the Words of a Traducer and a Talebearer. 
 
 1HE great Prince Dabashalim said to the sage Pilpai 
 thus — the purport of the first testament was this, that when 
 any one becomes eminent by the honor of a near inter- 
 course with princes, he will assuredly be an object of envy 
 to his contemporaries ; and envious men labouring for the 
 destruction of the stability of his dignity will change the 
 mind of the king by words mingling deceit. It behoves 
 a king, therefore, that he should reflect well upon the 
 language of a man of selfish views; and when it is known 
 that it is not devoid of mixture and pollution, he should not 
 allow it to approach the confines of consent. Couplets. 
 "Admit not a man of selfish designs to your presence: for 
 he has mixed together the sweet draught, and the sting : 
 in appearance he gives the draught, and shews kindness : 
 in reality he strikes the sting, and works mischief." Now 
 I entreat of the Brahman that he would relate some tale 
 adapted to the case ; and that he would set forth in detail 
 the story of some one who may have been taken into close 
 intimacy with a king ; but by the designing language of 
 the envious, the foundation of his station has suffered in- 
 jury, and friendship has concluded in enmity, and concord 
 in contention. The Brahman replied thus — the axis of 
 the foundations of sovereignty are on this testament ; for 
 if a king does not restrain designing people from making 
 strife and doing mischief, they will render the greater part 
 
of the pillars of the state vexed and mortified ; and general 
 confusion will thereby both find a way through thekingdom, 
 and also infect the prince : and whenever a wicked pro- 
 moter of strife finds room for interference between two 
 friends, the conclusion of their business will certainly draw 
 towards dismay and melancholy ; as it was between the lion 
 and the ox. The prince asked how that had happened. 
 
 Story. 
 The Brahman said. They have related that there 
 was a certain merchant ; he had measured the stations 
 of land and sea ; he had (folded) travelled over the climes 
 of east and west ; experienced the cold and heat of time; 
 and often tasted the bitter and the sweet of the days. 
 Distich. — "A prudent man, faithful and skilled in busi- 
 ness ; and by reason of experience very well informed." 
 When the advanced guard of the army of death, which is 
 used as a term for the debility of old age, began to rush 
 upon the empire of his constitution ; and the scouts of 
 the army of fate, which is an allusion to white hair, took 
 possession of the neighbouring country of the fortress of 
 his frame. Poetry. — " When the drum of sickness beats 
 the change of the watch for old age ; the heart becomes 
 cold to pleasure and enjoyment ; white hair brings a mes- 
 sage from fate ; the bent back brings a salutation from 
 death." The good man perceived that they were going- 
 each moment to beat out the drum of departure ; and 
 were about to claim back the capital stock of life, which 
 is a store, laid up as a deposit in the house of the 
 body ; he called his children together, who were three 
 honest and intelligent young men ; but in the infa- 
 tuation of riches and the impetuosity of youth, having 
 wandered from the path of rectitude, they used to put 
 forth the hand of extravagance on the wealth of their 
 father ; and having shewn an aversion to any trade or 
 profession, they passed their valuable time in vanity and 
 sloth. The affectionate father, from that excess of love 
 
and tenderness which belongs to the paternal character, 
 began to advise his children, and opened unto them the 
 gates of disinterested admonitions founded upon the com- 
 prehensive principles of hope and fear ; and spake thus : 
 O young men, if you do not know the value of that 
 wealth, in the attainment of which not a single care has 
 reached you, you are excused according to the principles of 
 prudence ; but one should understand that wealth may 
 become a fund of happiness in this world and the next ; 
 and all that men seek of the distinctions of either world, 
 may be obtained by means of wealth ; for the people of 
 the world are seeking for one of three conditions : the 
 first is, abundance of living, and ease in the means of it ; 
 and this is the object of those whose wishes are founded 
 upon drinking, and dressing, and labouring for the grati- 
 fication of the pleasures of sense : the second is exaltation 
 of rank, and increase of dignity ; and that class whose 
 object is this, they are people of distinction and eminence; 
 and to these two conditions, it is not possible to reach 
 except by wealth : the third is, the attainment of the 
 rewards of futurity, and arriving at the heights of glory ; 
 and the class who turn their attention to this object are 
 people of sanctity and holiness : and the attainment of 
 this rank is also to be brought about by lawful wealth. 
 The blessing of wealth is pure to a man who is pure. As 
 the mystic sage has said in his verses. " If thou bearest 
 wealth for the sake of religion — the prophet has said of 
 it : good is the wealth that is pure." Thus it is plain, that 
 by the blessing of wealth most of our objects may be ac- 
 complished ; and the attainment of wealth without labour 
 and pursuit seems impossible ; and if in a few instances a 
 man obtains wealth without trouble, since he has suffered 
 no vexation in the attainment of it, then assuredly, not 
 knowing the worth and value of it, he will soon fling it 
 away; therefore departing from sloth, turn to industry, and 
 be occupied in this art of commerce which you have so 
 
long observed in inc. The elder son said : — my father, you 
 direct ns to exertion, but this is a denial of resignation ; 
 and I know to a certainty that whatever fortune is de- 
 creed, though I should make no exertion in the pursuit of 
 it, will certainly befal me, and that which is no part of 
 my fortune whatever pains I may take in pursuit of it will 
 do no good. Verses. — " Whatever is my lot will come in 
 time — and that, which is not, will doubtless never happen 
 — then, in search of that which will not come to pass — 
 why should one suffer useless trouble." And I have heard 
 that an eminent person has said : "Whatever was my lot, 
 though I fled from it, it hung upon me ; and that which 
 was not my destiny, though I clung to it, escaped me," 
 and so whether we work or do nothing, in all respects — it 
 is impossible to cast off from oneself the destiny of fate : 
 as for instance, the story of those two sons of a king is 
 an evidence of the case ; where the father's wealth fell into 
 the hands of one without any trouble, while the other lost 
 country and kingdom in the hope of that treasure. The 
 father asked how that had come to pass — The son said, 
 
 Story. 
 In the country of Aleppo there was a king, pros- 
 perous, powerful and high in dignity; who had seen many 
 vicissitudes of fortune, and witnessed many changes of 
 night and day ; and he had two sons who had fallen into 
 the whirlpool of the pride of youth, and were intoxicated 
 with the spirit of the wine of pleasure ; and were contin- 
 ually given to sports and amusements, and occupied in 
 music and festivity ; while they listened to the notes of 
 this song from the tongue of the lute and the pipe 
 — strive after pleasure ; for before you can shut your 
 eye, the autumn comes on, and the fresh spring passes 
 away. The king was wise, and a man of experience, who 
 possessed abundant jewels and endless gold — when he saw 
 the manners of his children, he was afraid that after him, 
 listing all those savings into the danger of extravagance, 
 
they would give them to the wind of destruction according 
 to their wants. Now there was a devotee in that neigh- 
 bourhood, who had turned his back on worldly affairs, 
 and set his face upon preparing the stores of futurity — he 
 was inflamed with the beams of the manifestation of glory 
 — bewildered in the presence of his Lord. The king had 
 an affection for him, and had the utmost confidence with 
 respect to him ; having collected the whole of his riches, 
 he buried them in his cell, in such a way that no one got 
 information of it. He then gave this injunction to the 
 holy man. "When faithless fortune and inconstant 
 prosperity shall turn away their faces from my children ; 
 and the fountain head of prosperity, which like the mirage 
 is nothing but an illusion, has been choked up with the 
 dust of misfortune ; and my children are reduced in cir- 
 cumstances and destitute ; you may tell them of this 
 treasure : perhaps, after having seen trouble and suffered 
 difficulty, they may take warning, and may spend it in a 
 prudent manner ; and having turned from profusion and 
 extravagance, may observe the limits of rectitude." The 
 hermit accepted this trust from the king; and the king 
 with a view to the expediency of the case, having prepared a 
 well in a palace that he had, pretended that he kept his 
 treasure buried there ; and acquainted his sons, that when 
 any occasion of necessity should arise, there was an ample 
 treasure stored up there, upon which they might live. 
 After this transaction, in a very little time the king and 
 the hermit, having both obeyed the call of the Lord, fell 
 senseless with the cup of " every soul must taste of 
 death." Every one that is born, of necessity, it belongs 
 to him to drink, from the cup of fate, the wine of " all 
 creatures on the earth decay." And the treasure that 
 was buried in the hermit's cell, remaining hidden and 
 concealed, no one happened to get intimation of it. 
 
 After the death of the father, the brothers fell to quar- 
 relling and fighting about the division of his dominions 
 
8 
 
 and wealth ; and the elder, by superior strength and 
 consequence having succeeded, took every thing into 
 his own disposal, and left his younger brother sorrowful 
 and forlorn. The disconsolate man, bereaved of royal 
 dignity, and stripped of his hereditary fortune, considered 
 with himself thus : since the sun of prosperity and pomp 
 has turned to the west of decline, and the cruel heavens 
 have displayed infidelity and imposture, what good can it 
 do to set out once more in pursuit of the world, or again 
 to make trial of what has once been tried. Verses. — "The 
 whole of the world, from first to last, since it passes 
 away, is not worth a barley-corn : betake yourself to some 
 better kingdom than this ; open the door to some plea- 
 santer chamber than this." Nothing can be better than 
 this, that since the collar of fortune has dropped from the 
 grasp of controul, I will catch hold of the skirt of resig- 
 nation and contentment ; nor will I fling away the dignity 
 of that holy poverty which is a royalty that never fades. 
 The dervise to whom the treasures of contentment are 
 consigned, has the name of dervise (a poor man); but he 
 is the sovereign of the world. So, with this determination, 
 he left the city, and said to himself, there was a hermit, 
 a great friend of my father's ; the wisest thing, in my 
 condition, is to seek his cell, and at his feet, by a 
 course of austerity follow the path of devotion. When 
 he reached the cell he discovered that the parrot of his 
 noble soul had taken flight from the cage of his body 
 towards the gardens in paradise on high ; and that the cell 
 was empty of that sage of enlightened mind. For a little 
 while, grief and sorrow at this event overcame him ; at 
 last, being satisfied with the same hermitage for his 
 dwelling, in the warmth of his attachment he became the 
 keeper of the place. Now there was a channel in the 
 neighbourhood of the hermitage ; and they had dug a 
 well inside the hermitage and had made a way to the 
 channel ; so the water always came by that channel into 
 
the well, and the inhabitants of the hermitage made use of 
 it for their total and partial ablutions. The prince let his 
 bucket down into the well one day ; but there was no 
 sound of water ; he examined narrowly and there was no 
 water at the bottom : he began to wonder what accident 
 had happened that the water did not come into the well ; 
 and thought if any complete obstruction had taken place in 
 the well and the channel, and that it was altogether shut 
 up, it would be impossible to remain any longer in the 
 place. So in order to investigate the matter, he went 
 down into the well, and examined every side and part of 
 the well, and the water, and the passage with a look of 
 minuteness. On a sudden, an excavation appeared, from 
 which some mass had fallen into the water-course, and 
 prevented the water from running into the well. He said 
 to himself, why where can this excavation go to ; and 
 where can this opening end ? So he made the opening 
 a little wider ; and no sooner stepped into it, than he came 
 upon the midst of his father's treasures. The prince, 
 as he beheld those countless riches, and that boundless 
 wealth, prostrated himself in gratitude to God, and said, 
 although it is immense wealth and jewels without number, 
 yet must I not deviate from the path of resignation, nor 
 from the way of contentment ; and I must use it in 
 proportion to my wants— that we may see what will come 
 forth from hidden things. 
 
 On the other hand, the elder brother being established 
 in his government, would take no care of his people and 
 his troops ; but wasted every thing that he could lay his 
 hands upon, in expectation of the fancied treasure which 
 he supposed to be in his father's palace ; and from excess 
 of pride and arrogance made no inquiry after his brother, 
 but rather felt ashamed of attachment to him. When he 
 least expected, an enemy appeared against him, and at- 
 tacked his dominions with a desolating and cruel army. 
 The prince found his treasury empty, and his troops 
 
10 
 
 unprovided and in a miserable state ; so he came to the spot 
 where the father had pointed out the treasure, that he 
 might, with those great riehes equip the army — no kingdom 
 without men, and no men without money: — but the more 
 he increased his exertions the less could he find any traces 
 of the treasure ; and the more labour and perseverance he 
 shewed, the more was he disappointed of the attainment of 
 his object. Distich. — " Listen to this secret, that you may 
 relieve yourself from care; you will drink your blood, if you 
 look for the provision that is not laid up for you." And when 
 he despaired altogether of the treasure, he laid hold of all 
 sorts of devices, and got his army in order, and, marching 
 to repel the enemy, left the city. After the line of battle 
 had been drawn up on both sides, and the fire of slaughter 
 had been kindled, an arrow from the ranks of the enemy 
 hit a vital part of the prince, and he died on the spot ; on 
 this side also they shot an arrow, and the foreign king was 
 likewise slain ; and both armies were left in confusion and 
 without a leader. It was very near, that the fire of strife 
 should begin to blaze, and the inhabitants of both countries 
 be burnt in riot and disorder. At last the chiefs of both 
 armies met together, and by mutual consultation looked out 
 for a king of a generous nature and virtuous disposition, and 
 for a legal house and sovereign race ; to whom they might 
 commit the business of government and the affairs of state; 
 and the general opinion became fixed on this, that the 
 auspicious prince whose fortunate forehead w T as worthy of 
 the crown of eminence, and whose happy finger was fit 
 for the seal of empire, was that contented prince. The 
 men of authority of the two countries went to the door of 
 the hermitage, and conducted the prince w T ith the greatest 
 veneration and honour from the corner of neglect to the 
 court of applause ; from the cell of retirement to the chief 
 place on the throne of prosperity. Thus by the blessing 
 of resignation, he both found the treasures of his father ; 
 and the dominions of his father were also confirmed to 
 
11 
 
 him. Now I have brought forward this example that it 
 may be known for a truth, that the obtaining of what is 
 destined for us, has no connection with labour and 
 industry, and that to place our confidence in resignation 
 is better than to rest upon diligence. Verses. — "There is 
 no course of industry better than resignation ; what is 
 more desirable than resigning oneself. Lo ! be resigned, 
 and stir not hand nor foot ; for thy destiny is more 
 attached to thee than thou art to thyself. If thou hadst 
 had a little patience, thy destined portion would have 
 come ; and flung itself upon thee like a lover." 
 
 When the son had brought this story to an end, the 
 father said, all thou hast said is right and true ; but this 
 world is a world of means and secondary causes ; and the 
 divine ways so proceed that the appearance of most 
 worldly events is connected with secondary causes. And 
 the advantages of industry are more than those of resig- 
 nation ; for the profit of resignation just rests with him 
 who is resigned, and that is all ; while the benefits of 
 industry pass from the industrious man to another ; and 
 to convey benefit is a proof of virtue ; for " the best of 
 u men is he who benefits mankind ;" and a man who is 
 able to cause good to another, it would be a shame that he 
 should take to indolence and receive benefits from others. 
 Perhaps thou hast never heard the story of that person, 
 who, after he had observed the fortune of the crow and 
 the raven, laid aside industry, and by that means the divine 
 wrath fell upon him. The son enquired how that had 
 happened; and the father said, 
 
 Story. 
 
 They have related, that a poor man was going through 
 a wilderness, and meditating upon signs of mercy and in- 
 stances of power: on a sudden he saw a sharp-winged 
 falcon, having a piece of flesh in her talons, who was 
 hovering about a tree, and going round a nest in extreme 
 agitation. The man, wondering at the meaning of this, 
 
 c 
 
12 
 
 stopped some time to look. He saw an unfledged raven 
 lying in the nest ; and the falcon kept dividing the meat 
 into pieces, and in proportion to the craw of the unfledged 
 raven, put it into his mouth. The man exclaimed, " Glory 
 to God! behold his sovereign bounty and unlimited kind- 
 ness; for he doth not leave without food, in the corner of 
 this nest, the unfledged raven, which has neither power to 
 fly nor vigour to attack." Verses. — " The surface of the 
 earth is His universal board; at this open table, what if it 
 be foe, what if it be friend. He hath spread so wide the 
 table of His bounty, that the Shnurgh eats his daily bread 
 in the mountain of Kfif. " Then I, who never rest in the 
 search of food, and who turning my head to the deserts of 
 avarice, earn a little bread by any device ; certainly this is 
 a languor of confidence, a weakness of faith. Verses. — 
 ' f He who sends the food is surety for the food; how long 
 shall I run on every side, like the base: with a cheerful 
 heart, let me fetch my breath; for whatever befals me is 
 my lot, and no more." It is better that henceforth I should 
 lay the head of tranquillity on the knee of retirement; and 
 draw a line of suppression across the page of industry and 
 business. "Our daily sustenance is with God; He is 
 blessed and high. " Then, having washed his hands of all 
 worldly means, he sat down in a corner; and fixed his sim- 
 ple mind on the faultless bounty of the great first cause. 
 "Fixnot thy heart on secondary causes; and do not abandon 
 the causer of those causes." For three days and nights he 
 remained in a cell; but no relief appeared from any pas- 
 sing event; and every moment he became more weak and 
 languid. At last debility came to excess, and the recluse 
 became greatly reduced; and was prevented from per- 
 forming the duties of obedience and prayer. The Almighty 
 sent the prophet of that age to him, and in great dis- 
 pleasure gave this message, " My servant, I have laid the 
 course of the world upon second causes, and intermediate 
 means: and though my power is able to bring great events 
 
13 
 
 to pass, without any intermediate cause, yet my wisdom 
 has ordained that the greater part of important affairs 
 shall be prepared and accomplished by secondary means : 
 and by this means the rule of giving and receiving benefit 
 is extended. And thus, if thou canst be a means of advan- 
 tage to another, it is better than that thou shouldst receive 
 benefit by the means of another. " Couplet. — " Be like 
 the falcon ; that thou mayest take thy prey, and give a 
 mouthful : be not a base uninvited guest, like the unfledged 
 raven. " Now I have introduced the story for this, that 
 thou mayest know that it is not practicable for all persons 
 to reject the interposition of secondary means; and that a 
 right resignation is, that, with attention to secondary 
 causes, a man should be firm in his trust in God ; so 
 that he may partake of the gracious promise, " an indus- 
 trious man is the friend of God. " And one of our great 
 men has said " follow some business, that thou be not 
 slothful; yet hold thy food to be from God, that thou 
 become not an infidel." Verses. — "Be not, by resigna- 
 tion, slothful of the means ; and hear this saying, he that 
 labours is the friend of God. If thou dost trust in God, 
 do it in thy labours, and follow thy calling; then rely on 
 the Almighty. " 
 
 Another son then began to say, father, we have not 
 the strength for an entire trust in God ; there is no remedy 
 against some course of exertion : but when we engage in 
 business, and God supplies us with some wealth and pro- 
 vision out of the stores of his goodness, what must we 
 do with it? The father replied, to collect wealth is 
 easy; but to take care of it, and make a good use of it, is 
 difficult. When money comes into the hands of any one, 
 he must look upon two things as belonging to it. One is, 
 that he must take care of it, in such a way that it may be 
 safe from waste and plunder; and that the hand of the 
 housebreaker, the highwayman, or the pick-pocket, may 
 come short of it; for gold has many friends, and the rich 
 
14 
 
 man has numerous enemies. Couplet. — " The heavens 
 never attaek the destitute; hut assault the cavalcade of 
 the pompous. " The other is, that he should derive be- 
 nefit from the profits of, but not squander the capital ; for 
 if men spend all out of their stock, and are not content 
 with the profits of it ; in a very little time the dust of decay 
 will arise out of it. Verses. — " Every sea to which no 
 water runs ; will soon become a dry place. If thou take 
 from a hill, and lay nothing instead ; in the end the hill 
 will tumble down." 
 
 Whoever has no income, yet always spends ; or whose 
 expences are beyond his income ; in the end he will fall 
 into a labyrinth of poverty. It is very possible that his 
 conduct may end in destruction ; just as that wasteful 
 rat killed himself with vexation. The son asked how that 
 had come to pass ; and the father said, 
 
 Story. 
 
 They have related that a villager had laid up a quantity 
 of grain in store, in a barn ; and had shut up every chan- 
 nel to the employment of it ; that on the day when want 
 should come to excess, and necessity to its limit, he might 
 derive advantage from it. By chance a rat, who from 
 excess of greediness would have wanted to steal grains 
 from the granary of the moon, or to snatch with the 
 claws of avarice, the bunch of the Pleiades from the corn- 
 field of the sky, had a house in the vicinity of that place, 
 and a nest in the neighbourhood of that barn. He was 
 always digging about under ground on every side, and 
 with his rock-rending teeth cutting a hole in every direc- 
 tion ; on *i sudden the end of the hole came out into the 
 midst of the grain ; and grains of wheat, like glittering 
 sparks from heaven, came pouring down through the roof 
 of his house. The rat saw that the promise of " in the 
 heavens is your food" had come to fulfilment ; and that 
 the saying " seek your food in the bowels of the earth " 
 was become clear. On the appearance of this abundance 
 
15 
 
 he poured forth the duties of thanksgiving ; and, by the 
 attainment of these jewels of great price, having got great 
 opulence, he began to shew the pride of Crcesus, and the 
 arrogance of Pharoah. In a little while, all the rats of the 
 district, having got news of the particulars of the case, 
 girded up the loins of service in attendance upon him. 
 Couplet. — " These false friends, which thou seest, are flies 
 about some sweetmeat." — These friends of the dish, and 
 companions of the cup, collected about him : and, as 
 their fashion is, having formed their plans of flattery, 
 never would say a word but according to the wish of his 
 mind, and the desire of his nature ; nor ever loosened 
 their tongues, but in praise and admiration of him. And 
 he also, loosening his tongue in vanity and boasting, and 
 opening his hand in prodigality, in the belief that the 
 grain of that house would never have an end, and that 
 wheat would always be pouring and running from that 
 hole, used every day to expend a large quantity of it on 
 his companions ; and paying no regard to the future, 
 never turned himself from the fancy of to-day to reflec- 
 tion on to-morrow. " Cup-bearer, let us drink our wine 
 to-day, for who has ever seen to-morrow." 
 
 Now while the rats were engaged in festivity in that 
 snug retreat, the assault of famine and a scanty year had 
 cast down the people ; and the fire of hunger was kindled 
 in the breasts of the portionless whose hearts were con- 
 sumed. On every side they would offer an object of 
 affection for a loaf, and no one paid the least regard ; in 
 every direction they were selling the goods of their 
 houses for a dinner, but nobody would buy them. Verses. 
 — " Whoever had a desire to see a cake ; might look at 
 the orb of the sun in the heavens, and no more. By the 
 scarcity a multitude were distressed ; the hungry were 
 lamenting, and the full hard-hearted." 
 
 The infatuated rat, having spread the carpet of indul- 
 gence and luxury, neither knew of the famine, nor was 
 
16 
 
 acquainted with the badness of the season. Some da\ s 
 went by ; matters came to extremity with the peasant, 
 and the knife was come to the bone : he opened the door 
 of the house ; and saw that a great diminution had found 
 its way to the corn. He drew a cold sigh from his hot 
 heart, and having suffered much regret for the loss of it, 
 said to himself, to lament over an event, the remedy for 
 which is beyond the bounds of possibility, is not the way 
 of wisdom : at present it seems best to collect the rest of 
 the corn that is in this house, and remove it to another 
 place. So the peasant set to work in taking out the 
 portion that was left. 
 
 Upon this occasion, the rat, who thought himself the 
 master of the house, and the lord of the dwelling, was 
 asleep ; and the other rats, in the excess of their cover 
 tousness and greediness, never heard the sound of the 
 peasant's feet, nor the noise of moving about over head ; 
 but one among them, quick in sagacity, being aw T are of 
 the matter, got upon the roof to find out the truth of it, 
 and observed the particulars of the case through a 
 window ; coming instantly down, and having told his 
 friends the meaning of what was going on, he flung him- 
 self out of the hole ; and they too, every one, went out to 
 some corner ; and left their henefactor alone. Verses. — 
 " All are your friends for the sake of the parings ; in quest 
 of a mouthful, they have an affection for you. When your 
 wealth falls off, they fall off in love ; they would wish your 
 ruin for the sake of their own profit. With this handful 
 of hypocritical friends, to cut is better than friendship." 
 
 Next day w T hen the rat raised his head from the pillow 
 of repose, though he looked carefully to the left and right, 
 he saw none of his friends ; and the greater search he 
 made before and behind, the fewer traces did he find of 
 his associates. He began to exclaim and said, Couplet. 
 — "The friends that were here ; what is become of them: 
 Ah ! what was the matter ; that they have departed from 
 
17 
 
 us ?" So, in order to learn the truth of their proceedings, 
 he came out of his quiet lodging, after the long period in 
 which he had sought retirement ; and having got intelli- 
 gence of the calamity of the dearth, and the misery of the 
 scarcity and high prices, he set off again in great conster- 
 nation for his own house, that he might practise the 
 utmost diligence in the preservation of the store that 
 he had got. When he got home, he saw no traces of the 
 wheat : and having gone by the hole into the granary 
 there was not so mucji food to be found as would do for 
 provision for one night. His endurance being bent down, 
 he began to rend the collar of his condition with the 
 hand of tribulation ; and beat his silly head so often 
 on the ground, that his brains were scattered : thus, by 
 shameful profusion, he fell into the labyrinth of ruin and 
 worthlessness. 
 
 Now the moral of the tale is this, that the expenses of 
 a man ought to be suitable to his income ; that whatever 
 funds he may possess, he should enjoy the profits only ; 
 and should preserve his capital in such a way that no in- 
 jury may happen to it. Couplet. — " Look every instant 
 to your income and expenses ; and when you have no 
 income, spend the more slowly." 
 
 When the father had got through the end of his story, 
 the younger son arose, and having arrayed the preface of 
 his discourse with prayers and good wishes for his father, 
 he said, but father, when a man, according to rule, has 
 put his money by safely, and has derived a full profit from 
 it, how is he to spend that profit. The father replied, 
 in all things, the path of moderation is to be praised ; 
 and especially in the manner of living. The man of wealth 
 therefore, after he has made his profits, should observe two 
 other rules ; first, he should avoid extravagance, and 
 all unreasonable expenses, that it may not bring forth 
 shame, and that men may net let loose the tongue 
 of censure on him : for in truth the waste of property 
 
18 
 
 and extravagance in expenditure is one of the delusions 
 of the devil. " Truly the extravagant are the hrothers of 
 devils." Verses. — " It is the opinion of men of great 
 worth ; that parsimony is preferable to extravagance. 
 Though to give is on all occasions captivating ; yet 
 whatever is done in order is agreeable." Secondly, 
 he should avoid the character of avarice, and the dis- 
 grace of parsimony : for a miser has a bad name in 
 religion and in the world ; and a worldly avaricious man 
 is at all times reviled and the enemy of joy ; and the 
 riches of the miser become, in the end, the target of the 
 arrow of dissipation and waste ; as, for example, a large 
 reservoir, into which water is continually flowing from 
 several streams, and which has no outlet in proportion to 
 the influx, it will certainly seek a way on every side, and 
 burst out at every corner, and cracks will be made in the 
 wall ; till at last, it comes to this, that all at once being 
 broken down and destroyed, the whole of the water is 
 spread abroad on all sides. " Threaten the miser with 
 misfortune, or with an heir." Fragment. — "That wealth 
 from which the miser took no share ; the hand of 
 plunder scattered to the wind ; or it hath fallen to some 
 heir, who never mentions his name but to express his scorn." 
 
 When the sons had heard the advice of their father, 
 and had clearly perceived the benefits of his discourse, 
 each chose some occupation, and applied his hand to 
 business. The elder brother turned himself to trade ; and 
 undertook a distant journey. He had two baggage 
 bullocks with him : the bull of the sphere would not have 
 had the power to contend with their strength ; and the lion of 
 the heavens, at their rage and fierceness, would, like a cat 
 keeping a fast, conceal the claws of terror in the paw of 
 helplessness. Couplet — " In stature like an elephant, in 
 attack like a lion ; haughty in look, and resolute in pace." 
 
 One was called Shatrabah, and the other Mandabah. 
 The worthy merchant used always to provide for them, 
 
19 
 
 and would himself do all that was necessary for them. 
 But as the time of the journey grew long, and they went 
 through tedious roads, languor crept upon their condition, 
 and traces of debility were apparent on the forehead of 
 their state. By chance, in the course of the road, a large 
 morass lay before them. Shatrabah stuck in it ; the 
 master gave orders, and by great stratagem they got him 
 out : but as he had no power to move, his master hired 
 a person whom he appointed to take care of him ; and it 
 was settled that when he should recover a little strength 
 he would bring him to the caravan. The hired servant, 
 having passed a day or two in the midst of the desert, 
 was melancholy from loneliness ; so having abandoned 
 Shatrabah, he brought word to the merchant of his death. 
 And at that stage, Mandabah, from excess of fatigue and 
 separation from Shatrabah, ended his life. While Shatra- 
 bah, in a short period, having recovered strength enough 
 to move, was searching about for pasture in every direc- 
 tion ; till he came to a meadow adorned with every kind 
 of sweet smelling plants, and arrayed in every variety of 
 herbage, paradise, out of envy of that garden, had bitten 
 the finger of jealousy ; and the sky, at the sight of it, had 
 opened the eye of amazement. Couplet. — " With flowers 
 and fresh grass and running water ; may the evil eye be 
 far oflf, thou wouldst say it is another paradise." 
 
 The place was delightful to Shatrabah, and he unloaded 
 the furniture of residence in the courts of that meadow. 
 And when for a certain space he had grazed in that mea- 
 dow, without any bond of constraint, or check of controul ; 
 and had passed the time, after the desires of his heart, in 
 that exhilirating air and charming plain, he became ex- 
 tremely strong in body, and fat. The enjoyment of being 
 refreshed, the relish of repose carried him so far that in 
 tumultuous pleasure he bellowed aloud. There was, in 
 the neighbourhood of the meadow, a lion of great fierce- 
 ness and boldness : many of the gentle animals had bound 
 
 D 
 
20 
 
 up their loins in his service, and countless savage beasts 
 bad laid the bead of obedience on the line of his au- 
 thority. The lion, in the pride of youth, and the insolence 
 of power and enjoyment, abundance of servants, and mul- 
 titude of attendants, could not imagine any body greater 
 than himself, and cared not for the tiger, quick in attack, 
 nor the elephant, huge in shape ; but he had never seen 
 an ox, nor heard its voice ; so when the bellowing of 
 Shatrabah reached him, he was excessively frightened ; 
 and from anxiety that the wild beasts should not know 
 that terror had come over him, he would not stir in any 
 direction, but kept quiet in bis place. 
 
 Now among his attendants there were two cunning 
 jackals; one Kalilah by name, the other Damanah. They 
 both had a great reputation for intellect and sagacity ; but 
 Damanah was of greater genius, and more ambitious in 
 the pursuit of rank and honour. Damanah by his pene- 
 tration, found out in the lion that dismay had overcome 
 him, and that he was occupied with something passing 
 through his mind ; so he said to Kalilah, what do you 
 say about the state of the lion ; who has laid aside the 
 pleasure of exercise, and lies still in one place. Couplet, 
 — " The marks of melancholy on his forehead, have given 
 notice of his mournful heart." Kalilah replied, what 
 business have you with this question ? and what concern 
 have you in saying such things ? Hemistich. — "Whence 
 art thou ; and whence the talking of the secrets of state ?" 
 Whilst we receive our food at the court of this prince ; 
 and pass our days in repose, under the shade of his fortune, 
 keep to this exactly ; and pass on from searching into the 
 secrets of princes, and investigating their concerns : for 
 we are not of that set, that we can be honoured with the 
 familiarity of rulers, or that there should be any time for 
 attention to our opinion among kings; and therefore to 
 talk about them is to undertake what does not belong to 
 us : and he that undertakes to meddle in an affair for 
 
21 
 
 which he is not fit, the same will befal him which hap- 
 pened to the monkey. Damanah asked how that fell out. 
 
 Story. 
 Kalilah said, they have related that a monkey saw a 
 carpenter seated on a piece of wood, and sawing it. He 
 had two wedges ; one he drove down into the cleft of the 
 wood, that the sawing might he easy, and the way be 
 open for the passage, of the saw ; and as soon as the cleft 
 used to go beyond a certain limit, he would knock in the 
 other and take out the former wedge : and in this manner 
 he went on with his work ; and the monkey kept ad- 
 miring it. On a sudden the carpenter rose up, in the 
 midst of his work, on some urgent occasion ; and the 
 monkey, the moment he saw the coast clear, sat down on 
 the plank, and his hinder parts fell into the cleft on the 
 side where it was sawed : he then pulled out the wedge 
 from the cleft, which was in the front of the work, before 
 driving in the other ; and, as soon as the wedge was 
 drawn out, the two divisions of the wood uniting to- 
 gether, the hind legs of the monkey were left fast in the 
 middle of the wood. The wretched monkey, sick with 
 pain, kept screaming and saying, Couplet. — " It is better 
 that each person in the world should do his own work ; 
 for that person who does not mind his own business, will 
 do completely wrong. My work is to pick fruit ; not to 
 use a saw : my business is to sport in the woods ; not 
 to chop with hatchet and cleaver.'' Hemistich. — " To him 
 who does such things, thus it will happen/' The monkey 
 was in this talk with himself, when the carpenter returned 
 and handled him as he deserved ; and the monkey's work, 
 by this addition, ended in destruction : and hence thev 
 say, Hemistich. — " Carpenter's work is not the business 
 of a monkey." And I have produced this example that 
 you may perceive that it behoves every person to follow 
 his own business, and not to step beyond bounds : for 
 every business there are men. And how beautifully have 
 
10 
 
 they said, Couplet. — " I remember a proverb of one of 
 my friends, there is work for every man, and a man for 
 every work." This is no business of your's ; let it alone ; 
 and reekon the small portion of food and subsistence 
 which comes to us, as great spoils. 
 
 Damanah said, whoever seeks to be about the persons 
 of princes, ought not to do it for food and provision ; for 
 the belly may be filled any where, and with any thing : 
 but the advantage of paying court to kings is rather the 
 obtaining a distinguished station that a man may in that 
 situation be able to indulge his friends by his favour, and 
 settle the affairs of his enemies with severity. He, whose 
 spirit can bend the head for food, belongs to the class of 
 animals ; like a hungry dog who delights in a bone ; or 
 like a cat of base character, who is pleased with a morsel 
 of bread. And I have observed that a lion, if he is pur- 
 suing a hare, as soon as he spies an ass of the desert, he 
 will let him alone and turn to the chase of the ass. 
 Couplet. — " Exalt thy spirit, for with God and man ; thy 
 consideration will be according to thy spirit." He who 
 gains a lofty station, though like the rose he may be short- 
 lived ; yet the wise reckon him as living long, because of 
 his fair fame : while he who descends to meanness and 
 baseness of spirit, though, like the leaves of the pine, he 
 may long continue, yet he finds no consideration with 
 persons of eminence, and they take no account of him. 
 Couplet. — " Saadi! the man of good reputation never dies: 
 a dead man, is one whom they never speak of for good." 
 
 Kalilah replied, the pursuit of rank and office seems 
 good in that class, who by nobility of connections, accom- 
 plishment of manners, and high birth, have some fitness 
 and pretension to them : but we are not of that stamp 
 that we are adapted to high stations, or that we should 
 make any exertion in pursuit of them. Couplet. — " I am 
 dreaming about the bosom of the ocean ; alas ! what 
 thing* are in the head of this drop,planning impossibilities." 
 
23 
 
 Damanah said, the source of greatness is, talents and 
 manners ; not descent and connections : whoever has a 
 clear understanding, and perfect discretion, will raise him- 
 self from the meanest station to the most honourable 
 condition : and he who has a weak judgment, and a 
 feeble understanding, will throw himself down from the 
 highest station to the lowest rank. Fragment. — " By the 
 sendee of a fine understanding and correct judgment; a 
 man may throw the noose of disposal over the heavens ; 
 and if the eyes of the mind are not opened by high enter- 
 prise ; the attention can never be turned to lofty objects." 
 And the ancients have observed that advancement to 
 honourable posts comes to pass by much trouble ; but 
 descent from a station of dignity is brought about with 
 very little pains : just as one can with great fatigue raise a 
 heavy stone from the earth upon one's back ; but can 
 throw it upon the earth by a slight movement. And it is 
 for this reason that none, but a man of lofty spirit who is 
 able to endure difficulties, can find pleasure in striving 
 after high things. Couplet. — " To venture upon love does 
 not become the delicate ; my soul ; heroes, enduring 
 calamity, rush into this tumult. " He who looks for the 
 comfort of " obscurity is ease," having w T ashed his hands 
 of reputation, will be for ever a recluse in the cell of 
 misery and disappointment : while he who never thinks 
 of the thorny plains of " notoriety is a misfortune," in a 
 short time, having plucked the rose of desire, he will sit 
 down in the garden of honour on the throne of enjoyment. 
 Verses. — " While he suffers not sorrow nor pain, the 
 worth of a man does not increase ; till the ruby has turned 
 its heart into blood, it has acquired no value : the way- 
 faring man, in the book of his happiness ; never found the 
 writing of prosperity, without the blots of trouble." 
 
 You have perhaps never heard the story of those two 
 fellow-travellers ; one of whom by the endurance of diffi- 
 culty and hardship reached the pinnacle of royalty ; while 
 
24 
 
 the other, from sluggishness and self-indulgence, remained 
 in the depth of poverty and distress. Kalilah asked in 
 what manner that had been. 
 
 Story. 
 
 Damanah said : Two fellow-travellers, one called Salim, 
 the other Ghanim, were going along the road ; and were 
 getting over the halts and stages, in the society of each 
 other. Their way lay by the skirt of a mountain, whose 
 peak might hold the dappled grey of the sky, rein and 
 rein ; and whose waist might bind the vault, whose girdle 
 is the Zodiack, stirrup to stirrup. At the foot of the 
 mountain was a spring of water, in clearness like the coun- 
 tenance of fresh-faced, rosy-cheeked damsels ; and in 
 sweetness like the words of the sugar-lipped and the 
 sweet in speech : and in front of this spring a large bason 
 had been dug, and all round it shady trees were entwined. 
 Verses — " On one side the branches of odoriferous shrubs 
 had sprouted ; and on the other side, the trees had shot 
 up : the hyacinth fell down at the feet of the cypress ; 
 and the violet was prostrate before the lily." 
 
 To return to the story : the two companions arrived at 
 that delicious point, from an alarming desert ; and when 
 they saw this pleasant spot and delightful abode, there 
 they halted for their accustomed repose ; and after resting 
 they went walking in all directions about the bason and 
 spring ; and cast their eyes about on every side. On a 
 sudden they saw a white stone, at the edge of the bason, 
 on that side where the water came in ; and it was thus 
 written upon it, in characters of green, such as nothing but 
 the pen of power could inscribe on the page of wisdom ; 
 Traveller! thou hast ennobled this resting place by the 
 honour of a halt ; know that we have made a repast for our 
 guests, after the best manner ; and have arranged a table 
 of advantage, in the handsomest way : but the condition 
 is this, that giving up reflection, thou shalt step into this 
 fountain; and, having no apprehension about the eddy or 
 
25 
 
 the depth, fling thyself, in any way that thou canst, upon 
 the bank ; then lift on thy back the lion cut out of stone, 
 which they have set up at the foot of the mountain ; and 
 take thyself without thought or hesitation, at one run to the 
 top of the mountain ; and that thou never relax in thy 
 labour from dread of the ravenous beasts which will meet 
 thee, nor the fierceness of the liver-piercing thorns which 
 will seize thee by the skirt : for when the road ends, the 
 tree of desire will yield fruit. Tetrastich. — " As long as a 
 man does not travel the road, he will not reach the halting 
 place ; whilst he does not pluck out life, he will not pass 
 to the world of spirits : if the whole of the world were to 
 imbibe rays of favour ; one spark of light would not fall 
 upon the slothful man." 
 
 As soon as he comprehended the purport of the writing, 
 Ghanim turned to Salim, saying, come along, brother; 
 let us measure these plains of danger with the foot of 
 intrepidity ; and let us make us every possible exertion to 
 get a knowledge of the particulars of this talisman, 
 Couplet. — " Either, in success, let us place our foot on 
 the summit of the sphere ; or, like men, lay down our 
 head for the schemes of ambition." 
 
 Salim said, my dear friend, merely for a piece of writ- 
 ing, the author of which is not known, and the true nature 
 of which is not understood, to undertake a great danger, 
 and upon the anticipation of a fanciful benefit and imagi- 
 nary advantage, to cast oneself into great peril, is a proof 
 of ignorance : no reasonable man would take poison to a 
 certainty, and an antidote upon supposition ; nor would 
 any prudent man agree to vexation in hard money for the 
 sake of tranquillity upon credit. Couplet. — " It is not 
 equal, in the opinion of a wise man ; one moment of 
 sorrow with a thousand years of enjoyment." 
 
 Ghanim rejoined, my affectionate companion, the love 
 of ease is the forerunner of meanness and baseness ; but 
 to encounter perils is a signal of fortune and honour. 
 
26 
 
 Fragment. — " He who sought repose and quiet, never 
 gladdened his heart with good fortune ; and he who was 
 alarmed at the violence of the head-ache, never drank the 
 cup of the wine of his wishes." The mind of a man lofty 
 in enterprise, will not condescend to mere lodging and 
 food ; and until he has gained an eminent station he will 
 never rest in the pursuit : the rose of joy is not to be 
 gathered without the thorn of trouble ; nor can the gates 
 of the treasury of pleasure be opened except by the key 
 of pain : now resolution having laid hold of my bridle will 
 lead me to the top of the hill ; nor shall I think about the 
 whirlpool of difficulty nor the endurance of the burthen of 
 hardship. Couplet. — " If, in the search of it, some sor- 
 row should befall us, it is natural ; but when there is a 
 fondness for the temple, how easy are the deserts !" Salim 
 replied : granted, that in the hope of the spring of pros- 
 perity, one may bear with the confusion of the autumn 
 of distress ; yet still to rush into a path that has no end, 
 to swim through an ocean which has no visible shore, 
 appears to be far from the path of discretion. Whoever 
 begins upon any business, it behoves him, as he has made 
 himself acquainted with the commencement, so also to 
 look to the conclusion ; and from the first, having con- 
 sidered the issue, he should weigh the injury and the 
 advantage in the balance of reason ; that he may not have 
 suffered labour in vain, nor thrown away his valuable life 
 to the wind of destruction. Verse. — " Whilst thou can- 
 not make a firm place for thy foot, do not advance in 
 pursuit of any affair : in all the undertakings that thou 
 comest into, first, make straight some gap for getting out 
 of them." 
 
 Perhaps these lines may have been written as a joke, 
 or this writing have been traced in amusement and sport ; 
 and the fountain be a whirlpool through which it is not 
 possible to get to the edge by swimming : and if escape 
 should be practicable, it is possible that the weight of the 
 
27 
 
 stone lion may be of such sort that it is not to be lifted 
 upon the back; and if that too should come to pass, it 
 may be that thou wilt not be able, in one run, to get to 
 the top of the mountain : and if all these things should 
 be done, it is not at all known, what result they may pro- 
 duce. I, at least, am not a companion in this transaction; 
 and forbid you moreover from advancing in the business. 
 
 Ghanim replied : have done with these words ; for I 
 will not turn away from my resolution for the words of 
 any man ; nor will I break the engagement that I have 
 contracted, for the suggestions of all the devils among 
 men and genii. I know very well that thou hast not 
 energy to bear me company ; and that thou wilt never 
 consent to join me ; look on, then, for amusement ; and 
 keep giving me a little help by thy prayers and supplica- 
 tions. Couplet. — " I know thou hast not the strength to 
 drink wine ; come then, at least, to be amused with the 
 intoxicated." 
 
 Salim saw that he was a man of one motive only in his 
 proceedings : so he said, I perceive, my brother, that 
 thou art not to be kept back, by my words, and thou wilt 
 not give up this attempt which is not fit to be made : nor 
 have I the strength to endure witnessing this event ; nor 
 can I be amused with a matter which is neither agreeable 
 to my nature nor acceptable to my feelings. I find my 
 best course to be this. Verses. — " That I should carry 
 forth my own baggage from this pathless wilder: ess." 
 Then, laying what baggage he had on his beast, he bade 
 farewell to his friend, and pursued his journey. 
 
 Ghanim, having washed his heart of his life, advanced 
 to the edge of the fountain and said, Couplet. — " I will 
 plunge into the boundless deep ; either to sink, or to 
 fetch up the pearl." Then firmly binding round his loins 
 the skirt of resolution, he stepped into the fountain. 
 Couplet. — " It was not a fountain ; but rather an ocean 
 which there displayed itself in the form of a fountain." 
 
 E 
 
28 
 
 Ghiiniin knew that this fountain was a whirlpool of 
 trouble ; but, having a stout heart, by swimming with 
 confidence he got to the edge in safety. And when he 
 was come to the bank, having recovered his breath, he 
 lifted the lion of stone on his back with all his power and 
 might ; and, putting up with a thousand difficulties and 
 fatigues, brought himself, at one run, to the summit of 
 the mountain. He saw a large city on the other side of 
 the mountain, in a sweet atmosphere and on a delightful 
 plain. Couplet. — " It was a city like Paradise in goodness ; 
 and like the garden of Irani in freshness of look." 
 
 Ghanim, having halted on the top of the hill, was 
 looking upon the city, when suddenly a sound proceeded 
 with great violence from the lion of stone ; so that the 
 mountain and the desert began to shake : and the sound 
 having reached the city many men came forth from Tight 
 and left, and setting their face towards the mountain 
 advanced to Ghanim. Ghanim looked on with the eye of 
 amazement, and showed astonishment at the multitude of 
 the people ; when suddenly a party of the nobles and 
 most illustrious coming up, saluted him w T ith prayers and 
 praises, and having seated him, with the utmost deference, 
 upon a travelling horse, carried him towards the city. 
 Then, having w r ashed his head and body with rose 
 water and camphor, they clothed him in royal apparel, 
 and, with great reverence and honour, resigned the reins 
 of the sovereignty of that country into the hand of his 
 sufficiency. Ghanim having questioned them about the 
 particulars of this event, received an answer after this 
 manner. That philosophers have made a talisman in the 
 fountain which thou didst see, and have finished that lion 
 of stone with every degree of thought and meditation, 
 with observation of the rising of the degrees, and the 
 aspects of the fixed stars and the planets : and at whatever 
 time it shall occur to the mind of any gentleman that 
 aving passed the fountain and taken up the lion he 
 
29 
 
 ascends to the top of the hill, no doubt this event will 
 come to pass at that time when death shall have over- 
 taken the king of this city. Then the lion roars, and the 
 sound reaching the city, the people come out ; and having 
 raised that man to the sovereignty, will pass their days in 
 repose under the shade of his justice, until the period 
 that his time also shall come to an end. Couplet — " As 
 one departs, another comes instead ; they never leave the 
 world without some master in the house." And when, by 
 divine command, the sun of the life of the lord of this 
 country descends below the horizon of death, the star of 
 the grandeur of that fortunate person rises over the summit 
 of the mountain. And lengthened ages have past that 
 this rule has been continued according to the usage 
 which has been related : and this day thou art the king of 
 this city and the sovereign of this age. Verses. — "The 
 kingdom is thine ; command whatsoever thou wilt." So 
 Ghanim understood that the endurance of all these diffi- 
 culties had been by the dictates of fortune — fortune, 
 when she comes for promoting success, does every thing 
 just as is fit. 
 
 Now I have introduced this instance, for this, that 
 thou mayest know that the draught of luxury and en- 
 joyment is not without the sting of vexation and trouble : 
 to whomsoever the passion for greatness shall arise, he 
 will never be trodden down by the base ; and will never 
 be content with a low state and base condition. And I, 
 whilst I do not attain the rank of nearness to the lion, 
 and do not become inserted in the company of those 
 attached to his presence, will not lay my head upon the 
 pillow of rest, nor extend my feet on the bed of repose. 
 Kalilah said, from whence hast thou got the key of 
 this gate into thy grasp ; and how hast thou formed the 
 notion of entering upon this great object ? Damanah 
 said, I intend, on this occasion, when alarm and agita- 
 tion have found their way to the lion, to throw myself 
 
38 
 
 before him : it is possible, that by the syrup of the medi- 
 cine of my advice some comfort may arise to him ; and 
 by that means my place and rank may increase in his 
 presence. Kalilah said, how are place and advancement 
 with the lion to happen to thee ? Or, if it should be so, 
 since thou hast never done service to princes, and dost 
 not know the usages and manners of attendance, in a 
 little time, all that thou shalt have gained thou wilt give 
 from thy hand ; and thou wilt not be able a second time 
 to apply a remedy to it. Dam an ah said, when a man 
 is wise and able, interference with great affairs has no 
 mischief for him : and whoever places reliance on his 
 talents, in every affair, that he involves himself in, as is 
 the condition, he will acquit himself of his duty. And 
 another thing is this ; if fortune should appear, she will 
 show the way to whatever is necessary. And in history 
 it has come down ; that the sun of the fortune of one of 
 the market people having become exalted, he obtained 
 the rank of sovereignty ; and an impression and a report 
 of him were spread through the world : one of the 
 ancient kings wrote a letter to him thus. Thy trade has 
 been that of a carpenter ; and thou mayest well know 
 carpenter's work. Of whom hast thou learnt the arrange- 
 ment of government, and judgment for transacting busi- 
 ness. He wrote in answer : He who conferred fortune 
 upon me, omitted not any point of instruction in sove- 
 reignty. Verses — " When wisdom opens the volume 
 of teaching ; that conies forth from me, which is right : 
 to whomsoever the candle is lighted by fortune ; he will 
 collect all the means of doing well." 
 
 Kalilah said, kings do not make all men of merit 
 distinguished by kindness ; but rather give distinction by 
 royal favour to those connected with themselves ; and 
 who by inheritance and diligence in their service have 
 gained some approach : and since thou neither hast any 
 hereditary claim upon the lion, nor yet any pretensions by 
 
31 
 
 service, it is possible that thou may est be excluded from 
 his favours ; and it may be a cause of some calamity. 
 
 Damanah said, whoever has obtained a lofty rank, 
 in attendance upon the king, it has been in the way 
 of gradual advancement ; and promotion has not met 
 them, but by their own labour and perseverance, and 
 by the effects of the encouragement of the king. Now 
 I also desire exactly this ; it is for this that I am seeking ; 
 and that I have reconciled it to myself, to bear many 
 troubles ; and to taste many unpalatable draughts. And 
 I know that whoever attaches himself to the courts of 
 princes must follow five things. First, he must extin- 
 guish the fire of anger with the water of gentleness. 
 Secondly, he must beware of the suggestions of the devil 
 of lust. Thirdly, he must not make deceitful avarice, 
 and mischievous covetousness triumphant over reason, his 
 guide. Fourthly, he must lay the foundation of every 
 measure upon truth and moderation. Fifthly, whatever 
 accidents or nice points may occur ; let him meet them 
 with kindness and good temper. For whoever is endowed 
 with these qualities ; doubtless, his wishes shall succeed 
 in the happiest manner. Kalilah said, I have supposed 
 that thou art got near to the king. By what means art 
 thou to become the object of his regard ? By what merit 
 art thou to get rank and promotion ? Damanah replied, 
 if a close intercourse with his majesty can be managed, I 
 will pursue five qualities. First, I will serve in perfect 
 sincerity. Secondly, I will build my ambition on obe- 
 dience to him. Thirdly, I will represent all his actions 
 and words to advantage. Fourthly, when he sets about 
 any affair, which is allied to good policy, and in which I 
 perceive a benefit to the kingdom ; I will set it in array 
 before his eyes and his heart : and I will bring all the 
 benefits and advantages of it to his observation : that his 
 delight, in the soundness of his judgment, and the cor- 
 rectness of his plan, may increase. Fifthly, if he should 
 
32 
 
 enter upon any matter, which might have a disagreeable 
 consequence and an unpleasant conclusion, the injury of 
 which will revert to the kingdom, I will represent the evil 
 of it in mild language and great gentleness ; and will 
 make him aware of the harm of the consequence of it. 
 And as soon as the king shall perceive my merits, he will 
 distinguish me by his indulgence and favour ; and will 
 always be inclined for my society, and fond of my advice : 
 for no talent can lie hid ; and no man of merit be without 
 a share of the effects of encouragement and support. 
 Verses. — " Merit is like musk ; how long shall musk lie 
 hid ? The world is suddenly filled w T ith perfume from its 
 odour. Go on ; labour in the exercise of thy talent ; for 
 by thy virtues the surface of the earth will suddenly be 
 filled with rumours." 
 
 Kalilah said, thus it seems, that thy opinion is fixed 
 on this ; and thy resolution to carry on this project is 
 confirmed. At least, be on thy guard ; for attendance 
 upon kings is a matter full dangerous ; a pursuit full dif- 
 ficult. Philosophers have said, that on three things no 
 one would venture, but some blockhead who had never 
 perceived the fragrance of reason : First, the service of a 
 prince. Secondly, to taste poison upon an uncertainty. 
 Thirdly, to reveal his secrets to women. And the wise 
 have compared kings to a lofty mountain : for although 
 there may be mines of precious jewels in it, yet upon 
 it is also the abode of tigers and snakes and other 
 noxious things ; both to ascend it is painful ; and to 
 abide upon it is difficult. They have said also, that the 
 society of the king is to be compared with the sea ; and 
 the merchant who undertakes a voyage by sea, either ac- 
 quires great gain ; or gets caught in the whirlpool of 
 destruction. Couplet. — " Throughout the ocean, countless 
 riches lie ; if thou wouldcst have it, safety is on shore." 
 
 Damanah said, all thou hast observed, is from a 
 motive of benevolence : for I know that a king is like a 
 
33 
 
 blazing lire ; he who is the nearest to it, his danger is the 
 greatest. Couplet. — " Keep off from the society of a king ; 
 as dry wood from a fierce fire." But yet he who is afraid of 
 danger, will never come to the rank of greatness. Couplet. 
 — " From danger there arises greatness ; for the profit of 
 (ten forty) 400 per cent, the merchant will not pack up, 
 if he is afraid of danger." And on three things it is not 
 possible to commence, but by loftiness of spirit. The 
 public service of a prince : a voyage by sea : and an en- 
 counter with enemies : and I do not find myself to be 
 mean spirited ; why therefore should I be alarmed about 
 an office under the king. Verses. — " Since such is the 
 arm of my spirit ; whatever I may pursue, is in my sleeve. 
 Dost thou desire nobility and grandeur : go on labouring 
 with all the spirit that thou hast : in short ; to whatever 
 thou mayest lay thy hand, if thy spirit be strong, thou 
 wilt succeed." 
 
 Kalllah said, although I am opposed to this plan, and 
 am dissatisfied with this resolution ; yet since thy judg- 
 ment has so much confidence in this affair, and thy mind 
 has such reliance on this notion ; may it be fortunate : 
 behold thy direct road ; go on happily in peace. 
 
 Damanah departed ; and made his obeisance to the 
 lion. The lion asked what person that was. They said, 
 the son of such a one, who, for a long time was an 
 attendant upon the royal court. The lion said ; true, 
 I recollect him, so he called him forward and said, 
 where dost thou live ? Damanah replied ; according to 
 the custom of my father, I am now become an attendant 
 at this court, resembling the firmament ; and have made 
 it the shrine of my wants, the temple of my wishes : and 
 I wait in hopes, that, if any weighty matter should fall out, 
 I may provide for it by my sagacity, and may enter upon it 
 with a clear understanding. For as there is need of the 
 pillars of the state and the chief nobles of the presence, in 
 the fulfilment of many important affairs, it is possible 
 
that, at the courts of princes, a matter may occur, which 
 may be accomplished by those of low degree : in this path, 
 like the peacock, the fly also is of use : the work which 
 is produced by a weak needle ; the spear, tossing up its 
 head is unequal to the management of it ; and the design 
 which an insignificant penknife executes, the sword of 
 high temper would be at a loss in it. Nor is any servant, 
 though he be of no estimation, and of little worth, devoid 
 of use for removing evil, or attaining good ; since even 
 that dry stick, which lies in contempt in the foot path, 
 has the capacity of, some day, becoming useful ; and if 
 it is good for nothing else, perhaps men may make 
 a toothpick of it, or may, by means of it, clear their ears 
 of foulness. Couplet. — " If a handful of flowers cannot 
 be got from me ; I may at least serve for wood for the 
 kettle." 
 
 The lion, when he heard the words of Damanah, being 
 astonished at his eloquence and rhetoric, turned to his 
 grandees, and said : though a wise man should be of no 
 reputation, yet his understanding and knowledge will, 
 against their will, make his talents conspicuous to the 
 nation ; like a flame of fire, which, though he who kindles 
 may want to make it turn downwards, will to a certainty 
 fly upwards. Couplet. — "Whoever bears the stamp of 
 true love to his mistress ; it will be manifest upon his 
 forehead." 
 
 Damanah was delighted at these words ; and saw that 
 his device had taken effect upon the lion, and that his 
 deceit was completely effectual : so he loosened the tongue 
 of advice and said : It is incumbent on the whole of the 
 personal attendants and servants of state, that, whatever 
 may befal the king, they should reflect upon it, according 
 to their understanding and knowledge ; and should then 
 represent, whatever may occur to the mind of each ; nor 
 should they ever desert the path of good advice ; that the 
 king may thoroughly know his followers and dependents ; 
 
35 
 
 and being acquainted with the extent of the judgment, 
 the management, the sincerity and discrimination of each, 
 may both take advantage of the services of each, and 
 also favour every one according to his merits ; for while 
 the seed is concealed under the curtain of the earth, no 
 man will take the trouble to cultivate it ; but when the 
 veil of the earth is withdrawn from its face, and it raises 
 its head in a green mantle from the collar of the ground, 
 it may be known that it is a fruit-bearing tree, or a 
 profitable shrub ; and no doubt they will then cultivate it, 
 and derive profit from its fruit. Yet the source, in all 
 particular cases, is the encouragement of princes ; to 
 whomsoever, among men of talent, they may give 
 distinction by a look of favour, from that person they 
 will derive benefit in proportion to that encouragement. 
 Couplet. — "I am like brambles and dust; thou the sun 
 and the cloud : I may yield flowers and tulips, if thou 
 dost give fertility." 
 
 The lion said : How ought one to cultivate clever men ; 
 and by what means can one enjoy the fruit of them ? 
 Damanah replied : The great principle in this business is 
 this : that the king should look to worth, not birth ; and 
 if any party of incapable people should make use of the 
 services of their fathers and ancestors, he should pay no 
 regard to it ; for a man should make good his descent by 
 his merits, not by his father. Verses, — " Expand thy 
 chest for thine own talents ; do not make an ancient 
 descent a stock of worth : O thou, insufficient, live not 
 by one that is dead ; but do thou keep thy dead alive by 
 a good name : do not boast, young man, of a father who 
 is no more ; or else thou art a dog, when thou rejoicest 
 in bones." 
 
 The mouse, although it be a fellow lodger with men, 
 because of the mischief and hurt which comes from it, 
 they think it necessary to take pains to destroy it : but 
 the hawk, which is wild and strange, since some advantage 
 
 i 
 

 36 
 
 can be anticipated from it, they allure it with the utmost 
 kindness ; and bring him up to exercise, with great 
 kindness, on the wrist of indulgence. It therefore behoves 
 a king, that he should not regard friends and strangers ; 
 but rather seek the wise and clever ; and not allow a 
 preponderance to those persons, who are negligent in 
 business or destitute of talent, over men of genius and of 
 perfect skill : for to give the post of the wise to the, unwise, 
 is the same as fixing the ornament of the head upon the 
 feet, or to hang the apparel of the feet upon the head. 
 And in whatever place people of talent remain lost, while 
 men of ignorance and folly take the reins of power into 
 their hands, the utmost confusion will find its way into 
 the affairs of that kingdom ; and the disgrace of that 
 circumstance will attach to the fortune of the king and 
 the people. Covplet. — " O noble bird, no, never cast thy 
 glorious shade across that land where parrots are beneath 
 the rooks." 
 
 When Damanah was done with his speech, the king, 
 having bestowed the utmost attention upon him, made 
 him of the number of the select nobles of his presence, 
 and having got a partiality and affection for his conversa- 
 tion, he laid the foundation of all his affairs upon his 
 counsel and advice. Damanah too, following bright 
 reason and sagacity, understanding and penetration, in a 
 very short time became the confidant of the secrets of 
 government ; and in promoting and improving the affairs 
 of the kingdom and the state, he was the man relied upon, 
 and referred to. 
 
 One day, having found the time auspicious, and the 
 occasion favourable, he sought a private audience, and 
 said. It is a long time that the king has remained quiet 
 in one place ; and has laid aside the pleasure of exercise, 
 and the delight of hunting : I wish that I could tell the 
 cause of it, and might discourse upon the point, in every 
 form that may be in my power. The lion wished to keep 
 
 
37 
 
 the circumstance of his alarm concealed to Damanah. In 
 that interval Shanzabah gave a fierce roar ; and his voice 
 agitated the lion so much that the reins of self-possession 
 fell from his hands : and by force he revealed his secret to 
 Damanah, and said : The cause of my terror, is this voice 
 that you hear, and I do not know whose voice it may be ; 
 but I suppose his force and structure must be suitable to 
 his voice : if such should be the fact, it is not good for us 
 to remain here. Damanah said : Is there not, besides this 
 voice, any other mental occupation to the king? The lion 
 said : No. Damanah said : It is not fit for such a matter 
 to migrate from your hereditary place, or to depart from 
 your beloved birth-place : what respect is there for a 
 voice ; what weight to a shout ; that, any one for that 
 should move from his place ? A king ought to be, like a 
 mountain, stedfast ; so as not to be shaken with every 
 wind ; nor to move from his place at every outcry. That 
 you may not shake with every wind ; draw your foot under 
 your skirt, like a mountain. And the ancients have said 
 that attention is not due to every loud voice, nor to every 
 powerful body ; for not every outer form gives proof of 
 an inward meaning ; nor is every external shape a pattern 
 of the mind within : a reed, though ever so thick, may be 
 broken by a thin stick ; and a heron, though so huge in 
 shape, is unequal to a hawk of delicate make : and who- 
 ever makes any account of a large figure, that will happen 
 to him which befell the fox. The lion asked how that was. 
 
 Story. 
 Damanah said : They have related that a fox was going 
 through a plain ; and roaming about on every side in 
 quest of food ; he came to a tree, on one side of which 
 they had suspended a drum ; and whenever a little wind 
 used to blow, a branch of the tree would reach the to] 
 the drum, and a shocking noise would arise from it. The 
 fox saw a domestic fowl beneath the tree 3 which was 
 digging her beak into the ground, and looking for food : 
 
so lying in wail tor her. lie intruded to make her his 
 prey; when, suddenly, the sound of the drum reached his 
 ears : he looked, and saw a figure excessively fat, and a 
 monstrous voiee was heard; the appetite of the fox being 
 excited, he thought to himself that the flesh and the skin 
 must certainly be in proportion to the voice ; so he came 
 out from where he was lurking for the fowl, and advanced 
 to the tree. The fowl, being aware of the circumstance, 
 fled ; and the fox, with a hundred exertions, got up the 
 tree ; he laboured a long time till he tore the drum ; but 
 he found nothing but some skin and a bit of wood. The 
 fire of remorse fell upon his head, and tears of shame 
 began to pour from his eyes; and be said: Alas ! that for 
 the sake of this huge frame which was all wind, the lawful 
 prey has escaped from my hands ; and no profit has come 
 to me from this unmeaning form. Verses. — " The tabor 
 is always in lamentation, but what is the result, since there 
 is nothing within ; if thou hast any knowledge, seek for 
 the meaning ; be not deluded by the form, for that is 
 nothing." 
 
 And I have related this story, in order that the king 
 may not relinquish his exercise and his love of hunting 
 for a frightful noise or a huge form ; if he will observe 
 carefully, no use can come of that voice and figure ; and if 
 the king should give orders, I can go close up to it, and 
 will explain to the king the meaning of the case, and the 
 real nature of the matter. The words of Damanah were 
 agreeable to the lion ; and in conformity with the direc- 
 tions of the lion he set out towards the sound. But as 
 soon as he was got out of the sight of the lion, the lion 
 reflected a little, and was ashamed of having sent him, 
 and said to himself, I have made a gross mistake ; and 
 an act has been done by me, thoughtlessly : the ancients 
 have said that a king in revealing his secrets should not 
 rely upon ten classes ; and should not communicate to 
 them a hint of those private purposes in the concealment 
 
39 
 
 of which he takes care. First, any one who has suffered 
 severity, and vexation at his court, without crime or 
 offence ; and the period of whose trouble and distress has 
 lasted long. Secondly, he whose wealth and honour have 
 gone to the winds in attendance on the king ; and to whom 
 the means of subsistence are become narrow. Thirdly, 
 he who has been displaced from his office, and who has 
 no hopes of again obtaining employment. Fourthly, a 
 wicked mischievous man ; who seeks after strife, and has 
 no inclination towards security and repose. Fifthly, an 
 offender whose friends have experienced the pleasure of 
 forgiveness, while he has tasted the bitterness of punish- 
 ment. Sixthly, a guilty man, to whose equals some slight 
 reproof has been given ; while, in his case, greater excess 
 has been shewn. Seventhly, he who does acceptable 
 service, and remains disappointed ; while others, without 
 any previous claims of service, meet with greater encou- 
 ragement than he does. Eighthly, he, whose rank some 
 enemy has sought after, and has taken the lead of him, 
 and has attained to that station ; and the prince has be- 
 come confidential with him. Ninthly, he who anticipates 
 any advantage to himself, in an injury to the king. 
 Tenthly, he who has met with no favour at the court of 
 the king ; and who can make himself acceptable with the 
 enemy of the king. It behoves kings that they should 
 never communicate their secrets to these ten classes. And 
 the principle is this, that till they have often tried the 
 religion, integrity, the generosity and nobleness of any 
 one, they should not make him master of the knowledge 
 of their secrets. Couplet. — " Disclose not thy secrets to 
 every one : for in this ball of earth we have wandered 
 much ; a safe confidant for secrets was not to be found." 
 And therefore, in obedience to these premises, before 
 making any experiment of Damanah, to make such haste 
 was not suitable; and to send him to my enemy seemed 
 very far from the course of deep thinking prudence : for 
 
40 
 
 this Damanah seems a shrewd person, and he has heen 
 for a long time vexed and disappointed at my eourt. If, 
 God protect us ! any thorn of displeasure should he rank- 
 ling hi his heart, he may on this occasion contrive some 
 perfidy, or excite some contention ; or it may he that he 
 may find my enemy superior to me in strength and pomp; 
 and feeling a preference for his service, he may make him 
 acquainted with whatever he is acquainted with of my 
 secrets ; and most certainly, to make amends, for that 
 would be beyond the point of my management. Why 
 did I not act up to the purport of the saying ; Circum- 
 spection is (to have) a bad opinion : why did I deviate 
 from the meaning of this couplet of the philosopher. " Be 
 not of a bad temper ; but be of a bad opinion ; and then be 
 in safety from strife and deceit." If any calamity should 
 be coupled with this embassy, I am deserving of a hundred 
 times as much. In this course of thought, with great 
 agitation, he was getting up, and sitting down ; and fixed 
 his eyes in expectation on the road ; when all at once 
 Damanah appeared. The lion was a little quieted ; and 
 rested in his place. As soon as Damanah arrived, he 
 said, after paying due homage, as long as the sphere 
 shall revolve, may our king be permanent ; may the sun 
 of his fortune be shining over the heads of his servants. 
 O prince, ruling the world, he whose voice reached the 
 august hearing is an ox, engaged in grazing in the 
 environs of this forest ; and who has nothing else to do 
 but to eat and to sleep ; and his ambition does not extend 
 beyond his throat and his belly. The lion said : What is 
 the extent of his power ? Damanah replied : I did not 
 observe any dignity or magnificence about him, which I 
 could take as a proof of his power : and I did not find in 
 my own mind any awe of him, that I should reckon any 
 great reverence due to him. The lion said you must not 
 set him down for debility; nor he deceived by that; for a 
 violent wind, though it does not beat down the tender grass, 
 
41 
 
 will tear up strong trees from the roots ; and princes and 
 nobles, as long as they do not find an enemy their match, 
 the manifestation of their strength and importance does 
 not come into display. When will a hawk shew any 
 eagerness in pursuit of a chaffinch ? A falcon will not 
 open his claws to hunt a gnat. 
 
 Damanah said : The king should not give so much 
 weight to his conduct ; nor make so much account of the 
 thought of him ; for I, with great penetration, have found 
 out his business, and am informed of the nature of his 
 condition : if superior sense should dictate, and the august 
 command should receive the honour of promulgation, I 
 will bring him ; that, laying the head of attention on the 
 line of obedience, he may cast the saddle-cloth of servitude 
 on the shoulder of attachment. 
 
 The lion was delighted at these words ; and made signs 
 for bringing him. So Damanah w r ent up to Shanzabah, 
 and with a stout heart, without any thought or hesitation, 
 joined in conversation. At the first moment he said to 
 him : — whence art thou, and how didst thou fall into this 
 place ; what was the cause of thy coming to this abode ; 
 and forming the scheme of residing here ? Shanzabah 
 began to detail the circumstances of the case, according to 
 the truth. Damanah, having become acquainted with his 
 history, said : A lion, who is the king of beasts, and the 
 sovereign of these borders, has given orders, and sent me, 
 that I should take you before him ; and in like manner 
 has given orders that, if you make haste, he will pass over 
 the defect, which has till this moment appeared, in dutiful 
 attention ; but if you delay, I will instantly go back and 
 set forth the form of the occurrence. Shanzabah, when 
 he heard the name of lion and beasts, w T as frightened, and 
 said : If you will make me strong hearted, and safe from 
 his punishment, I will come with thee ; and by means of 
 thy keeping me company will have the honour of paying 
 my duty to him. 
 
42 
 
 Damanah repeated an oath to him ; and brought 
 forward such a promise and engagement, that some 
 tranquillity might thereby grow up in his mind; and they 
 both turned their faces towards the lion. Damanah went 
 before and gave the lion notice of his approach; and a short 
 time after the ox arrived, and performed the ceremony of 
 homage. The lion addressed him with warmth and said: 
 When didst thou come to this neighbourhood ; and what 
 was the motive for coming ? The ox related his history, to 
 the full. The lion replied : Then still remain here ; that 
 thou mayest obtain a full share of our kindness, condescen- 
 sion, gentleness, and bounty ; for we have opened the 
 gates of favour to the faces of all who attach themselves 
 to our country, and have spread the overflowing table of 
 regard before all the attendants on our threshold. Verses — 
 "If through these realms vou wander far ; of us in lamen- 
 tation you'll not find a man : at first, in any matter 
 that we make our aim ; regard unto the welfare of the 
 lowest class we pay.'' The ox having set forth the pre- 
 scribed form of prayer and praise, bound the girdle of 
 service, in cheerfulness and alacrity, round his loins. And 
 the lion, too, having bestowed on him a place of near 
 access, brought him day by day nearer to his person ; and 
 used to shew great force and length of speech, in doing 
 him honour and respect : in the course of which, having 
 turned his mind to the examination of his character and 
 the investigation of his conduct, he perceived the measure 
 of his judgment and prudence, and the extent of his 
 discrimination and experience ; he found him to be a 
 person famous for perfection of sagacity, and endowed witli 
 understanding and penetration ; and the more he tried his 
 moral qualities the greater became his confidence in the 
 abundance of his knowledge. Verses — " He found him 
 excellent in disposition, clear in judgment ; a weigher 
 of words, and estimating the value of men ; one who 
 had seen the world, and collected knowledge; who had 
 
43 
 
 travelled much and profited by society. So the lion, after 
 meditation and counsel, deliberation and seeking for guid- 
 ance, made the ox the confidant of his secrets ; and every 
 hour, his place in favour and advancement became more 
 noble ; and his rank in the exercise of authority, and the 
 issuing of commands, more elevated ; till he surpassed the 
 whole body of the pillars of the state, and the chief nobles 
 of the presence. 
 
 When Damanah perceived that the lion carried his 
 reverence for the ox to the last verge of excess ; and that 
 having pushed the exaggeration of bounty and respect to 
 him beyond the limits of moderation, he sets no impor- 
 tance upon his words, nor takes advice with him in any 
 project — the hand of envy drew the ointment of disgust 
 across the eye of his heart ; and the fire of anger cast a 
 blaze of jealousy into the cell of his brain. Couplet.— 
 " Envy, wherever it kindles a fire — from the very first, it 
 burns the envious themselves." Sleep and rest departed 
 from him ; tranquility and repose removed their furniture 
 from the area of his bosom. He went with his complaint 
 to Kalilah, and said, My brother ; behold the weakness of 
 my judgment, and the infirmity of my contrivance : I had 
 built all my projects upon the carelessness of the lion, and 
 introduced the ox to his service ; till having found access 
 and dignity, he has surpassed all the courtiers ; and I am 
 fallen from my own place and station. Kalilah replied : 
 My life ! thou hast done it thyself ; what remedy is there 
 for an act of thine own ? thou hast thyself struck this axe 
 on thine own foot ; this dust of mischief thou hast thyself 
 stirred up in thine own path : and the same thing has 
 befallen thee, which happened to the devotee. Damanah 
 asked how that was. 
 
 Story. 
 
 Kalilah said. They have related that a king gave splen- 
 did apparel, and a costly dress to a devotee. A thief, 
 having got intelligence of the circumstance, fixed his 
 
44 
 
 affections on it ; and having, upon pretence of attachment, 
 got about the devotee, shewed a fondness for his service : 
 and used to evince much perseverance in acquiring the 
 practices of the right road ; till he became in this way his 
 confidential friend ; and one night, having found an op- 
 portunity, he purloined the dress and walked oft*. On the 
 following day, the devotee could not find the clothes, and 
 missed his new disciple ; and knew that he had taken 
 away the dress. He set off for the city in pursuit of him ; 
 and by the way saw that two wild beasts were fighting 
 together, and wounding each other's heads ; and while 
 these two sharp-clawed enemies, like two destructive lions, 
 were in conflict with each other, and the blood was trick- 
 ling from the limbs and members of both, a fox had come 
 up and was devouring their blood. On a sudden, in the 
 midst of their butting, the fox got between them, and their 
 heads came violently on each side against his ribs ; and 
 he was cauirht in the snare of destruction. The devotee 
 having a fresh piece of experience from this event > passed 
 on ; and at night when he reached the city, the gates were 
 locked. He wandered about in every direction, and looked 
 for some place for a halt ; by chance a woman was look- 
 ing into the street from the terrace of her house ; she 
 perceived from the wandering manner of the devotee that 
 he was a foreigner ; and invited him to her own home. 
 The devotee having agreed, untied his sandals in her 
 lodging, and betook himself to his prayers in a corner of 
 that hut. Now the woman was well known for vice and 
 profligacy ; and used to keep a number of girls ready for 
 gross and dissolute behaviour ; and a strong affection had 
 grown up in one of them (a glance of whose beauty might 
 have taught the brides of paradise the art of shining ; and 
 from the glow of her cheeks, the sun giving warmth to 
 the earth, would have burnt in the flame of jealousy ; her 
 wanton eye, with the arrow of a glance, would have torn 
 the target of the bosom, like the breast of a target ; and 
 
45 
 
 her life bestowing lips, with the sweetness of her month, 
 would bestow on the palate of the heart lusciousness, like 
 a bale of sugar. Couplet. — "A moon, walking in majesty; 
 a lofty cypress : two ringlets from her temples, entwined ; 
 like a noose made of musk :" — from her silver chin a ball 
 arose, upon which a collar of double chin was suspended ; 
 with that collar and that ball, that idol, seeking love, had 
 robbed the moon of her glory, and taken the ball from 
 the sun,) for a youth, fair in face, musk-haired, witty in 
 speech, a tall cypress, a silver moon 3 sweet in tongue, 
 slender in the waist ; so that the proud beauties of Tartary 
 were like a hyacinth, full of writing and disorder, for the 
 curls of his ringlets; and the honey-lipped maidens of 
 Samarcand, in love for his strife-exciting sweetness, were 
 like the hearts of lovers, in agitation. Couplet. — " A face ! 
 Oh what a face ! a face like to the sun ; ringlets ! what 
 ringlets ! each curl was madness and distress." They 
 constantly passed their time together, like the sun and the 
 moon in the same mansion ; and were united, like Venus 
 and Mercury in the same sign of the Zodiac ; and the 
 youth, from the jealousy of his love, would positively 
 never allow that his companions should drink a single 
 draught from the goblet of union with that damsel ; nor 
 that the thirsty travellers, through the deserts of pursuit, 
 after all their sufferings, should reach that sweet fountain. 
 Couplet. — " My jealousy of thee is such, that if it were in 
 my power ; I would not allow that thou shouldest enter 
 into bonds with others." The profligate woman, being 
 vexed with this behaviour of the girl ; and being unable 
 to bear the loss of income ; could not put up with a girl 
 who had thrown aside the veil of modesty ; and thus ex- 
 posed the very life of the affection of lovers. In despair, 
 she resolved upon the destruction of the youth ; and the 
 same night the devotee came to her house, having made 
 her plan and watched her opportunity : and having 
 measured out heavy draughts both to the lover and his 
 
46 
 
 mistress ; as soon as all the people of the house were gone 
 to rest, having put a little deadly poison, pounded, into a 
 pipe, and placed it before the nose of the youth ; taking 
 one end of the pipe into her own mouth, and applying 
 the other end to his nostril ; she meant to give it a puff 
 and send the effects of the poison to the brain of the young 
 man : when all at once he sneezed ; and by the violence 
 of the vapour which burst from his brain, all the poison 
 went down the woman's throat and gullet, and she fell 
 dead on the spot. Even in the thought of that thou shalt 
 go which thou bcarest in mind. 
 
 The devotee, when he had witnessed this occurrence, 
 and with a hundred anxieties, had brought to day that 
 night, which in tediousness was like the day of resurrec- 
 tion ; till the time that the devotee of the dawn, escaping 
 from the cell of the darkness of the night, spread the car- 
 pet of reverence before the shrine of the horizon ; and the 
 sense of this text, high in distinction " and he will send 
 them forth from darkness into light" was become clear to 
 the inhabitants of the earth. Couplet. — " The vault, like 
 a mirror in colour, received splendour ; the mirror of 
 China got clear of rust." The devotee having extricated 
 himself from the abode of the darkness of the profligacy and 
 sensuality of that gang, looked out for another lodging. 
 
 A shoemaker, who used to reckon himself among his 
 disciples, took him to his house, as a means of obtaining 
 a blessing ; and gave injunctions to his family to take care 
 of him : but went himself to a feast of some of his friends. 
 Now his wife had a lover, of a cheerful temper, beautiful 
 face, and curling locks. Couplet. — " Facetious, alluring, 
 saucy-eyed and throwing glances ; a handsome man, who 
 should be like him, would be a calamity to life." The 
 messenger between them was a barber's wife, who by her 
 witchcraft would mix water and lire together ; and by the 
 smoothness of her tongue would make a stone quarry 
 seem like melted wax. [ r er$es. — " A contriver of 
 
47 
 
 stratagems, who, in deceit, would repeat some verse, 
 which would unite the gnat with the phcenix — a crystal 
 rosary she had for use ; but for a string a pagan's thread 
 she took : her lip in prayer, and all her prayer was magic 
 and a trick; without plain garments ; and within all paint." 
 The shoemaker's wife, as soon as she found the house 
 clear, sent some one to her messenger to say, give the 
 news to my beloved, that to night there is honey without 
 the buzzing of the bee, and a party free from the clamour 
 of the watchman and police. Arise and come to me ; as 
 I have learnt, and thou. So her lover coming by night 
 to the house, was waiting for the door to be opened ; 
 when, all at once the shoemaker returned, like an unex- 
 pected calamity ; and found the man at the door of his 
 house. The fact being that he had already taken up a 
 little fancy ; and that some suspicion had fallen into his 
 mind, about the designs of his wife, and her lover ; upon 
 this occasion, when he found him at the door of the house, 
 the side of conviction having predominated, he entered 
 the house, and in great anger, began to beat his wife ; 
 and when he had applied the full chastisement, he tied 
 her fast to a pillar, and laid his head on the bed of repose. 
 The devotee was thinking thus , — without any apparent 
 cause, or clear offence, to beat this woman was from the 
 course of manly feeling, — it would have been proper that 
 I should have interceded, and not to have been consenting 
 to this folly ; when suddenly the barber's wife came in, 
 and said, My sister ; why dost thou keep this young 
 man waiting so long ; walk quickly forth, and count the 
 season of enjoyment great gain. Couplet. — " If to a 
 lover, there is a thought of asking for one sick with pain ; 
 come on joyfully for still there is a little breath in him." 
 The shoemaker's wife called her close to her, in a melan- 
 choly voice and said. Verses. — " O tranquil in mind, how 
 canst thou understand the state of an afflicted heart — how 
 canst thou know the sufferings of lovers,of wounded hearts; 
 
48 
 
 O dove, taking thy flight over the head of the cypress — 
 how canst thou know the grief of heart of captive birds ?" 
 My kind, kind friend ! listen to the complaint of my 
 distress, and attend to my sad condition : this cruel 
 merciless husband has perhaps seen him at the door ; for 
 he came into the house like a madman, and after he had 
 beaten me severely, tied me with great violence to this 
 pillar : if thou hast any love towards me, and art in the 
 place of pity to my friend, unbind me quickly, and give 
 me leave that I may tie thee in exchange for myself to 
 this pillar : and having quickly made an apology to my 
 friend I will come back and unloose thee. And by this 
 act thou wilt make me pledged to gratitude ; and thou 
 wilt also lay my lover under obligation. The barber's 
 wife, from excess of kindness, having yielded herself for 
 the unloosing of the other and the tying up of herself, 
 sent her out. 
 
 A clue to the quarrel of the husband and wife fell into 
 the grasp of the devout man, on hearing these words. 
 And in the meantime the shoemaker, waking, called out 
 to his wife ; but the barber's wife, for fear he should know 
 her voice, and get intelligence of the matter had not the 
 power to give an answer. Though the shoemaker 
 screamed ; not a breath was perceived from the barber's 
 wife : so the fire of his rage bursting into a flame he took 
 up a heel-knife and coming to the pillar cut off her nose 
 and laid it in her hand, saying, Lo ! a present, that thou 
 mayest send to thy lover. The barber's wife did not, 
 from fear, utter a sigh, but said to herself, here is a 
 wonderful state of things — one takes the pleasure ; and 
 another bears the pain. 
 
 When the shoemaker's wife came back, and found her 
 whom she called a sister, with her nose cut off, she was 
 excessively distressed; and often begging pardon, she 
 released her, and tied herself to the pillar; and the barber's 
 wife set off home, with her nose in her hand, terse. — 
 
49 
 
 " In her astonishment, one moment she would laugh, and 
 the next moment weep." The devotee had been observing 
 and listening to all these occurrences ; and surprise was 
 added to surprise, at all the strange things which came 
 forth from behind the curtain of secrecy. 
 
 The shoemaker's wife was quiet for a little while ; and 
 then, with cunning and deceit, spreading her hands in 
 prayer, she said, O Lord and king! thou knowest how 
 my husband has done me violence ; and by calumny and 
 falsehood, has bound upon my neck a crime which was 
 never committed by me. Of thy goodness, take pity, and 
 restore my nose, the ornament of the page of beauty. 
 Daring the prayers of the woman, the man was awake ; 
 and listened to her deceitful complaint, and mischievous 
 prayer : so he roared out. Worthless and of corrupt 
 life! what prayer is this thou makest; what desire for thee 
 to have ! The prayers of the profligate are of no worth 
 at this court ; the desires of the vicious find no quality of 
 fitness along this road. Couplet. — " If thou hast a hope 
 that any matter should be made easy, from secret meafis ; 
 a pure tongue, and a pure heart are both necessary." Then 
 the woman on a sudden shouted out, Oppressor and tor- 
 menter; get up, that thou maycst behold the divine power 
 and infinite bounty : for since my mantle was pure from 
 the stain of this aspersion, the Almighty has healed my 
 mutilated nose ; and has delivered me from ignominy and 
 disgrace among mankind. The simple-hearted man arose; 
 and when he had lighted a lamp, approached and found 
 his wife safe, and her nose in the right place ; nor could 
 he any where find any trace of a wound or hurt. He 
 instantly acknowledged his fault; began to make apologies ; 
 with the utmost tenderness begging pardon, removed the 
 bonds from her hands and feet; and made a vow, that he 
 would never proceed in a similar manner, before some 
 clearness of proof, some manifestation of argument ; that 
 he would not vex his pious wife, his chaste spouse, upon 
 
50 
 
 the word of every mischief-making baek-biter ; and that 
 for the rest of his life he would never depart from obedi- 
 ence to such a woman, veiled in virtue, and against whose 
 prayers there was certainly no curtain. 
 
 While, on the other hand, the barber's wife, with her 
 nose cut off, and carried in her hand, came home ; but 
 horror overwhelmed her: for, what plan could she devise; 
 how was she to reveal this event to her husband ; what 
 excuse could she make to her friends and neighbours on 
 this subject ; what sort of answer should she give to the 
 questions of her relations and friends. In the meanwhile 
 the barber awaked, and called to his wife thus : Give me 
 my instruments ; for I am going to a certain gentleman's 
 house. The woman was very long in answering; and 
 having delayed to give him the things, at last put the razor 
 only into the artist's hand. The barber, in a rage, flung 
 the razor, in the darkness of night, towards his wife; and 
 began to utter abusive words ; but the woman threw her- 
 self down, and began to scream, My nose ; my nose ! 
 The barber was confounded ; and their friends and neigh- 
 bours coming in, found the woman, with her garments 
 stained with blood, and her nose cut off. So they let 
 loose the tongue of reproach against the master ; and he, 
 poor fellow, being left confused, had neither the face to 
 confess it, nor the tongue to deny. 
 
 However, when dawn, giving light to the world, cast 
 away the veil of darkness ; when the world-displaying 
 mirror of the sun, began to sparkle like a goblet of Jams- 
 bed. Couplet. — " The leader of the forces of the east 
 raised his standard ; the king of the west was drowned in 
 a sea of blood." The relations of the woman having met 
 together, carried the barber before the Kazi. By chance, the 
 devotee had left the shoemaker's house; and because of an 
 old bond of attachment which there was between him and 
 the Kazl, was present in the court. They fulfilled the 
 usual form of interrogatory; and when the kinsfolk of the 
 
51 
 
 barber's wife presented their case, the Kazi put this ques- 
 tion : Master barber, how could you think fit to make an 
 example of this female, without any apparent crime, or 
 legal cause ? The barber was astounded, and unable to 
 set up any pretence : and the Kazi, under this decisive 
 text, " and wounds, retaliation :" passed sentence of re- 
 taliation and punishment. 
 
 The devotee arose and said, O Kazi, in this matter, 
 some deliberation must be made ; and the eyes of sagacity 
 must be opened. For the thief did not carry off my coat; 
 the wild beasts did not kill the fox ; the poison did not 
 destroy the profligate woman ; the shoemaker did not cut 
 off the nose of the barber's wife: but rather we have drawn 
 down all these evils upon ourselves. The Kazi restrained 
 his hand from the barber, and looked at the devotee, 
 saying : Give some interpretation of this summary ; some 
 explanation of your meaning. So the devotee related all 
 that he had heard and seen, from first to last, and said. If 
 I had not had a desire to take a pupil, and had not been 
 beguiled by the agreeableness of the thief, that deceitful 
 impostor could not have found the opportunity; and would 
 not have taken away my garment. If the fox had not 
 gone beyond bounds in greediness and baseness, nor shown 
 such excess in blood-thirstiness, the injury of the beasts 
 had not reached him. If the wicked woman had not 
 formed the design of destroying the unsuspicious youth, 
 she had not thrown her own sweet life to the winds. And 
 if the barber's wife had not given her assistance in that 
 unlawful action, she had not become an example, nor been 
 made a disgrace. He who does evil, must not look for 
 good : and he who expects sugar canes, must not sow the 
 seeds of the colocynth. Couplet. — " Thus spake a learned 
 teacher : do not evil, or thou wilt meet with evil from 
 fortune." 
 
 And I have produced this instance, that thou mayest 
 know, that thou hast thyself shown this path of difficulty 
 
 H 
 
52 
 
 to thyself, and hast thyself opened this gate of sorrow and 
 labour to thyself. Verse. — " After all, of whom can we 
 complain ; of ourselves is all that is upon us." 
 
 Damanah said, Thou sayest truly ; I did the thing 
 myself. And yet what scheme dost thou form for my 
 deliverance ; and in what manner dost thou view the plan 
 for untying this knot. Kalilah said, From the first 
 moment I did not agree with thee in this proceeding, nor 
 did I coincide with thy words in undertaking this business. 
 And now also, I find myself far from the matter, nor do 
 I see any reason for involving myself in it. Perhaps thou 
 wilt thyself think of some plan in thy own behalf ; as they 
 have said. Verse. — " Every man best understands what 
 is for his own good." 
 
 Damanah replied, I have been thinking that I will set 
 about this business, with the finest stratagems ; and will 
 labour, by every means that may be possible, till I throw 
 down the ox from this position ; and even drive him out 
 of the country ; for I cannot permit of delay or negligence 
 in the duty of self-preservation ; and if I commit the least 
 carelessness, I shall not be acquitted in the opinion of men 
 of prudence and manly spirit. Nor do I seek any new 
 advancement ; nor pretend to any thing beyond my ser- 
 vices. And our forefathers have said, that the wise are 
 justified, when they labour for these five purposes. First, 
 In seeking that rank and station which they may have 
 formerly held. Second, In avoiding the hurt of that which 
 may have come by experience. Third, In preserving that 
 advantage which they possess. Fourth, In extricating 
 themselves from the labyrinth of any calamity which may 
 be impending. Fifth, In watching the attainment of 
 .good, or the averting of evil, in time to come. And I 
 apply my exertions to this ; that I may again attain to my 
 own place ; and that the lustre of my condition may 
 be fresh : And this is the path ; that I should pursue the 
 ox with stratagems ; until he bid farewell to the back of 
 
53 
 
 the earth ; or pack up his things from this place. Nor 
 am I less than that weak sparrow, which obtained his 
 revenge of the falcon. Kalilah asked how that was. 
 
 Damanah said. I have heard that two sparrows had 
 fixed their nest upon the branch of a tree, and of all 
 worldly possessions were content with water and grain. 
 And at the top of the mountain, at the foot of which that 
 tree had lighted, a hawk had his abode; who at the time 
 of pursuing his prey would dart out from a corner like 
 lightning, and like a thunderbolt would burn clean up the 
 barns of life of the birds, more feeble in wing. Couplet. 
 — u At the moment when he would open his talons upon 
 the birds — if there should be fifty, he would carry them off." 
 
 Whenever the sparrows produced young, and it came 
 near to that time, when they should take to flight, that 
 hawk, darting out from ambuscade, having carried off 
 their young, would make them a meal for his own young 
 ones. 
 
 Now to migrate from that place was intolerable to the 
 sparrows, according to " love of home is a part of faith ;" 
 and yet, because of the tyranny of the hawk, pursuing 
 cruelly, the power of living there was difficult. Kerse. — 
 " Neither any view to travel, nor any mind to stay." 
 
 On one occasion, their young ones having got strength, 
 and having put forth feathers and wings, were making a 
 little movement; and the father and mother growing 
 pleased at the sight of their children, were testifying joy 
 at their exertions for flight. On a sudden, the thought of 
 the hawk passed over their mind; and all at once, folding 
 up the carpet of delight, in agitation and uneasiness, they 
 began lamentation and weeping. One of their children, 
 in whose forehead the marks of truth and maturity were 
 apparent, enquired into the circumstances of the case, and 
 the cause of the change from joy to sorrow. They said. 
 O son! Couplet. — "Ask us not to what extent is the fire 
 of our hearts; ask of the tear, that is our interpreter. ,, 
 
54 
 
 Then they related in detail, the story of the tyranny of the 
 hawk, and the carrying away of their children. The son 
 said. To turn the neck away from the command of fate 
 and the order of destiny, is not the way of servants: yet 
 the causer of causes has appointed a medicine for every 
 pain: and has sent a cure for every illness : it is possihle 
 that if ye shall fulfil in the repulse of this calamity, exertion 
 shall raise your foot in untying this knot, — hoth this 
 evil shall be averted from our head, and also this burthen 
 shall depart from off your hearts. These words were 
 agreeable to the sparrows: so one of them waited to attend 
 to the condition of the young, and another took flight in 
 search of relief. 
 
 When he had flown a little way, he fell into the con- 
 sideration of this, viz. — Ah! whither shall I go; and to 
 whom shall I tell the anguish of my heart? Couplet. 
 — "I am entangled in the pains of my heart; I know 
 not the medicine for my heart ; the remedy for the 
 pains of the heart is a matter very difficult; I do not 
 understand it." At last, he turned in his mind thus — 
 Any animal, upon whom my sight may first fall, I will fix 
 my conversation with him, and will seek from him a cure 
 for the pain of my heart. By chance, a salamander, 
 having come forth from the mine of fire, was taking a 
 little turn in the open space of the desert; and the eyes of 
 the sparrow fell upon him : and that strange figure and 
 surprising form came into his view. He said with 
 himself, I have fallen upon good: come on; while I com- 
 municate to this wonderful bird the grief of my heart: 
 perhaps he may loosen the knot from my affairs; and 
 shew me the way to relief. Then with great reverence he 
 approached the salamander, and after the prescribed forms 
 of good wishes, observed the usages of duty. The sala- 
 mander, too, in the language of attention to strangers, set 
 forth the duties of courtesy to travellers, and said. The 
 traces of grief are to be observed in thy countenance ; if 
 
55 
 
 it be from the fatigue of the road, rest a few days in this 
 neighbourhood, that it may be changed by repose: and if 
 any other particular case exists, explain it, that pains may 
 be taken, to the extent of my powers, in providing for 
 that. The sparrow loosened his tongue, and unfolded 
 before the salamander his melancholy state in such a 
 manner, that if he had been telling it to the marble rock, 
 it must have split in pieces at the anguish of his heart. 
 Couplet. — fC To whatever person I may give an explanation 
 of my story — I place a hundred fresh scars upon the heart 
 of that helpless person." The fire of compassion began 
 to blaze in the salamander, after hearing these words ; 
 and he said. Do not grieve ; for I will avert this evil 
 from thy head ; and this night I will so manage, that I 
 will burn his house and nest and all that is in it: do thou 
 give me the marks of thine own dwelling, and go to the 
 care of thy children, till the time that I shall come unto 
 thee. The sparrow set forth the marks of his abode, in 
 such a manner that no doubt could remain to the sala- 
 mander: and with a joyful heart, and a mind relieved from 
 a load of grief, set his face towards his nest. When the 
 night came on, the salamander, with a party of the sons 
 of his own race, each having taken up a piece of naphtha 
 and brimstone, set out for that abode ; and by the guid- 
 ance of the sparrow betook themselves to the vicinity of 
 the hawk's nest. Now the hawk, with his children, 
 thoughtless of such a calamity, had eaten plentifully, and 
 were gone to sleep. The salamanders, having scattered 
 all the naphtha and brimstone which they had with them, 
 over their nest, turned back: and the wind of divine 
 justice having blown, the flame of wrath fell upon the nest 
 of that oppressor. They rose up from the sleep of negli- 
 gence, at a time when the hand of remedy was unequal to 
 the extinction of that flame ; and the whole of them, at 
 once, with home and nest, became ashes. Couplet. — 
 
56 
 
 " A tyrant, by violence, kindled a fire once ; when it 
 threw up a blaze, it first burnt even him." 
 
 Now I have told this story, that thou mayest know that 
 every person who labours in the repulse of an enemy, 
 although he be small and weak, and the enemy great and 
 powerful, there is hope of aid and victory. 
 
 Kalllah said. Now that the lion has given him dis- 
 tinction from among the rest, and has exalted the banner 
 of his fortune, to pluck out attachment to him, from the 
 heart of the lion, and to change the disposition of the lion 
 towards him, seems extremely difficult : for kings, when 
 they cherish any one, do not disgrace him without some 
 thorough reason ; and whomsoever they raise up, they do 
 not cast down from their regard, unless some great affedr 
 should occur. Couplet. — " The water will not carry down 
 the wood ; what is the reason ? it would be ashamed, to 
 bear down that which is nourished by itself." Damanah 
 said. What cause can be more complete than this, that 
 the king has shewn an excess in cherishing him, and in- 
 dulged contempt for his other counsellors, till, of course 
 they have become disgusted with his service ; and tin 
 benefits of their duty, and the advantages of their advice, 
 have been cut off from him : and from this state of things 
 great calamities are to be anticipated. For philosophers 
 have said, that danger to a king and misfortune to a 
 country may be by one of six things. First, — Alienation : 
 that is to say, making well-wishers disappointed with 
 himself, and abandoning people of judgment and expe- 
 rience in disgrace. Second, — Strife : which is such, that 
 wars without object, and inconsiderate undertakings take 
 place, and the swords of opponents are drawn from the 
 scabbard. Third, — Pleasure : and that is the being attached 
 to women; having a fondness for hunting; being engaged 
 in wine ; and having an inclination for play and amuse- 
 ment. Fourth, — The enmity of fortune : and that is some 
 event, which occurs in time ; as pestilence, famine, earth- 
 
57 
 
 quakes, burnings, inundations, and the like. Fifth, — 
 Violence of temper; which is excess in exercising anger: 
 and to go to an extreme in punishment and chastisement. 
 Sixth, — Ignorance : which is such, that in a fit time for 
 peace he is disposed to war; and in a fit occasion for war 
 he shews an inclination for peace ; and in the time for 
 gentleness he chooses contention ; and when he ought to 
 close up the rampart of anger, he sets open the gate of 
 kindness. Couplet. — " War and peace, out of season, do 
 not come to any use: in the place for flowers, be flowers; 
 and in the place for thorns, thorns." 
 
 Kalilah said. I have perceived that thou hast bound 
 up the loins for revenge ; and art seated in ambush for 
 Shanzabah ; and thou desirest that by thy intervention 
 some evil may happen to him. But I know that to inflict 
 injury has no good consequence ; and that, in the way of 
 retribution, the mischief of every man turns back upon 
 him. Couplet. — " Whoever did evil, saw nothing but 
 evil : the mischief of it soon came upon him." For who- 
 ever will open the eyes of experience, and will observe the 
 retribution of evil and good, there is doubt but he will 
 hold to the side of goodness and gentleness ; and will 
 preserve his hand and tongue from vexation and injury : 
 as the king, the dispenser of justice, remarked. 
 
 Kalilah said. I have heard that in former times there 
 was a king who had spread out the hand of violence and 
 aggression, and had put forth the foot of perversencss from, 
 the path of justice and liberality. Couplet. — " World- 
 burner ; merciless ; displaying pride ; by his bitterness 
 the face of a world sour." The people night and day, 
 had lifted up their hands in prayer against his injustice ; 
 and had loosened the tongue of hatred. One day, 
 this king went to the chase, and when he came back, lie 
 ordered a proclamation, thus — O men! the eye of my 
 heart has been veiled till this day, from the sight of the 
 face of rectitude; and the hand of inv sin hath drawn the 
 
58 
 
 sword of cruelty in the face of the disappointed, suffering 
 violence, and of the oppressed, come to trouble. Now, I 
 am become sincere in the post of protecting the people, 
 and stedfast in the office of extending justice. There is 
 a hope of this, that after this day, the hand of any tyrant 
 shall not strike the ring of vexation on the door of the 
 house of any peasant ; and that the foot of any dealer in 
 violence shall not reach the court of the dwelling of any 
 poor man. Couplet. — " Do not expect ease in that border 
 and land ; where thou seest the people heart-light with 
 the king." A new life burst forth to the people at this 
 news; and at these tidings, the flower of desire blossomed 
 to the poor in the garden of hope. Couplet. — "At these 
 blessed tidings which came suddenly, a glad message came 
 to the heart and a joyful sound to the soul." 
 
 To the Story. The happy influence of his justice came 
 to such a point that the lamb would drink milk from the 
 dugs of the fierce lion ; and the pheasant was a play-fellow 
 with the hawk, on common ground ; and on this account 
 they gave him the title, The king, doing justice. Couplet. 
 — " He made the foundations of equity so firm, that fire 
 became a watchman to sulphur." 
 
 One of the familiar confidential men of the government, 
 in a moment of opportunity, put a question about the 
 particulars of the case, and sought an explanation of the 
 change of the bitterness of force and cruelty for the gentle- 
 ness of favour and duty. The king replied thus : The day 
 that I went a hunting. I was galloping on every side: on 
 a sudden I saw that a dog ran in pursuit of a fox, and 
 with his teeth bit through the bone of his leg ; the help- 
 less fox, with his lame leg fled away into a hole; and the 
 dog turned back : at that moment a footman flung a 
 stone and broke the leg of that dog ; as yet, he had not 
 gone many steps, when a horse kicked the footman, and 
 his leg was broken; and the horse, too, not having cleared 
 a bit of the way, his foot went down into a hole and broke. 
 
59 
 
 I came to myself, and said, hast thou seen what they did 
 and what they suffered? whoever does what he ought not, 
 feels what he would not. Verses. — " Find out good; do 
 not evil ; he ware : for thou shalt again meet with evil and 
 good; if in all places thou art disposed to goodness, thou 
 shalt find thyself exalted; but, if thou go in the path of 
 evil, thou shalt behold thyself trampled under the foot of 
 want." 
 
 Now I have hit off this fable, that thou shouldest 
 reflect upon retribution ; and depart from the ground of 
 malevolence: may it not be, that the ignominy of it 
 should reach to thee, and that the meaning of this, u who- 
 ever dug a well for his brother, why truly he fell into it," 
 should display brightness. And an eminent man hath 
 said, do not evil, lest thou fall into evil ; dig not a well, 
 lest thou fall in thyself. 
 
 Daman ah replied, I, in this occurrence, am the 
 oppressed, not the tyrant ; I bear the violence, and am 
 not the doer of violence; and if the injured man be in the 
 design of revenge against the oppressor, what retribution 
 will there be for that; and if any hurt should come from 
 him to his tormenter, what harm will be con sequent upon 
 that. 
 
 Kalilah said, I have allowed that in this proceeding, 
 no mischief may find a way into thy affairs ; but yet, in 
 what manner canst thou labour for the destruction of the 
 ox; whilst he has strength superior to thy strength; and 
 his friends and allies are more than thy friends and 
 adherents. 
 
 Dam an ah said, One should not lay the foundations 
 of affairs upon great strength, and countless assistants; 
 but should prefer skill and contrivance before them; for 
 whatever men do by skill and stratagem, the probability 
 is that it would not succeed by force and strength : and 
 has it never reached thee, how a raven destroyed a snake 
 by stratagem ? 
 
 i 
 
GO 
 
 Kalilah said, how was that? 
 
 Story. 
 
 He replied, They have related that a raven had fixed 
 her abode in the middle of a mountain, and had made her 
 nest in the cleft of a rock; and in the vicinity of it was 
 the hole of a snake, the water of whose mouth might be 
 destructive and deadly poison, and the saliva of the roots 
 of his teeth would be destructive of the constitution of 
 perpetuity and life. Whenever the raven deposited her 
 young, the snake would eat them ; and used to burn the 
 liver of the raven with the brand of the loss of her off- 
 spring. When the cruelty of the snake was gone beyond 
 limit, the worn-out raven communicated the complaint of 
 that condition to a jackal, who was her friend, and said, 
 I am thinking how I shall extricate myself from the 
 calamity of the snake, and from the evil of this life- 
 hunting tyrant. The jackal asked, In what way wilt thou 
 advance in this emergency ? and by what art wilt thou 
 avert his mischief? The raven replied, I mean, that when 
 the snake is gone to sleep, I will dig out his world-seeing 
 eyes, with my blood-drinking beak ; that he may not 
 again be able to make an attack upon my joy of the eye; 
 and that my children, which are the light of my eye, may 
 be left safe from the wickedness of that malicious look. 
 
 The jackal said, This scheme is wide of the track of 
 right conduct : for it behoves prudent men to make an 
 attack upon an enemy by some method, in which there 
 may be no danger of life. Beware : depart from this 
 thought, that thou mayest not ruin thyself, like the 
 heron, who exerted himself to destroy the crab, and gave 
 his own dear life to the winds. 
 
 The raven said, how happened that ? 
 
 Story. 
 
 The jackal said. There was a heron, dwelling upon the 
 bank of a certain piece of water; and of all objects the 
 purport of his heart was turned to fishing; and he used 
 
61 
 
 to catch fish, to the extent of his wants, and pass his life 
 in comfort: when the weakness of old age made way upon 
 him, and his bodily faculties were inclined to give way, 
 being unequal to the pursuit of fish, and being caught in 
 the snare of grief, he said to himself, Couplet. — " Alas ! 
 the caravan of life ! for it is gone so far, that their dust 
 has not reached the air of our country." Alas! for I have 
 flung precious life to the winds, in trifling sports : I have 
 not laid up in store any thing which in the season of old 
 age may afford any traces of manhood, or give me any 
 support : and at this day there is not any strength left, 
 and there is no amends for strength : that will be best, 
 that I build my conduct upon stratagem, and spread out 
 the net of device and deceit ; it may be that, by this sub- 
 terfuge, life may go on. So he sat down upon the brink 
 of the water, like those who weep and sigh, and make 
 lamentation. A certain crab espied him afar off; she 
 came forward, and having thrown out the first forms of 
 familiar talk, said. My dear sir, I find thee melancholy; 
 what is the reason of it ? He replied. How shall I not 
 be sorrowful ? And thou dost not know that the source of 
 my maintenance, and the stock of my living was this ; that 
 every day I used to catch a fish or two, and hence there 
 would result to me a check to the last gasp, food to stop 
 death : there was no great loss to the fish from this ; and 
 my days were decked in the ornament of contentment and 
 gladness. To-day, two sportsmen were passing along here 
 and saying, that there were a great many fish in this lake, 
 and that some contrivance must be made for them. One 
 of them said. In such and such a lake the fish are more 
 numerous than this ; let us first settle their business, and 
 then turn our views upon these. Now if the matter is to 
 be in this fashion, I must tear up my heart from sweet 
 life, and fix it upon the bitterness of death. The crab, 
 when she heard this news, instantly returned, and went up 
 to the fishes, and related the alarming intelligence, just 
 
62 
 
 as die had heard it. Agitation and clamour broke out 
 amongst them ; and in union with the crab they set their 
 faces to the heron, and said. Such a piece of news has 
 reached us from thee, and borne away the reins of con- 
 nix since from our hands. Couplet. — " The more we look 
 upon the emergency, from head to foot, the more, like the 
 compasses, arc wegiddy." Now we consult with thee. He 
 who is consulted is trustworthy. A wise man, although it 
 were an enemy, when they consult with him, it behoves 
 him that he should not lay aside the conditions of advice; 
 and especially in an affair where the advantage may revert 
 to him. Now thou dost thyself acknowledge that the 
 continuance of thy being is wrapped up in us: and that 
 thy life is dependent upon our existence : so what dost 
 thou think right in our concerns ? 
 
 The heron answered thus. I heard these words myself 
 from the tongue of the fishermen ; and resistance against 
 them cannot take any shape: nor does anv device but this 
 occur to my mind. I know a lake, close by, whose water 
 breathes equality in clearness with the pure dawn ; and in 
 reflecting forms takes precedence of the mirror, displaying 
 the world: one can count the grains of sand at the bottom 
 of it, and sec the eggs of the fish in its basin: and yet 
 withal neither can the diver of comprehension reach to its 
 depth ; nor the traveller of the fancy perceive its shore; 
 the eye ol" the snare of any sportsman hath not fallen on 
 that lake; and the fish of that pool have not known any 
 Imprisonment but a chain of water. Couplet. — " It is a 
 lake in the likeness of an ocean; but it is an ocean without 
 end oi- bottom.* 1 If ye could remove to that place, ve 
 might be in safety and repose, in enjoyment and tran- 
 quility, for the remainder of life. They said, It is a good 
 notion ; but our removal is not possible without thy help 
 and aid. The heron replied, I should not begrudge you 
 whatever I may have of strength and power; but the time 
 ' bort ; the fisherman may come from hour to hour, and 
 
63 
 
 the opportunity be lost. The fish supplicated ; and as a 
 great favour, the determination settled upon this ; that 
 every day having taken up several fish, he should carry 
 them to that lake. So every morning the heron used to 
 take away several fish, and eat them on the top of the 
 hillock that was in the neighbourhood. And when he 
 used to come back, the others would make haste for the 
 removal and change; and seek for advance and precedence 
 over one another. Wisdom looked upon their folly and 
 negligence with the eye of example; and time, with a 
 thousand eyes, wept over their lamentable condition. And 
 doubtless, every one who is beguiled by the flattery of an 
 enemy, and holds as proper reliance upon a base person, 
 mean in race, his deserts are this. 
 
 When many days had passed, a fancy for that lake 
 having got into the head of a crab also, he wanted to 
 remove ; and gave the heron knowledge of the idea. The 
 heron reflected thus : There is not a more thorough enemy 
 to me than he ; the besi; thing is this, that I convey him 
 away also to his friends. So he advanced, and having 
 taken the crab upon his neck, he set off for the bed- 
 chamber of the fish. The crab, who saw the bones of the 
 fish from afar, understood how the matter w r as, and con- 
 sidered with himself thus: a sensible man, when he sees 
 that an enemy has a design upon his life, if he neglects 
 exertion will have toiled in his own blood ; and when he 
 shall strive, his condition will not go beyond two things ; 
 if he becomes victorious, he leaves a reputation for courage 
 upon the page of time ; or if the business should not 
 prosper, at least he is not reproached for want of spirit 
 and self-defence. Fragment. — " When an enemy has 
 attacked thee, in order to repel the injury, strive with 
 zeal and energy, if thou art distinguished by reason ; for 
 if thy desire comes to hand, thou readiest thy wish ; and 
 if it does not come about, thou art then excused." Then 
 the crab cast himself about the neck of the heron, and 
 
64 
 
 began to squeeze his throat tight. The heron was old 
 and feeble, and becoming senseless with the least pressure 
 on his throat, hr fell down from the air, and became even 
 with the dust. The erah having alighted from his neck, 
 took his own fancy ; and having set his foot on the w T ay, 
 came to the rest of the fish, and mingling condolence for 
 departed friends with congratulations on the life of those 
 present, gave them information of the state of the case. 
 The whole being delighted, reckoned on the death of the 
 heron as a new existence, and a life without measure. 
 Verses. — " One moment of life, after the death of such an 
 enemy, I have a notion it is better than a century of exis- 
 tence : we do not exult over the death of our enemy ; but 
 then one moment of separation from an enemy is better 
 than thou canst name." 
 
 And I have struck off this copy, that thou mayest 
 understand that many a man goes to ruin by his own 
 deceit and cunning; and that the mischief of his treachery, 
 according to this text, " base fraud does not take effect, 
 except upon its author," turns round upon himself. But 
 I will show thee a method, which if you act upon it, may 
 be the cause of thy security, and the ruin of thine enemy. 
 The raven said. It is not possible to depart from the di- 
 rections of friends, nor to oppose the judgment of the wise. 
 ( ^//jjfef. — u Thou guidest me, cup-bearer, to the wine- 
 house : opposition to thy will is not the path of affection." 
 The jackal said. The best thing is this ; that thou take 
 flight to the top of the air, and east thy sight upon the 
 terraces of the houses and the plains ; and wherever thou 
 Beesf any jewellery, the seizure of which may be practi- 
 cal >le, having conic down, thou shalt take it up, and fly 
 into the open space of the air, in such a way that thou be 
 not lost from the sight of the people ; for there is no 
 doubt but sonic men will come upon the track, in pursuit 
 of the ornament ; and when thou shalt come near the 
 snake drop it down upon him, that to those people the 
 
65 
 
 sight may fall upon him : certainly, having first let him 
 loose from the bondage of life, they will take up the 
 jewels ; and thy heart shall find rest, without thyself having 
 made any exertion to get rid of him. The raven, at the 
 suggestion of the jackal, set off for inhabited places ; she 
 saw a woman, who having laid her ornaments in a corner 
 of the terrace, was herself occupied in her ablutions ; these 
 the raven carried off, and just in the manner that the jackal 
 had said, threw them on the snake. The men who had 
 come on the track of the raven, instantly beat his head 
 to pieces : and the raven escaped free. Hemistich. — " The 
 enemy went from the midst, and the tears also from the 
 bosom." 
 
 Dainanah said. I have told this tale, that thou mayest 
 know that what it is possible to do by cunning, may not 
 be possible by strength. Kalllah said. To the ox strength 
 and fierceness, reason and management, all abound ; and 
 by stratagem, it is not possible to get the better of such a 
 person ; for on every side, where thou by stratagem shall 
 effect an opening, he by thought will close it up ; and it 
 is likely that before thou shalt make a supper upon him, 
 he will make a breakfast off thee. Perhaps the story of 
 that hare has never come to thy ears, who formed the 
 purpose of entrapping the fox, and got caught herself. 
 
 Dainanah said, how was that ? 
 
 Story. 
 
 Kalllah said. I have heard that a hungry wolf was 
 running along a plain, on the scent of a meal ; he saw a 
 hare, asleep, in the shade of a bush ; and the sleep of 
 negligence had seized upon all parts of her. The wolf 
 reckoned her an immense booty, and began to advance 
 slowly towards her. The hare, being warned by the alarm 
 of his breath, and the dread of his step, jumped up, and 
 wanted to run away. The wolf, having got possession of 
 the road, said. Couplet. — "Come on, come on; fori 
 have no power to bear distance : go not, go not ; for I 
 
66 
 
 am in despair by absence." The hare stood still on the 
 spot, with awe of him ; and having begun to supplicate, 
 rubbed the face of entreaty on the earth, and said, I know 
 that the fire of the hunger of the prince of beasts is in a 
 blaze ; and that the faculty of nutrition, by reason of the 
 search of food, is in agitation: yet I, witli this feeble frame 
 and weak body, am no more than one mouthful for the 
 prince : what is the good of me ; by eating me up, what 
 can be made secure, or what set free? There is in this 
 neighbourhood a fox, who from excess of fatness cannot 
 travel ; and from abundance of flesh is not able to move. 
 Somehow, I think that his flesh, in juice and freshness, is 
 like the water of life ; and his blood, in sweetness and 
 delicacy, like sherbet of sugar-candy. If the prince would 
 give his feet the trouble, I would, by any stratagem that 
 I can, bring him into captivity, and the prince may just 
 break his fast upon him : if any pleasure should arise, why 
 there it is ; and if not, I am still your prisoner and captive. 
 Get others into the noose ; for we ourselves are captive. 
 The w r clf being deluded by his false and juggling words, 
 followed the path to the dwelling of the fox. Now there 
 was in that neighbourhood a fox, who in deceitfulness 
 might have read a lecture to Satan ; and who, in forming 
 devices and playing tricks, might have given a lesson to 
 fancy and imagination. Verses. — " He was a little fox, 
 alert and hypocritical ; or if not, he w r as the lord of that 
 wilderness : he was a sprite, the conjuror of the plains and 
 the village ; and in his subtlety had carried off the victory 
 from all the beasts: both the beasts of the plains were 
 lamenting about him; and the dogs of the village w r ere 
 howling against him : at the moment of leaping, he be- 
 came lost from view, having swept the court of the sky 
 \\ ith the broom ol* his tail." 
 
 The hare had an old quarrel with him : upon this occa- 
 sion, having found an opportunity, he formed the design 
 of revenge : so having left the wolf at the entrance of the 
 
67 
 
 hole, he entered the abode of the fox, and fulfilled the 
 customs of salutation and good wishes. The fox, too, with 
 great deference, returned an answer to the salutation, and 
 said. Couplet. — " Thou art welcome ; whence comest 
 thou ? come in ; sit down : come in ; for I will give thee 
 a place upon my face and my eyes ; sit down. The hare 
 said. For a long time since I am always in anxiety for 
 the honour of an interview ; and am disappointed of that 
 happiness by the impediments of treacherous fortune, and 
 the accidents of a faithless and inconstant age; but lately 
 a holy man, who in the Egypt of divine favour is exalted 
 to sovereignty, and in the regions of spiritual power is a 
 sage indulgent to disciples, has done us the honour to come 
 to this country from the sacred shrine : and having heard 
 the fame of the monastic seclusion and retirement of your 
 lordship, has made your humble slave a means of intro- 
 duction, that he may enlighten the eye of his heart with 
 that world-adorning beauty, and perfume the palate of his 
 soul with the odours of your musk-like thoughts: if there 
 be permission for a meeting, then good ; but if the time 
 docs not allow it, some other chance may occur. Couplet. 
 — " Either let him go back from this gate, like unforeseen 
 calamities : or let him alight upon this place, like the 
 prayer that is accepted." 
 
 The fox read off, from the page of this discourse, a 
 picture of stratagem ; and contemplated in the mirror of 
 these words the image of a deceitful scheme. He said to 
 himself. The wisest thing is this ; that I should proceed 
 with them, just in their own fashion; and just pour down 
 their throats some of their own draughts. A stone is the 
 recoinpence of him who flings stones. So the fox, too, 
 set a great deal of flattery to work ; and said. We have 
 girded up the loins in the service of travellers lor this 
 purpose; and have opened the door of the cell in the face 
 of holy men — for the sake of this — that we may derive a 
 benefit from the sublimity of their state of extacy, and 
 
 K 
 
68 
 
 from their excellent thoughts; especially such a holy man 
 as thou dost represent: and to this kind of eminent person, 
 >m thou dost describe, what deficiency can I show in 
 hospitality, or what minute point can I neglect in humble 
 duty? For " the guest when he alights, alights to his 
 own appointed food;" and our ancestors have said. 
 Fragment* — " Whomsoever thou mavest see in the world 
 is eating his own daily hread ; whether his bread be from 
 thy board, or from his own board: therefore it behoves 
 thee to receive a favour from a guest, because he eats, 
 at the board of thy abundance, his own bread." But I 
 entertain a hope that thou wilt make some delay, that I 
 may draw a broom over this corner of a nest; and that, 
 for the sake of this guest of holy steps, I may spread a 
 carpet which may be worthy of the occasion. The hare 
 imagined that his invention having taken with the fox, he 
 would instantly have the honour of waiting upon the wolf. 
 He replied. The guest is a man without ceremony, and 
 simple in character; and has an indifference to finery of 
 lodging and clothing : but since your transcendent mind 
 desires to observe some ceremony, there is no harm neither 
 in that ; go to the business. He said this, and came out 
 and communicated the whole occurrence to the wolf; and 
 gave him glad tidings of the fox having been deluded : 
 and then in repetition, for in every novelty there is a 
 pleasure, he began to praise the flesh, and the fat, the 
 juiciness and freshness of the fox. While the wolf, having 
 sharpened the teeth of appetite, was sweetening his mouth 
 with the relish of the flesh of the fox; and the hare, 
 because of this good service, was forming with himself a 
 notion of freedom. But the fox, from views of caution 
 and foresight, prior to this by a long time, had dug a deep 
 pit in his dwelling, and gradually carried out all the earth 
 of it : and had covered the top of it with a little rubbish 
 and hushes; and he had also a secret way, by which, in 
 time of necessity, he could get out from there. When 
 
69 
 
 he had dispatched the hare he came to the edge of the 
 pit, and arranged the rubbish and bushes of it in such a 
 manner, that it would sink on a slight movement. Then 
 coming to the mouth of the secret path, he called out 
 thus. O venerable guests, give your feet the trouble. 
 And in the moment of their entrance, he departed by that 
 opening. The hare, with prodigious alacrity, and the 
 wolf, with thorough greediness, walked into that dark cell. 
 To step upon the edge of the rubbish, and to tumble to 
 the bottom of the pit, was the same thing. The wolf 
 fancied that this trick, too, was one of the hare's doings ; 
 he instantly tore her in pieces, and relieved the world from 
 the disgrace of her existence. 
 
 And I have produced this instance, that thou shouldest 
 understand that stratagem will not advance with clever 
 men ; and that a person who has any share of caution and 
 forethought, does not grow conceited by the delusions of 
 any one. 
 
 Damanah replied. It is as thou sayest : but the ox is 
 conceited of himself, and is inattentive to my animosity ; 
 and I can overthrow him by his negligence : for the 
 treacherous arrow, which they let fly from the ambush of 
 friendship, is the more penetrating. Perhaps thou hast 
 not heard in what way the treachery of the hare became 
 effectual upon the lion ; and that since he was inattentive 
 to the fraud, notwithstanding his sagacity and penetration, 
 he fell into the labyrinth of ruin. 
 
 Kalilah said, how was that ? 
 
 Story. 
 
 Damanah said. They have related that in the vicinity 
 of Bagdad there was a meadow, whose breezes might 
 perfume the odour of paradise ; and the lustre of whose 
 sweet herbs might enlighten the eye of the sky : from each 
 branch of its flowery banks a thousand stars were shining; 
 and in the beauty of every one of those stars nine spheres 
 revolving. Verses, — " Flowing streams, through herbage 
 
70 
 
 i-«l on ni 
 
 loisture; like quicksilver, through a statue of lapis 
 lazuli: sweet herbs sprouted up on the banks of the stream; 
 the gales shedding amber; the air smelling of musk.*' 
 
 Now in that meadow there were many harmless animals; 
 and by means of the goodness of the climate, the delight- 
 fulness of the position, the plenty of water, and the vastness 
 of the abundance, they used to pass the time in pleasure 
 and com fort. But in the neighbourhood was a fierce- 
 tempered mischief-seeking lion ; who used every day to 
 exhibit to those helpless creatures an unpropitious meeting; 
 and made enjoyment and existence disagreeable to them. 
 ( Ine day, having come to the agreement, they went to the 
 lion; and having set forth their allegiance and obedience, 
 they said, O king! we are thy subjects and attendants; 
 and thou, every day, after vast pains and boundless trouble, 
 art able to hunt down one of us, or not : while we are 
 constantly, from dread of thee, under a struggle of mis- 
 fortune; and thou also, in the pursuit of us, art in a chase 
 after sorrow. We have just now made a scheme, which 
 may be a means of tranquility to thee, and a cause of 
 security and rest to us. If, as heretofore, thou wilt not be 
 vexatious to ns, and wilt not daily make our time mise- 
 rable, we will send a head of game, at breakfast time, as a 
 daily provision for (he kitchen of the king ; nor will we 
 allow any deficiency in the delivery of it. The lion gave 
 his consent to it. And they, every day, used to cast lots; 
 and in the name of whomsoever of the animals it came 
 up, they would send him to the lion for the purpose of the 
 dailj supply; till in this manner some time had elapsed. 
 One day the lot came forth in the name of the hare; and 
 the times made her the target of the arrow of evil. She 
 said to her friends. If yon will show a little forbearance 
 towards me, in Bending me, I will extricate you from the 
 oppression of this tyrant. They replied. On this point 
 there is no harm. The hare for an hour made delay, till 
 thr rime of breakfast was gone by; and the ferocious 
 
nature of the lion having come into action, he was grinding 
 his teeth together, in a rage with the animals. The hare 
 went very softly towards him, and found him exceedingly 
 vexed ; the fire of hunger having seated him upon the 
 wind, and the glare of anger being manifest in each 
 movement and attitude. Couplet. — " The oven of the 
 stomach, every moment heating; would be a calamity on 
 the day of not finding.' 1 The hare found the lion, from 
 excess of rage, beating his tail, in vengeance, on the 
 ground ; and seeking, with anxiety of mind, an infringe- 
 ment of the treaty. He advanced slowly, and made a 
 salutation. The lion enquired, whence comest thou ? and 
 what is the matter with the beasts ? She said. According 
 to established custom, they had sent a hare in company 
 with me; and by mutual consent, we had the design of 
 attendance: a lion came up with us on the way, and 
 snatched her up: and though we used vehemence, saying 
 it was the food of the king of the harmless animals, and 
 the daily supply of their monarch, he paid no attention to 
 my words, but said, this is my hunting ground ; and the 
 game of it belongs to me : thou hast not heard, perhaps, 
 " every lion and his own woods." O king, having set 
 forth pride and boasting, he so explained the power of his 
 might, that I became at a loss, and have fled from 
 before him, that I might lay the state of the case open to 
 your enlightened mind. The haughtiness of ignorance 
 being excited in the lion, he said. Verses. — " I am one 
 who, in the art of taunts and blows, will teach among 
 lions the rules of war : what lion shall show this daring, 
 that he casts his paw upon my prey ?" Then he said. O 
 hare! canst thou show him to me, that I might do justice 
 to thy heart against him, and also reap my own revenge? 
 The hare said. Why should not I be able, when he lias 
 uttered all sorts of disrespectful expressions with respect to 
 the king: and if I had been able, I would have made the 
 cup of his head a water trough for the beasts of the field. 
 
72 
 
 ( bvpkt. — w But I trust in God, that I shall see him in thy 
 dutches ; to my heart's desire." She said this, and put 
 hi reelf in advance ; and the simple-hearted lion, beguiled 
 hv her fraud, began to move on behind her. 
 
 The hare led the lion to the brink of a large well, whose 
 water, by its clearness, like a mirror of China, would 
 represent all forms correctly; and would, without mistake, 
 tell the character of the dress, and the countenance of each 
 of the beholders. Couplet. — " No one ever looked into 
 it ; but he perused his own image from the page of its 
 brilliant mind." She said. O king! thy worthless enemy 
 is in this well ; and I am frightened at his awfulness : if 
 your majesty would take me into his bosom, I could show 
 the enemy to him. The lion having taken her into his 
 bosom, looked down into the well, and saw the image of 
 himself and the hare in the water. He thought it was 
 that lion, and that he had dragged to his breast the hare 
 which had been his daily supply. He dropped her, and 
 threw himself into the well ; and after two or three plunges 
 gave up his blood-thirsty soul to the flames of hell. And 
 the hare, returning in safety, gave the animals intelligence 
 of the particulars of the event: and they shewing constancy 
 in the daily duty of thankfulness to God, went on grazing 
 at ease in gardens of security and peace ; and used to 
 repeal ibis Couplet. — " A single draught of water, after 
 sad thoughts, is pleasanter than a life of seventy years." 
 
 In producing this example, it is understood, that an 
 enemy, however powerful he may be, in a state of care- 
 lessness, it is possible to get the advantage over him. 
 kalilali Baid. If thou shouldst be able to ruin the ox, so 
 that any vexation may not reach the lion, it might have 
 some shew, and one might, in some sort excuse it; but 
 if his destruction should not succeed without injury to the 
 lion, take care that thouset not about the business: for a 
 sensible person will not choose inconvenience to one whom 
 In- serves, for the sake of his own comfort. The conver- 
 
73 
 
 sation, at these words, came to an end : and Damanah, 
 having abstained from attendance, went into the corner of 
 seclusion ; till one day, having found an opportunity, he 
 thrust himself in private upon the lion, and stood, like one 
 that is sorrowful and grieved, with a sore mind, and his 
 head down. The lion said. It is many days that I have 
 not seen thee : is it well ? He replied. Please God, in 
 future, it may he well. The lion was startled, and said 
 Has anything happened ? He said yes. He said. Relate 
 it. Damanah answered. There must be a private place, 
 and a leisure time for that. The lion replied. This 
 moment is the time ; explain it cjuickly, for important 
 affairs do not endure delay: and if the business of to-day 
 falls upon to-morrow, a thousand evils may appear 
 Couplet. — " Make no delay ; but bring forward the chief 
 point of the business : for in delay there are many evils." 
 Damanah said. Every word, on hearing which, aversion 
 may happen to the hearer; in relating those things, one 
 should shew boldness ; and it is not fit to repeat them, 
 except upon much thought and great consideration; unless 
 there be perfect confidence in the reason and discrimination 
 of the hearer; and he who hears them also should consider 
 the circumstances of the speaker; whether he is in a 
 position for advice and well-wishing, or not; and when 
 he knows that the speaker can have no object but the dis- 
 charge of the claims of patronage, he ought to shew atten- 
 tion to his words, with the ear of consent; especially when 
 the benefits and advantages of them revert back to him. 
 The lion said. Thou dost know that I am become an 
 exception from kings, by the superiority of my judgment, 
 and the excellency of my prudence ; and that in listening 
 to the language of every person, I make royal discrimi- 
 nation the model of my mind: do thou say whatever 
 thou wilt, without ceremony ; and without hesitation do 
 not keep secret whatever may have come to thy mind. 
 Damanah said. I also have obtained permission for this 
 
74 
 
 boldness, on this account, that my confidence is to the 
 utmost settled upon the wisdom and knowledge of your 
 majesty ; and besides it is not concealed, that I utter my 
 words out of pure affection, and the essence of honesty; 
 and do not pollute them with mistrust and doubt, or with 
 design and motives: and nothing but the touchstone of 
 the imperial nature ascertains the standard of the coin of 
 wbrds. Couplet. — " Praise to God! thai the understanding 
 of the king- is a touchstone ; which can ascertain our 
 alloy and our pureness." The lion replied. The fulness 
 of th v honesty is manifest ; and the remarks of it are clear 
 on the forehead of thy habits; and without reserve, thy 
 words become imputed to affection and advice ; while 
 suspicion and doubt find no place of entrance about them. 
 Damanah said. The preservation of the whole mass of 
 animals is bound up with the life of your majesty; it 
 therefore behoves every one of the subjects who is endued 
 and distinguished by the marks of pure disposition, and 
 genuine descent, that he withhold nothing' from the king, 
 in the discharge of duty, and declaration of the sincerity 
 of advice : for philosophers have said, that whoever con- 
 ceals any right from the king, or any infirmity from the 
 physician, or who does not see fit to expose his poverty 
 and want to bis friends, will have committed treachery to 
 himself. The lion said. Thy attachment and singleness 
 of mind have been long ago apparent to me; and I have 
 known thy honesty and integrity: now tell me what has 
 happened, that after a knowledge of the particulars of the 
 case, occupation may proceed with the management of it, 
 Damanah, when he had deluded and deceived the lion with 
 bis canting and cheating, let loose his tongue, and said. 
 ( '<>tt)>l( I . — " ( ) king ! may discretion be thy guide; victory 
 thy friend: and enemies thy contempt." Shanzabah has 
 had many private interviews with the generals of the army; 
 and lias introduced conversations with the pillars of the 
 state: and lias -aid thus. I have tried the lion; and have 
 
75 
 
 learnt the measure of his strength and power, and judg- 
 ment and sagacity; and in each have observed many 
 defects, and innumerable weakness. Couplet. — " He was 
 not such, as he was to us in idea; we had a great notion 
 of him, but he was no such thing." And I am in amaze- 
 ment, that your majesty, in honouring this treacherous 
 denier of munificence, shewed all that excess; and made 
 him the second of two, in power and authority; in return 
 for all that favour, this idea has come into being from him ; 
 and in opposition to so much kindness, this design has 
 thrust out its head from his character. But to a certainty, 
 in conformity with — verily man is rebellious, if his will be 
 independent — the person who sees his hands unshackled 
 in commanding and forbidding, and finds the reins of 
 loosening and binding general affairs in the grasp of his 
 own authority — the demon of strife will lay eggs in the 
 nest of his brain ; and the lust of wickedness will burst 
 forth from the blackness of his heart. Verses. — " The 
 man whom the world shall raise up from the well of con- 
 tempt, and carry to the summit of admiration ; it were a 
 wonder, if he should not make a claim to sovereignty; or 
 throw the heads of the rebellious into the noose." The 
 lion said, O Dam an ah ! consider well what words these 
 are which thou spcakest, and whence thou hast learnt the 
 particulars of this circumstance : and if it be, as is under- 
 stood from thy declaration, of what sort the management 
 of it should be. Damanah said, The exaltation of his 
 rank, and the elevation of his station, are clear to your 
 majesty. And when a king sees any one of his servants 
 in competition with himself in degree of honour, wealth, 
 and pomp, he should the more quickly remove him from 
 his presence, or else the business will get out of his hands; 
 and the king will fall from his position. And the remedy 
 for this matter, in such wise as the enlightened mind, the 
 shelter of government may dictate — where can our languid 
 thoughts, and deficient talents reach to it. I am sure, 
 
 L 
 
76 
 
 however, that arrangements in this affair ought to he made 
 with promptitude; and that if you deliberate, it is possihle 
 the matter may eomc to that point, that the fool of 
 management will he unequal to the extent of its manage- 
 ment. Fragment. — " Thy enemy was only an ant; it 
 became a snake: pick out the brains from this ant, grown 
 to a snake: give him not time, any longer; do not carry 
 on life: for he hecomes a dragon, if a snake finds time." 
 And they have said that men are of two classes: the man 
 of caution, and the inefficient man: the inefficient is one 
 who, at the time of the occurrence of an event, or the 
 falling out of any accident, is confused in head, distracted, 
 agitated in manner, and wandering; while the man of 
 caution is one who, having followed forethought, is always 
 considering the consequences of affairs. Men of caution, 
 also, are of two kinds. First, he who, before the appear- 
 ance of the danger, shall have recognized the quality of it ; 
 and that which others learn in the termination of affairs, 
 he, in the commencement of them, shall have seen with 
 the eye of reason; and who shall have provided for the 
 conclusions of matters, in the beginnings. Verses, — 
 " First thought; last action." And such a person, before 
 he shall fall into the whirlpool of calamity, is able to 
 convey himself to the shore of freedom : and him they 
 call most cautious. And the second is one who, when 
 misfortune comes, keeping his courage steady, does not 
 give way to consternation and alarm : and, doubtless, to 
 such a person the path of right conduct, and the means 
 of management, will not he concealed: and this man they 
 call cautious; And applicable to the condition of these 
 three persons (of whom one is perfectly wise, and another 
 half Wise, and the third a negligent fool,) is the story of 
 those three fish who had fallen together in a pond. The 
 lion asked in whit way was that : 
 
 Story. 
 Damanafa Said, They have related that there was a lake 
 
77 
 
 far from the high road, hidden, and concealed from the 
 passage of travellers : its water pure, like the faith of the 
 spiritual ; its appearance, gratifying to those who were 
 looking for the fountain of immortality ; and the lake 
 communicated with the running stream. And three 
 huge fishes there reposed : Pisees, in jealousy of them, 
 would burn upon the pan of envy, like Aries under the 
 heat of the sun : one of them was most cautious ; ano- 
 ther, cautious ; and the other, helpless. Suddenly, in 
 the season of spring, when the world, from the splendour 
 of the garden, had become a pattern of Paradise, and 
 where all parts of the expanse of the earth, with its spark- 
 ling herbs, were like the azure vault, full of stars; when 
 the chamberlain, the morning breeze, had adorned the 
 floor of the earth with variegated couplets ; and the 
 matchless gardener of creation had ornamented the gar- 
 den of the world with flowers of various hues. Verses. 
 — " The garden was loaded with musk by the breeze of 
 the moon ; the jessamine, in its delicacy, like the check 
 of our beloved ; at the breath of the dawn, the rose 
 opened her lips, like a smiling beauty encouraging her 
 lover." 
 
 Suddenly, the way of two or three fishermen chanced 
 to be by that lake. Providentially, they fully discovered 
 the circumstance of the abode of the three fish in the 
 lake ; so they made an appointment together, and ran to 
 fetch a net. The fishes, being aware of the occurrence, 
 fell into company with the fire of anguish, in the very 
 heart of the water. When night came on, that fish 
 which was perfectly wise, and professed the most caution, 
 because he had many times seen the assault of the 
 treacherous times, and the insolent looks of the indis- 
 criminate sky, and had always stood firm on the floor of 
 experience, began to turn in his mind the thought of escape 
 from the net of the fishermen, and the idea of liberation 
 from their capture. Verses, — " Recognise that man as 
 
78 
 
 prudent and wise, who lays a solid foundation for all his 
 proceedings ; the man whose caution is not firm, the 
 foundation of all his designs will be very weak." So he 
 set his face briskly to the work, and, or ever he made any 
 consultation with his friends, got out on that side where 
 it was connected with the river. At dawn, the fisher- 
 men, making their appearance, firmly secured the two 
 ends of the lake ; and the half-clever fish, who was dis- 
 tinguished by the ornament of prudence, but had no 
 share of the stores of prudence, when he observed the 
 circumstance, felt great shame, and said, I have given 
 way to supincness, and such is the conclusion of the 
 affairs of the negligent ; it would have been right that I, 
 like that fish, should have tasted my trouble, before the 
 arrival of the misfortune ; and should have thought of 
 escape, before the attack of calamity. Couplet. — " The 
 remedy for an occurrence should be made before the 
 event ; neglect docs no good when the affair has got 
 beyond our reach." 
 
 Now that the opportunity of flight has been lost, is the 
 season for deceit and stratagem. Though they have said, 
 that arrangements in a time of distress, do not yield much 
 advantage ; and that much enjoyment does not arise from 
 the fruit of skill in the season of calamity ; yet, with all 
 this, it behoves a wise man that he should, on no account, 
 despair of the benefits of wisdom ; and should never 
 admit of delay or tardiness in repelling the devices of an 
 enemy. So he feigned himself dead, and went floating on 
 the surface of the water. One of the fishermen picked 
 him up ; and, under the notion of his being dead, flung 
 him on the bare ground; and he, by a trick, threw him- 
 self into the river, and saved his life. Couplet. — " Die, 
 my friend, if thou desirest freedom ; for without dying, 
 thou canst not find thy friend." 
 
 Bui the other fish, in whose habits supincness was 
 predominant, and weakness manifest in all his actions, 
 
79 
 
 went about, right and left, astounded, confused, delirious, 
 and unsteady ; and kept looking to the surface, and to the 
 bottom, until at last he was caught. 
 
 And from the relation of this fable, it will appear cer- 
 tain to the king, that speed must be used in the matter of 
 Shanzabah ; and that, before the loss of opportunity and 
 power, he should, with a sword of high temper, strike the 
 fire of remorse into the soul of that vile dust, — give the 
 granary of his life to the wind of destruction, — and send 
 up the smoke of his lineage to the sky. Couplet. — 
 " Whilst power still remains over the treacherous foe, 
 dash out his brains with the stone of desolation." 
 
 The lion replied, What thou hast said, has been under- 
 stood; but I have no suspicion that Shanzabah meditates 
 any dishonesty, or that he will allow the sure results of 
 ingratitude to stand in opposition to my past acts of 
 bounty ; for, in all this time, I have never held any thing 
 to be right towards him, but goodness and kindness. 
 
 Damanah said, It is even so ; but it is these favours of 
 the king, which has raised him to this elevation. Couplet. 
 — " It is for thee to say, where the scar shall be ; and 
 since thou layest on the ointment, what does it signify?" 
 
 An abject fellow, of a base spirit, will be of one mind and 
 give good advice, all the time that he has not reached the 
 station of which he is in hopes ; but when his object is 
 attained, a desire for other degrees of elevation, for which 
 he has no fitness, will burst forth from the treasury of bis 
 fancy. And the ancients have said, that the duty of a 
 base and low-born man depends upon the rule of fear and 
 hope : where he is secure against the effects of fear, he 
 darkens the fountain head of loyalty ; and where, by the 
 attainment of all his hopes, he feels self-sufficient, he 
 kindles the fire of ingratitude and disturbance- The lion 
 said, Then, in what way can one 4 proceed witb servants of 
 a base disposition, and of low sentiments ; so that vestiges 
 of ingratitude may not become manifest ? Damanah 
 
80 
 
 answered, One should not so far deprive thein of one's 
 favours, that becoming all at once hopeless, and quitting 
 our service, they shall incline to our enemies ; nor yet 
 should we bestow such bounty and wealth upon them, that 
 having attained to the limits of prosperity, extravagant 
 fancies may burst out in them : but they should rather 
 always live between fear and hope ; and all their under- 
 takings should turn upon the promises and threats of fear 
 and hope. For power and security will render them self- 
 sufficient ; and that may be a means of rebellion and 
 offence : despair and misery will make servants audacious ; 
 and that becomes a cause of injury to the dignity of kings. 
 Couplet. — " The hopeless man becomes daring and inso- 
 lent of speech; Oh! my friend, do not act so that I shall 
 become hopeless/' 
 
 The lion replied, To my mind it seems, that the mirror 
 of Shanzabah's character is quite clear of the rust of this 
 deceit ; and that the page of his heart is pure and 
 free from the writing of such a fancy ; for I have always 
 been upon a footing of indulgence to him ; I have even 
 made my favours to mingle with his fortune : and after 
 kindness and benefits have constantly overtaken him from 
 me, how can he meditate harm and injury in return for 
 this ? Couplet. — " Since my heart makes itself conspi- 
 cuous by love for him, w T hy should he raise the standard 
 in enmity to me ?" 
 
 Damanah said, The king ought to know that truth can 
 never proceed from those who are crooked in temper ; 
 and that one of an evil disposition, and of a corrupt stock, 
 will never, nor by the exertions of others, nor by his own 
 efforts, become amiable in temper, or virtuous in cha- 
 racter. " Every pot leaks with what is in it." Verse. — 
 u The same thing trickles out from the pitcher that is 
 within." Perhaps the story of the scorpion and the tortoise 
 may not have reached the august hearing of your majesty. 
 
 The lion enquired what it was ; and Damanah said, 
 
81 
 
 Story. 
 A tortoise had an attachment to a scorpion ; they were 
 ever breathing the air of unanimity, and forming plans of 
 concord. Couplet. — " From morn to night, united and 
 intimate ; from eve till dawn, associates and confidential." 
 It happened on a time, that by reason of some necessity, 
 it would be necessary to abandon their native spot; and 
 so the two set off, in company with each other, for another 
 habitation. By chance their way lay across a vast river, 
 and a great stream of water appeared across their path ; 
 and since the passage of the scorpion across the water was 
 out of the question, he fell back in amaze. The tortoise 
 said, My dear friend, what has come to you, that you 
 have given the collar of the garment of life into the hand 
 of melancholy, and have gathered up the skirt of your 
 heart from joy and gladness ? The scorpion said, My 
 brother! the thought about getting over this water has 
 thrown me into a whirlpool of consternation ; neither the 
 passage over the river is to be accomplished ; nor to sus- 
 tain separation from my friends possible. Couplet. — 
 "Thou goest on, whilst I, desolate, remain behind; how 
 that I should endure without thee; a wonder that I should 
 remain at all." The tortoise said, Don't suffer any pain; 
 for I, carrying you without the least trouble over the 
 water, will land you on the bank; and turning my back 
 into a boat, I will make a breast thy buckler against 
 calamity ; it would be a pity, with difficulty to gain a 
 friend, and with coolness give him up. Couplet. — " My 
 friend ! go on ; with all thou hast, purchase an attached 
 friend, and do not sell him for any thing." So the 
 tortoise, taking the scorpion on her back, cast her bosom 
 on the water, set off. In the midst of her swimming, a 
 sound reached the ears of the tortoise, and she perceived 
 a tapping made by some action of the scorpion: She said, 
 what noise is this, I hear, and what is the work that you 
 seem so busy about ? The scorpion gave answer, I am 
 
82 
 
 only trying the point of my sting on your armour and 
 helmet. The tortoise was incensed, and said, Unfeeling 
 wretch! for you I have cast my life into a whirlpool of 
 dangers ; and you are passing the water hy the help 
 of the boat of my back; if you don't make gratitude an 
 obligation, if you set no weight upon the rights of early 
 intercourse, what at least is the reason of stinging? since 
 it is certain that no harm can come to me from this act ; 
 nor will your heart-tearing sting have the least effect on 
 my back, resembling a marble quarry. Couplet. — " It is 
 most probable, that he will wound his hand and his mind; 
 he who in violence knocks his fist against the wall." The 
 scorpion said, God forbid that such sentiments as these 
 should at any time of my life, pass through my mind ; or 
 should ever have entered it. It is nothing more than this, 
 that my nature impels me to use my sting ; whether the 
 wound be on the back of a friend, or the bosom of a foe. 
 / r erses. — " To whomsoever there is a vicious habit, with- 
 out design it will break forth from him: the scorpion will 
 strike his sting upon a stone, although he has no power 
 over it." 
 
 The tortoise thought with herself thus : philosophers 
 have said truly, that to cherish a base character, is to give 
 one's own honour to the winds, and to lose the clue of 
 one's own affairs. Couplet. — " To cast gold and jewels 
 into the dirt, is not to be regretted; to shew favour and 
 generosity to the worthless, maybe matter of regret." It 
 is a saying of the ancients, that every one who has no 
 nobility in his descent, hope has no portion in him; for 
 it is unlawful to a corrupt offspring, that he should depart 
 from the world, and not have done evil towards the 
 society which had shown kindness toward him. Fragment. 
 — Ci What way is it possible to educate one, vile in 
 Origin i Why should a man bring up a snake in his 
 Immisi ? Colocynth, by cultivation, will not yield the food 
 of the sugar-cane. That man will never gather roses, 
 
83 
 
 who entirely cultivates thorns." And upon the recital of 
 these words, it must have crossed the brilliant mind of the 
 king, that he ought to be apprehensive of the want of 
 descent in Shanzabah, and of his baseness of caste. And 
 it behoves him to listen, with the ear of prudence, to the 
 advice of his affectionate servants : for he who does not 
 pay attention to the words of his advisers, although they 
 speak harshly and without courtesy, — the results of his 
 proceedings, and the conclusions of his enterprises will 
 not be clear of remorse and blame ; like a sick man, who 
 looks with an eye of contempt upon the order of the 
 physician, and takes meat and drink according to his 
 inclination, — most certainly, languor and debility will every 
 moment obtain greater power over him. Couplet. — " If 
 he who gives advice has spoken from a motive of severity, 
 what harm is there ? Patience is bitter, but it bears 
 sweet fruit." 
 
 And it is to be observed, that the weakest of princes is 
 one, who is negligent of the consequences of affairs, and 
 who despises the business of the kingdom ; who, when- 
 ever any great event falls out, lays aside caution and cir- 
 cumspection ; and who, after the opportunity is lost, and 
 when the enemy is become successful, casts suspicion upon 
 his own immediate servants, and transfers the matter to 
 any one of them. Quatrain. — u The thought, which it 
 behoves thee to take in thine own affairs ; wherefore 
 shouldst thou leave it to another : and at a time, when in 
 this manner, thou hast made a mistake ; why should it 
 be thrown upon the neck of others." 
 
 The lion said, Thou hast spoken words, right harsh ; 
 and hast transgressed beyond the bounds of respect, yet 
 the words of one who gives advice are not to be rejected 
 for harshness, upon the supposition that Shanzalmh is my 
 enemy, it is clear, what work he can do, and that accor- 
 ding to events is food for me : for the source of all his 
 activity has taken its existence from vegetables ; while the 
 
 Bf 
 

 
 84 
 
 support of my strength is derived from flesh; and vegetable 
 parts are always subdued by the animal. Nor do I make 
 that degree of account of him, that the notion of resisting 
 me should pass through his mind, or the mad idea of 
 fighting with me should have settled in his dark thoughts. 
 Couplet. — " When shall it occur to an opponent to boast 
 of contending with one like me ? When shall a gnat be 
 able to match against a raging elephant ?" 
 
 And if Shanzabah, like the moon, should pretend to a 
 comparison with the sun of my prosperity, which shines 
 from the horizon of divine bounty, he will appear dimi- 
 nished and deficient : if, like the sun, he draws the sword 
 against the crescent on my imperial canopy, like the royal 
 eagle, and which is a pattern of the canopy of heaven, in 
 the end he will sink. Verses. — " The empty-handed, if 
 he plays the rich man, is like a lame horse, which acts the 
 part of one fit for the road : I have made that animal to 
 bear his head so high ; I will again throw the noose upon 
 his neck." 
 
 Damanah said, The king should not be deluded by 
 what he says, that he is my food, or, I can get the better 
 of him: for if he is not able by his own nature to contend 
 with you, he may advance his scheme by the assistance of 
 a party of friends ; or else by fraud, hypocrisy, tales, and 
 treachery, he may excite impressions. And I am afraid 
 of this; that, when he has given the animals a desire of 
 enmity to the king, (may it never be) they may breathe 
 concord with him ; for a single person, however powerful 
 and strong in body, will not succeed against a multitude. 
 fragment. — " Gnats, when they are numerous, will assault 
 an elephant, with all the valour and fierceness which belong 
 to him: the little ants, when unanimous, will tear ofFthe 
 skin from the raging lion." 
 
 The lion said, Thy words have taken root in my heart, 
 and 1 have perceived the sincerity of thy counsels ; but 
 then this idea clings to me, that I have raised him; 
 
85 
 
 I raised the standard of his strength and advancement, I 
 have spoken his praises in meetings and assemblies, I have 
 made the recital of his prudence and honesty, sincerity 
 and integrity, to run over my tongue ; if, now, I admit 
 the reverse of all this, I shall be characterized for breaking 
 my word, levity of disposition, and weakness of judgment; 
 and my words will be in abomination in all hearts, and 
 my promise without value in all minds. Couplet. — " Any 
 head, which thou thyself dost elevate, as long as thou art 
 able, thou shalt not cast down from its place." 
 
 Damanah said, A sound judgment, and a wise plan, is 
 this, that as soon as enmity is evinced by a friend, or the 
 pride of lordship is observed in a servant, men should 
 instantly bring their affairs into order, and gather up the 
 skirt from intimacy and society with such persons ; and 
 before the enemy finds time for breakfast, they should 
 make ready a supper for him. Although teeth are very 
 early companions of a man, and a variety of advantages 
 and benefits result to him from them, yet when one begins 
 to ache, he cannot get relief from the pain but by pulling 
 it out; and food, which replaces what is dissipated, and 
 is the support of the material of life, when it becomes 
 corrupt, in the bowels, one cannot get free of the mischief 
 except by expelling it. Couplet. — " The man, by whom 
 thy sorrow-stricken heart is not gladdened ; if truly he be 
 like thy soul, give him up." 
 
 These whisperings of Damanah had their effect upon 
 the lion, and he said, I am disgusted with the society of 
 Shanzabah ; and any further interview of me with him is 
 of the number of impossibilities : this is the very best 
 thing, that I should send some one to him, and make the 
 whole state of the case clear, and give him leave to go 
 wherever he likes. Damanah was afraid that if these 
 words should reach Shanzabah, he would instantly make 
 his innocency and gratitude clear; and that his own deceit 
 and stratagem would come forth from the private chamber 
 
86 
 
 of Becrecyj to the area of manifestation; so he said, O 
 king ! this way is far from caution; and so long as a word 
 has not been spoken, room for circumspection is still left; 
 but after it has been published, the remedy is beyond the 
 limits of our power. Couplet. — " The word, whilst thou 
 hast not spoken it, thou hast the power to speak; but 
 thou canst not again conceal the word which has once 
 been spoken." 
 
 The word which has passed the lips, and the arrow that 
 has left the bow, neither will that come again within our 
 power, nor this return to the aiming point; and it occurs 
 among proverbs, that whatever comes to the tongue goes 
 to waste. And one of the ancients has said, the tongue 
 is the interpreter of the heart; the heart is the lord of the 
 dominion of the body ; and language is the spreader forth 
 of the jewels of the treasury of existence: so long as the 
 door of the casket of speech is closed with the fastening 
 of silence ; and the seal of silence is fixed upon the top of 
 the casket of discourse ; all the sweet herbs of peace will 
 grow in the garden of existence, and the shrub of life will 
 yield all the fruits of security and repose ; but when the 
 rose bush of eloquence expands its smiling leaves, and the 
 nightingale of oratory begins to warble, no one can be 
 safe; for the odours of the garden of discourse will be a 
 means to refresh the heart and strengthen the brain, or 
 the cause of defluxion of the juices of the brain, and bring 
 on a headache ; for tongues which were bound, have, by 
 one fascinating piece of wit, loosened many difficult knots ; 
 but words, producing mischief, have, by one untimely 
 bint, bound the neck of the speaker in heavy bonds. 
 Fragment.— " II' you will look with an eye of discretion 
 upon speech, it is a stock in trade, which produces both 
 profit and loss : and the proof to be given is this, that a 
 witty thing, not said before, may distress a man by vex- 
 ation of heart, or give him life ; but it is often that the 
 
87 
 
 ambush of a word gives the speaker to the winds, in the 
 moment that lie brings it to his tongue." 
 
 O king! if these words should reach Shanzabah, and 
 he should discover the nature of his situation ; and he 
 shall clearly perceive his degradation, it is possible that he 
 may venture upon haughtiness, and begin to fight, or 
 cause strife. Men of caution have not deemed secret 
 punishment suitable to an open offence ; nor approved of 
 public punishment for secret crimes: the safest way is to 
 follow up his concealed offences, with private chastisement. 
 The lion replied, To remove or to banish my nearest 
 friends, upon a bare suspicion, and to destroy all their 
 claims, without any appearance of certainty, would be, 
 with my own hands to strike a hatchet on my own foot ; 
 it would be to wander on a sudden from the path of 
 generosity, and from the highway of integrity. Fragment. 
 — " It would not be agreeable to law or reason, that the 
 king should give a commandment without full proof, for 
 his edict is like a decree of destiny ; sometimes it takes 
 away life, and sometimes gives it." 
 
 There is no better evidence to men possessed of autho- 
 rity, than their own sagacity. When this deceitful traitor 
 shall appear, let the king regard him with a look of pene- 
 tration ; for the baseness of his principles will be evident 
 in a disagreeable aspect; and the vilencss of his intentions 
 in an angry countenance: and a sure sign of the crooked- 
 ness of his mind is this, that he will advance, changing 
 colour, and agitated ; and will look about, right and left, 
 before and behind ; and that he will have made ready for 
 battle, and will have gathered himself up for resistance. 
 The lion said, Thou sayest truly; and if anything of these 
 signs should happen to be observed, then certainly, the 
 dust of doubt will be removed from the path of conviction ; 
 and the unsteadiness of suspicion will be changed for a 
 ground of certainty. 
 
 When Damanah felt that, by his strife-making breath, 
 

 88 
 
 the fire of evil had begun to blaze on the other side, he 
 wanted to go and see the ox, that on his part, too, he 
 might kindle the fire of mischief. Couplet. — " A quarrel 
 between two people is like fire ; an ill-disposed talebearer 
 is one who brings the fuel." He considered that his seeing 
 Shanzabah, ought still to be by the order and with the 
 advice of the lien ; that he might keep clear of all evil 
 surmise. So he said, O king ! if the sublime command 
 should find the honour of promulgation, I may as well 
 see Shanzabah ; and having ascertained something of the 
 hidden things of his mind, and the stores of his heart, 
 I will report it. The lion gave him leave ; and, like one 
 struck by sorrow, and fallen into misfortune, went unto 
 Shanzabah, and fulfilled all the conditions of respect and 
 courtesy. Shanzabah, too, displaying that reverence which 
 was suitable to the occasion, began great civility and 
 flattery, and said, O Damanah ! Verses. — " Bear in 
 mind, that remembrance of me does not occur to thee. 
 It is many days that thou hast not enlightened the sight 
 of thy friends with the rays of thy beauty ; nor hast con- 
 verted the cottage of the friends into a flower garden, with 
 the blossoms of the shrubs of endearment and society." 
 Couplet. — " For ages thou dost not one moment remem- 
 ber that friend; who is unable for an instant not to think 
 of thee ?" 
 
 Damanah replied, If in outward appearance I have been 
 deprived of the honour of visiting you ; yet in soul and 
 spirit I have perpetually kept company with the imagina- 
 tion of thy heart-expanding beauty; and have constantly 
 been sowing the seed of love and affection in the ground 
 of my heart. Couplet. — "I have pierced windows from 
 my heart to my soul ; unknown to thee, I have used 
 many blandishments with thee." 
 
 And in the cell of retirement, and the corner of solitude, 
 
 I have been engaged in the daily duties of prayers and 
 
 h as may be the cause of an increase of 
 
89 
 
 prosperity and happiness ; and so shall it ever be. The ox 
 said, What is the reason of sueh retirement ? Damanah 
 replied, When a man cannot be master of his own will, 
 but is captive to the authority of another ; when he cannot 
 draw a single respiration without fear and dread ; when 
 one moment does not pass, that a man is not fearing and 
 trembling about his soul and body ; and a single word 
 cannot escape him without alarm and terror; why should 
 he not choose the corner of his hut and close the door of 
 retirement in the face of friends and strangers ? Quatrain. 
 — " From the strife of this mischief-making age, arise, 
 and flee, wherever thou canst ; and if thou hast not a 
 foot of flight, at least, put forth the hand, and cling to 
 the mantle of solitude. The ox said, O Damanah ! set 
 forth language more clear than this ; and relate the details 
 of this concise remark, that the benefits of thy advice may 
 be more general, and the advantage of thy discourse more 
 complete. Damanah said, There are six things in this 
 world, which are not possible without six other things: 
 viz. worldly wealth, without pride and subserviency ; lust, 
 without difficulty ; intercourse with women, without 
 calamity ; a desire for indulgence, without disgrace ; 
 fellowship with the wicked, without remorse ; and the 
 service of a king, without misfortune. They never give 
 any one a draught from the wine-cellar of the world, that 
 he does not get intoxicated and audacious ; and that he 
 does not raise the head of sin from the collar of haughti- 
 ness, and pride ; a man does not move a step in pursuit 
 of lust, that he does not fall into an occasion of destruc- 
 tion, and no man can associate with women, that he is 
 not overcome by all sorts of contention; no person can 
 take up intercourse with vicious people, who make dis- 
 turbances, that in the end of the matter shame does not 
 produce its fruits; nor does any one fix his expectations 
 on the low and base, that he does not become vile 
 and worthless: and no man ever sought the society of a 
 
90 
 
 king, that he ever escaped in safety from that voracious 
 pathless desert. Verses. — " The society of a king, upon 
 grounds of analogy, consider like an ocean without a shore; 
 to such an ocean, full of fear and danger, he who is 
 nearest is most wretched." And upon this subject, they 
 have said, Couplet. — ft There are countless gains in the 
 sea : but if you wish for peace, it is on shore." 
 
 Shanzabah said, Your words afford a demonstration of 
 this, that something offensive on the part of the lion has 
 befallen you; and that some fear and dread of his terrible- 
 ness has overwhelmed you. Damanah replied, I do not 
 say these things so much out of regard to myself; and am 
 not melancholy for my own sake ; but rather give greater 
 weight, in this matter, to the part of my friends, than to 
 my own part : for all this grief and dejection which have 
 overcome me, is for thee i thou knowest the early ties of 
 unanimity, the former bonds of affection between me and 
 thee, of what kind they have been ; and those vows and 
 promises which, at the first, we made, most of them have 
 at this end finished in fulfilment; and I have no alternative 
 but this, to have the honour of reporting whatever may 
 have occurred of good and evil, of advantage or injury. 
 Shanzabah trembled all over, and said, My kind ally and 
 affectionate friend, make me quickly acquainted with the 
 truth of the case ; and do not neglect any article of the 
 minute points of attachment and sincerity. Damanah 
 said, I have heard from one to be relied upon, that the 
 lion has made it flow over his august tongue, that Shan- 
 zabah is got excessively fat, and there is not the least 
 occasion for him at this court; his loss and his presence 
 are on an equality ; I will make an entertainment for the 
 beasts with his Mesh; and in one day, I will prepare of his 
 body a private meal, and a public banquet. When I 
 heard these words, as I have observed his impetuosity 
 and arrogance, I came here, that having given you 
 warning, I may confirm my promise by a proof; and that 
 
91 
 
 I may discharge whatever in the law of manly feeling, or 
 in the rules of honour and generosity, may be incumbent 
 on me. Couplet, — " I will relate to thee all that belongs 
 to the conditions of strict duty ; take thou either advice 
 from my words, or take thou offence." At present, the 
 expediency of the time, I find to be in this; that thou 
 consider of some plan ; that thou set thy face with all 
 celerity to some remedy, and draw out the business to 
 some length. Perhaps by a stratagem, escape from this 
 labyrinth may present itself; and that by a refinement, 
 deliverance from this pit of destruction may give you 
 help. 
 
 When Shanzabah heard the words of Damanah, and 
 revolved in his mind the vows and engagements of the 
 lion, he said, It is impossible, Damanah, that the lion 
 should show jealousy towards me ; whilst on my part no 
 treason has appeared ; and the foot of my constancy has 
 never slipped from the road of good services : and yet, 
 as regards thy words, too, I have a belief of their truth, 
 and an opinion of their good meaning, It is most 
 probable that they have spread many falsehoods against 
 me, and have led him to this stage of anger by artifice 
 and deceit : for there is a worthless party in his service, 
 each an illustrious master in telling talcs, saucy and in- 
 solent in treachery and violence : and these men he has 
 often tried, and observed the variety of their treacheries 
 and wicked doings ; and therefore, whatever of the same 
 sort he hears with respect to others, he believes it, and 
 applies analogy to it: for of a truth, by the contagion of 
 the society of the wicked, evil thoughts arise with regard 
 to the virtuous ; and by this wrong opinion, the path of 
 right is concealed. The fate of the duck, and his error 
 of experience, is sufficient evidence to this effect, and is a 
 full direction to this state of things. 
 
 Damanah enquired what that might be? and Shanzabah 
 told this 
 
92 
 
 Story. 
 
 A duck saw the light of the moon in the water, and 
 thought it was a fish ; he aimed at it, to seize it, but got 
 nothing, and in this manner he several times made the 
 experiment ; and when he saw that his profit by that sport 
 was the same as the profit of a thirsty man who looks at 
 the vapour of the desert, or the gains of poor men 
 thinking of treasures, from searching through desolate 
 habitations, he entirely abandoned the pursuit of fish, and 
 all at once neglected his proper occupation. On the follow- 
 ing night, whenever he saw a fish he thought it was the 
 brightness of the moon, and would not attack it, nor be 
 in any way mindful of it ; but would say. Verse. — 
 "He who tries what has been tried, confusion will 
 surround him. " So the fruit of his experience was this ; 
 that he used to be always hungry, and to pass his days 
 without food and sustenance. And if they have made the 
 lion listen to any thing about me, by the rule, that he 
 who listens is alienated, some disgust will have arisen in 
 his mind, and he will have held it for true ; and his 
 motive will have been his very experience of others : 
 while the fact is, that from me to others, there is as much 
 difference, as from brilliant day to dark night, from the 
 lofty dome to the low centre. Couplets, — " Do not judge 
 the case of the virtuous from thyself; although, in writing, 
 lion and milk arc the same : both kinds of flics cat from 
 the same place ; from the one came a sting, from the 
 Other honey : both kinds of deer feed on the same grass 
 and water ; from the one comes blood, and from the other 
 pure musk." 
 
 Damanah said, Perhaps the aversion of the lion may 
 not be from this cause, but rather from this, that it is 
 a habit with princes, that, without any just claim, they 
 w ill distinguish one man by high advancement, and another 
 who is one of just pretensions, they will make an object 
 of ruin and plunder. Verses. — "Thekingof Iloomilz never 
 
93 
 
 saw me, and without a word did me a hundred favours : 
 the king of Yazd saw me, I repeated his praise, and he 
 gave me nothing : Such is the practice of kings. Thou, 
 O Hafiz, fret not ; may the Lord, who sends food to all, 
 give them their help and assistance." 
 
 Shanzabah said, If this aversion, which you reported 
 to me of the lion, is without cause, then by no help can 
 the foot of steadfastness measure the road of stability, nor 
 can the eye of hope behold the countenance of our desires; 
 for if there be any motive for anger, one can obviate it by 
 pacifying or apologizing ; but if, God protect us ! there 
 be no motive for it, or if by imposture and calumny they 
 have given a change to his temper, remedy will fall short of 
 it, and the thought of providing against it be insufficient; 
 since there is no apparent measure to falsehood and slander, 
 nor any certain limit to deceit and fraud. Now, in all that 
 has occurred between me and the lion, I do not perceive 
 any offence in myself, except this ; that in judgment and 
 deliberation, on some points, even for his advantage, I have 
 differed from him; and in preparing and advancing his 
 designs, I may occasionally, according to the exigency of 
 the time, have said something not suitable to his pleasure: 
 he may, perhaps, have charged this to boldness and dis- 
 respect, and have reckoned it as a species of audacity and 
 saucy familiarity ; yet not one of these things which have 
 proceeded from me, has been devoid of general advantage; 
 and with all this, shewing a regard for his dignity and 
 awfulness, I have not upon the whole shown any insolence, 
 but have fulfilled all the conditions of reverence and deep 
 respect : so, how can it possibly be supposed that affec- 
 tionate advice can be a cause of alarm; or faithful services 
 become a motive to enmity. Couplet. — " Medicine has 
 been a cause of illness, so here what hope is there of the 
 disorder passing away, or of the health of the sick man ?" 
 And if it be not also this, it is possible that the pride of 
 power, and the independent feeling of dominion, may have 
 
94 
 
 been the inducement with him to be offended with me; 
 for it is a requisite of haughtiness, and the demand of 
 greatness, that they are naturally averse to those who give 
 them advice, and give honour, by their confidence, to the 
 treacherous and to flatterers. And hence it is, that the 
 learned have said, to dive with a crocodile to the bottom 
 of the river, or to suck drops of poison from the lips of a 
 snake whose tail is cut off, is nearer to safety than the 
 service of a king ; and is better and much more for safety 
 and quiet than advancement with princes. I had learnt 
 that the perils of serving kings are many, and that the 
 evils of engaging in their affairs are countless. And some 
 of the masters of philosophy have compared kings to fire; 
 for though a ray of favour may give light to the dark 
 cottage of those who live on hopes, yet by the flame of 
 punishment he also consumes the granary of the ancient 
 claims of his servants: and sound prudence agrees to this, 
 that whoever is nearest to the fire, his injury is the greatest. 
 While that class who, from a distance, enjoying the sight 
 of this fire, are ignorant of its conflagration, have a fancy 
 of some great delight, and a notion of some great advan- 
 tages in obtaining a near approach to monarchs; while in 
 truth it is not at all so : for if they should get a right 
 apprehension of princely severity, and of royal dread and 
 awe, it would be clear to them that a thousand years of 
 favour are not equal to one hour of punishment. And a 
 corroboration of this, is the tale of the dispute between the 
 hawk and the domestic fowl. 
 
 Damanah desiring to hear it, Shanzabah related this 
 
 Story. 
 
 A sporting hawk once fell into an argument with a 
 domestic fowl, and beginning a contest with her, said, 
 Thou art a most faithless and false bird : whilst the in- 
 scription on the page of good morals is fidelity; although 
 fidelity, by the purport of this passage — verily, the perfec- 
 tion of a promise is a part of the faith — is a proof of 
 
95 
 
 perfection in religion. And generosity and manly virtue 
 also require that a man should not inscribe the page of his 
 fortune with the character of infidelity. Couplet. — " The 
 dog, in whom there is gratitude for a bit of roast meat, is 
 better than that man in whom there is no gratitude." 
 The hen replied, What ingratitude hast thou seen in me ; 
 and what breach of duty hast thou observed? The hawk 
 said, The sign of thy ingratitude is this, that, together 
 with all this, that men shew so much indulgence in thy 
 behalf; and that without any trouble or exertions of thine, 
 they provide water and corn, from which the material of 
 life receives support ; that, day and night, being well aware 
 of thy condition, they persevere in guarding and watching 
 thee ; and that by their power thou hast thy board and 
 lodging ; yet whenever they are inclined to catch thee, 
 fleeing before and behind them, thou goest flying from 
 roof to roof, and running from corner to corner. Couplet. 
 — " Thou dost not acknowledge the rights of salt ; and 
 art frightened at thy benefactor." 
 
 Whilst I, although I be a wild animal, if I form an 
 attachment, tho' for two or three days, and eat my food 
 from their hand, attentive to the claims of this, I pursue 
 the game, and give it to them ; and how far soever I may 
 have gone, at the slightest sound that I hear, I come fly- 
 ing back. Couplet. — " The bird that is taught on the 
 hand, how far soever they may throw him, comes back 
 with joyful wing, as soon as they say, come here." 
 
 The hen answered, Thou sayest right. Thy coming 
 back, and my running away, are from this ; that thou 
 hast never seen a hawk roasted on a spit ; but I have seen 
 many a fowl broiling on a pan. If thou too hadst seen 
 this, certainly thou wouldest not hover about them ; but 
 while I flee from roof to roof, thou wouldest be fleeing 
 from hill to hill. And I have produced this example for 
 this, that thou mayest know, that the class, who seek the 
 society of kings, have no knowledge of their severity; for 
 
96 
 
 whoever has seen the effects of their severity, has neither 
 am knowledge of tranquility nor any impression of repose. 
 Couplet. — " To those who are nearest, there is the greatest 
 consternation ; for they comprehend royal severity." 
 
 To which Damanah replied, It is not likely that the 
 lion should, hecause of his imperial grandeur, his pomp 
 and good fortune, make such reflections with regard to 
 thee ; for thou hast many talents, and innumerable ac- 
 complishments ; and princes are not at any time above 
 the want of persons of talent. Shanzabah said, Perhaps 
 my talents may have been the cause of his aversion : for 
 to a horse of swift paces, his talent becomes a cause of 
 ill usage ; and to a fruitful tree, because of its fruit, the 
 head and branches are broken ; the nightingale, for his 
 very talent, is confined, in the prison of a cage; and the 
 peacock, for his elegance and beauty, is plucked of his 
 wings and feathers, and disgraced. Fragment. — "All 
 my knowledge is become a calamity to me ; like his fur to 
 the fox, and his feathers to the peacock ; my talents are 
 become my faults ; or else to my head, not of dust, but 
 of gems w T ould have been the diadem." 
 
 And to be sure, since men without merit are more 
 numerous than people of merit, and that an inherent 
 animosity exists between them ; getting advantage by their 
 number, they go to such lengths in degrading the position 
 of the meritorious, that setting forth all their doings, 
 active and passive, in the garb of offence, they represent 
 integrity in the shape of treachery, and honesty in the 
 dress of baseness : and they convert that very merit, which 
 is a cause of prosperity, and a means of happiness, into a 
 matter of misery and a means of disgrace. Couplet. — 
 "The eye of the malevolent, may it be plucked out; 
 merit appears a delect in his sight." And an eminent 
 man has said, on this subject. Couplets. — " If any virtue 
 bursts out in the midst, some worthless fellow lays his 
 vile hand upon it; they bring the affairs of a virtuous 
 
97 
 
 man to ruin, while they bring his virtues into contempt." 
 And they have said, in describing the injustice of those 
 who look out for faults. Verses. — " The eye of equity, 
 when it is clear-sighted, counts pearls when they are but 
 glass beads ; the practice of great men, is equity of conduct; 
 but the practice of the mean is nothing but biting and 
 scratching ; and he who has not a heart susceptible of 
 pity, casts an imputation of woollen upon silk.'" 
 
 Damanah said, It is possible that evil-minded persons 
 may have made this attempt ; according to that disposi- 
 tion of fate, what may be the course of your conduct ? 
 Shanzabah said, If my destiny be not in accordance with 
 it, no injury whatever will come from it, into the limits of 
 existence. But if the Divine decree, and the predestina- 
 tion of God shall shew conformity with their fraud and 
 deceit, it will not be possible nor within my power to 
 avert it by any stratagem. Verse. — " When destiny 
 goes before, of what avail is contrivance ?" 
 
 Damanah said, A prudent man ought, in all circum- 
 stances, to make extensive forethought the forerunner of 
 his proceedings ; for no man ever laid the foundation of 
 his conduct upon prudence, who did not obtain success 
 over his desires. Shanzabah answered thus, Prudence 
 may be of use, when fate shall not have made a decree to 
 the contrary of it ; and stratagem will produce advantage, 
 at a time when fate does not run in opposition to it : but 
 while there exists an ordinance of destiny, neither remedy 
 helps, nor stratagem yields advantage ; escape from the 
 fetters of fate or the prison of destiny, by stratagem and 
 contrivance, is not to be contemplated by any man. 
 Couplet. — " That fire, which the hand of fate kindled, 
 burnt up every thought and plan." 
 
 And when the great and glorious creator shall bring 
 any decree, with the probe of carelessness, lie makes the 
 sight of the vigilant dark and confused ; so that the way 
 of escape from that decree becomes hidden before them : 
 
98 
 
 " when fate comes, perception is blinded," Couplet. — 
 " At the moment of the execution of fate and destiny, 
 they make the cunning blind and deaf." But perhaps 
 thou hast never heard the story of the villager and the 
 nightingale, and their disputation. So, at the desire of 
 Damanah, he related the 
 
 Story. 
 
 They have related, that a villager had a garden, sweet 
 and joyful; and a field of flowers, fresher than the rose- 
 beds of Irani ; the air of it might give due temperature 
 to the breezes of spring, and the odour of its exhilirating 
 herbs would perfume the brain of the soul. Verses. — 
 " It was a bed of roses, like the flower garden of youth ; 
 a field of flowers, well-watered with the water of life ; the 
 notes of its nightingales exciting enjoyment, and its 
 gales spreading odours, bringing repose." 
 
 And in one corner of the plantation there was a rose- 
 bush, fresher than the shrub of prosperity ; more splen- 
 did than the branches of the tree of enjoyment. Every 
 morning there used to blossom on it a flower, painted 
 like the cheeks of heart-alluring damsels of delicate minds, 
 or the complexion of jasmine-bosomed, lily-scented 
 maids ; and the gardener, falling into raptures with that 
 beautiful flower, would exclaim, Couplet. — " I know 
 not what the rose whispers, but between ,her lips, that 
 she brings the silent nightingale again into lamentation." 
 
 The gardener, coming one day, according to his estab- 
 lished custom, to amuse himself with the rose, saw a 
 nightingale complaining, who was rubbing his face among 
 the leaves of the rose, and with his sharp bill was tearing 
 to bits the sewing of its golden binding. Couplet. — 
 " The nightingale, if he looks upon the rose, grows in- 
 toxicated ; and the end of the clue of free will goes from 
 his hand." 
 
 The gardener, observing the dispersion of the leaves of 
 the rose, rent the collar of patience with the hand of 
 
99 
 
 agitation, and hung the mantle of his heart upon the soul- 
 piercing thorns of uneasiness. Next day the same 
 circumstance took place ; and the flame of separation 
 from the flower. Verse. — w Laid another scar upon his 
 former scar. And on the third day again, by the work 
 of the beak of the bird." Verse, — " The flower was 
 plundered, but the thorn was left." 
 
 This affliction being excited by the nightingale in the 
 heart of the villager, he laid the snare of deception in his 
 way, caught him with the grain of stratagem, and con- 
 fined him in the prison of a cage. The heartless night- 
 ingale opened his mouth, like a parrot, and said, Worthy 
 sir, for what reason hast thou confined me ? for what cause 
 art thou inclined to punish me ? If thou hast formed 
 this plan for the sake of hearing my songs, truly my nest 
 is in thy garden ; and every morning my music gallery is 
 on all sides of the rose-beds. But if thou hast allowed 
 any other purpose to pass through thy fancy, give me 
 information of what is in thy mind. The gardener said, 
 Couplet. — " How long wilt thou vex me ? O Lord ! 
 mayest thou no longer live, O rival ; how long wilt thou 
 conceal her face ? O Lord ! mayest thou be removed, 
 O veil." Dost thou at all know what thou hast done to 
 my fortune, and how frequently thou hast distressed me 
 by a separation from my lovely friends ; the just return 
 for such conduct, in the way of retribution, may be 
 exactly this, — that thou art left separated from friends and 
 country, art parted from enjoyment and pleasure, and dost 
 weep in the corner of a prison ; for I also am oppressed 
 with separation, and am lamenting in the hut of sorrow. 
 Couplet. — " Weep, O nightingale, if there is to thee, with 
 me, any thought of love ; for we are two afflicted lovers, 
 and our business is grief." 
 
 The nightingale said, Depart from this thought, and 
 reflect, if I for this extent of crime, that I have torn a 
 rose, am become a prisoner, thou, who dost tear a heart, 
 
 o 
 
100 
 
 what thy state shall he. Verses. — " The revolving sphere, 
 upon principles of analogy, is over mindful of right : who- 
 ever does good, the same hefals him ; and if he has done 
 evil, mischief will reach him." 
 
 These words were effectual on the mind of the villager, 
 and he liberated the nightingale. The bird then loosen- 
 ing his tongue in freedom, said, Since thou hast done a 
 kindness to me, certainly, in obedience to " is there then 
 any recompence for generosity, except generosity ?" 
 Some compensation must be made : know that under the 
 earth of the tree, where thou art standing, there is a dish 
 full of gold ; take it up, and make use of it in thy wants. 
 The villager dug up the place, and found the words of the 
 nightingale correct. He said, It is a wonder, O nightin- 
 gale, that thou seest a dish beneath the earth, and didst 
 not perceive the snare under the dust. The nightingale 
 replied, Thou hast not learnt that " when destiny alights, 
 caution is vain." Verse. — " No one can contend against 
 what is ordained. When a divine decree receives the 
 dignity of descent, neither light remains to the eye of 
 perception, nor do contrivance and prudence produce 
 advantage." Verses. — " Twist not back, with the list, the 
 hand of fate, for hand has no power for any thing ; cau- 
 tion is of no avail against destiny; whatever proceeds 
 from fate, approve of that." 
 
 Which fable I have related for this purpose, that it 
 may be understood that I am no match for the hand of 
 destiny and fate; nor have I any remedy but to lay the 
 head of resignation on the line of the divine command- 
 ment. ( 'ouplet. — " The end of all my attachment is the 
 threshold of the Lord, who loves me ; for all that passes 
 over my head, is his design." 
 
 Damanah rejoined, Shanzabah, all that I have learnt 
 of a certainty, or have definitely understood, is this, that 
 whatever the lion may have imagined about thee, is 
 neither because of the calumny of enemies, nor the 
 
 i 
 
101 
 
 abundance of thy merits, nor the ill-temper of kings ; but 
 it is rather the height of treachery and falsehood, which 
 has impelled him to it ; for he is a prosperous tyrant, an 
 ill-tempered deceiver, and a hypocrite ; the beginning of 
 his acquaintance bestow the sweetness of life ; but the 
 conclusions of his service have the bitterness of death. 
 You should form to yourself the idea, that he is a painted 
 venomous snake ; his exterior adorned with many spots 
 of various colours ; and his interior, provided with deadly 
 poison, against which no antidote is beneficial. Couplet. 
 — " He is all fraud, hypocrisy, cunning, and delusion ; 
 neither honesty nor honour — neither patience nor for- 
 bearance. " 
 
 Shanzabah said, I have tasted the food of the honey 
 of favour ; now is the season for the wound of the sting : 
 a long period I have passed in pleasure and ease — now is 
 the time for the assault of trouble and sorrow. Couplet. 
 — " My heart, for a while, thou didst taste the flavour of 
 union : now thou must see the grief of separation." 
 
 And in truth it is the angel of death which seized me 
 by the collar, and brought me into this wilderness ; for 
 otherwise, how was I suitable to society with the lion ? 
 A person who feeds upon me, and to whom I am food ; 
 it must have been, that, with a thousand snares, he would 
 not be able to draw me towards him, nor to throw me, by 
 a hundred thousand stratagems, into the trap of his fami- 
 liarity. Couplet. — " Who am I, that the good fortune of 
 a union with him should be my ambition ? This, that I 
 still behold him at a distance, is it not enough for me ?" 
 
 But the divine determination, and the flattering voice 
 of Damanah, have cast me into this pathless desert of 
 destruction : and now the hand of management falls short 
 of the skirt of remedy ; and the course of my purposes, 
 because of the neglect of prudence aforethought, is not 
 according to my heart's desire : and I, by reason of vain 
 wishes and corrupt fancies, have kindled such a fire as 
 

 102 
 
 this for myself; and whilst the smoke has not yet come 
 before me, I am burnt with the flame of grief, and the 
 heat of melancholy ? Verse. — " How shall I act ? I 
 have done it myself. What remedy is there for one's 
 own deeds ?" And the ancients have said, Whosoever is 
 not content with a bare competency of worldly riches, 
 but pursues a superfluity, is a likeness of that person who 
 arrives at a hill of diamonds, and his sight falls each mo- 
 ment on a larger piece ; and forming a notion of the 
 vastness of its price, he goes forwards till he reaches the 
 place, where the object of search falls into his hands : but 
 then his return will be impracticable, because the broken 
 pieces of the diamonds will have cut and scratched his feet ; 
 but that forgetful man, being absorbed in the thought of 
 covetousness, has no knowledge of the circumstauce ; and 
 therefore, in the utmost regret, coming to destruction on 
 that mountain, he takes up his abode in the stomach of 
 the birds. Couplet. — " From excess of pursuit, thy 
 affairs are brought to ruin ; if thou desirest profit, seek not 
 excess beyond due measure." 
 
 Dam an ah observed, Thou hast here said words, very 
 much to be admired ; for every calamity which befals a 
 man, the source of it will be avarice and desire. Couplet. 
 " Depart from coveting, for it is an affliction to the soul 
 and the heart : he who covets is, in all places, and by all 
 people, despised." 
 
 The neck that is bound in the chain of covetousness, is 
 ultimately cut through by the sword of disgrace ; and the 
 head, in which the folly of avarice has fixed itself, in the 
 end, will be rubbed in the dust of ignominy. There is 
 many a man, who from excess of covetousness and ava- 
 rice, with the hope of prosperity, has fallen into the 
 trackless wilds of misery ; and upon the scent of gain, has 
 been caught in a disastrous place of injury : just as the 
 huntsman had a desire to seize the skin of the fox, and 
 the paw of the leopard tore the life out of his bodv. 
 
103 
 
 Shanzabah asked how that happened, and Damanah 
 said, — 
 
 Story. 
 
 A huntsman was passing one day through the desert, 
 he saw a fox, extremely brisk and active, who was roam- 
 ing about in the open space of the plain, and playing his 
 tricks, was exhibiting himself on every side. His skin 
 being pleasing to the huntsman, he formed the idea of 
 selling it for a great price ; and his covetous faculty set 
 him upon this, that keeping upon the traces of the fox, 
 he found out his hole. So digging a pit near the hole, 
 and covering it with sticks and rubbish, he laid out a dead 
 animal on the top of it, and silting down in ambush, he 
 kept waiting; for the capture of the fox. It chanced that 
 the fox came out of his hole, and the scent of the carcase 
 attracting him, gradually led him to the edge of the pit. 
 He said to himself, although by the smell of this carcase, 
 the brain of desire is perfumed, yet an odour of danger also 
 comes to the palate of caution : and the wise have never 
 exposed themselves to an affair, winch may bear a proba- 
 bility of danger, nor have entered upon an undertaking, 
 in which the possibility of mischief is to be anticipated. 
 Couplet — " Wheresoever they draw a line of difficulty, 
 take pains to keep without line." 
 
 And though it be possible that some dead animal may 
 be here, yet this is also possible, that they may have 
 arranged some snare beneath it ; and at all events caution 
 is best. Fragment. — (i When two affairs present them- 
 selves to thee, that thou canst not tell which ought to be 
 done, that in which there is a supposition of danger, 
 that must be made unlawful to thee; and that which may 
 be without fear and danger, upon that exactly thou 
 shouldst be stedfast." 
 
 So the fox, making these reflections, went off from the 
 thought of that meat, and followed the path of safety. 
 In the meantime, a hungry leopard, came down from the 
 
104 
 
 mountain, and at the smell of the dead body flung 
 himself on the pit. The huntsman, when he heard the 
 noise of the trap, and the sound of the fall of the 
 animal, imagined it to be the fox. In the excess of 
 covetousness, without the least deliberation, he threw 
 himself after him ; and the leopard, under the notion that 
 he would prevent him from eating the body, jumped up, 
 and tore open his belly. The greedy huntsman, by the 
 baseness of avarice, fell into the snare of destruction ; and 
 the abstemious fox, by casting off covetousness, found 
 escape from the labyrinth of misfortune. And the use of 
 the fable is this, that the evil of covetousness, and the 
 trouble of excess in pursuit of gain, will make a free man 
 a slave, and a slave more abject. Couplet, — u If thou 
 couldest gain one lock of hair, beyond what belongs to 
 thy head ; by the dust of the feet of the holy, it would 
 give a head ache." 
 
 Shanzabah said, I committed an error ; that, at first, 
 I chose the service of the lion, and did not consider that 
 he docs not know the value of services. For they have 
 said, that to associate with a person who does not acknow- 
 ledge the worth of it, or to serve any one who does not know 
 the value of it, is parallel to this ; that a man, in hopes 
 of a crop, should scatter seed in a salt land, or whisper 
 about his sorrows and his joys, into the ear of one deaf 
 when his mother bore him, or write fresh and lively odes 
 on the surface of running water, make love to the pictures 
 in a bath, or hope for a shower of rain from the dust of 
 a whirlwind. Fragment, — " To expect constancy in a 
 king, would be much the same, as to look for fruit, on 
 the branches of the black cypress: a plant of the willow 
 will not yield thee the sugar of the cane, although thou 
 give it, a thousand times, water from the river of immor- 
 tality." 
 
 Damanah said, Have done with such words, and 
 pursue the remedy for thy affairs. Shanzabah replied, 
 
105 
 
 What help can I call forth, what device can I bring for- 
 ward ? For I have learnt all the moral qualities of the 
 lion ; and my own sagacity comes to this conclusion, 
 that the lion wishes nothing but what is good and well, 
 with respect to me ; but his intimate adherents are 
 labouring in my ruin, and are making great exertions for 
 my downfal. And if it be so, the turn of the beam of 
 the balance of my li^e inclines more to the scale of extinc- 
 tion, than to the scale of continuance : for treacherous 
 oppressors, and deceitful tyrants, when, setting their backs 
 together, they join hand in hand, and with one accord 
 make an attack on any one, in every case they cast him 
 down, just as the wolf, the raven, and the jackal!, formed 
 a design against the camel ; and, by acting together, over- 
 came him, and attained their object and their wishes. 
 
 Damanah asked how that was ? 
 
 Story. 
 
 They have related that a black-eyed raven, a sharp 
 clawed wolf, and a jackall full of deceit, were in the 
 service of a hunting lion ; and their forest was near the 
 public high road. The camel of a certain merchant had 
 sunk down in that neighbourhood, and after some time, 
 picking up strength, went about, on every side, seeking 
 for pasture. His way fell across the forest ; and v\hen he 
 came near the lion, he saw no alternative but service and 
 reverence. The lion, too, bestowing caresses on him, 
 enquired into the particulars of his fortune ; and after 
 receiving information about that, put some questions about 
 his abode and occupation. Couplet. — " Hitherto, if I 
 have had any free will in my conduct ; when I beheld thee 
 the reins of free will fell into my hand." 
 
 Whatsoever your majesty may ordain will, no doubt, 
 involve the good of your servants. f'crsc. — "Thou 
 knowest what is good for us, better than we do." The 
 lion said, If thou hast any desire, remain happy and safe 
 in my society. The camel was delighted, and passed his 
 
100 
 
 time in the forest ; and so, when a long time had passed, 
 he became extremely fat. 
 
 One day the lion had gone out in search of game ; and 
 a raging elephant falling in with him. a stout battle and 
 a fierce conflict took place between them ; several wounds 
 befalling the lion, he came back to the forest, yelling aud 
 lacerated ; and lay down in a corner. The wolf, the raven, 
 and the jackall, who by thrusting themselves in used to 
 pick their bits from the table of his bounty, were left 
 without means of support ; and so, from the natural 
 generosity of the lion, and from that simple kindness which 
 princes have for their servants and officers, when he saw 
 them in that condition, lie was affected, and said, your 
 troubles be harder upon me than my own pains ; if you 
 can get hold of any head of game in this vicinity, I will 
 go out, and having settled the business for you, will come 
 back. So they, leaving the presence of the lion went 
 into a corner, introducing the oath of consultation between 
 them, they said, What is the good to us of this camel's 
 staying in this forest? there is neither any advantage to 
 the king from him, nor have we any attachment to him ; 
 we ought to put the lion up to crushing him ; and so for 
 two or three days the king will have rest from the search 
 after a morsel and a bit of food ; and to us also, according 
 to our condition, some advantage will accrue. The jackall 
 said, Do not turn yourselves about this fancy. The lion 
 has given him security, and taken him into his service ; 
 and whoever shall give a king a desire for treachery, or 
 encourage him to break an engagement, will have com- 
 mitted treason ; and a traitor is, under all circumstances, 
 shunned; and God and man are displeased with him. 
 / Vr.vr.v. — " Every man, in whom there is any scheme of 
 treacherousness, his religion is devoid of integrity and 
 probity; the sterling value of a man is by his probity, 
 and the base coin of mankind is by treachery." The 
 raven said, We might think of some stratagem in this 
 
107 
 
 matter, and might extricate the lion from the obligations 
 of his engagement : Do you watch in this place, while I 
 go and come back again. So he came before the lion and 
 stood still. The lion enquired, Have you traced any 
 game ? have you brought tidings of any prey ? The raven 
 answered, O king ! our eyes, from hunger, will not do 
 their office to any one of us, and the faculty of motion, too, 
 is not left ; but a method is come into my mind, to which, 
 if the king shall give his approbation, to all of us great 
 comfort and sufficient plenty will be obtained. The lion 
 desired him to unfold the meaning of these words, that 
 comprehension might fall upon the particulars of the case. 
 The raven said, This camel is a foreigner among us, and 
 there is not any advantage to be contemplated from him 
 in society ; he is a prey for the haste of the occasion, 
 which is come into our hands ; a head of game fallen into 
 the snare. The lion got in a passion and said, Dust be 
 upon the head of the fellows of this age, for they have 
 nothing but a practice of hypocrisy and a habit of trea- 
 chery ; and they altogether abandon the path of kindness, 
 liberality, and manly sentiments. Verses. — " In the 
 people of this age, to whom fidelity is not dear, seek not 
 faithfulness, for except violence, nothing is their practice ; 
 a dog is better than those dumb cats, who, with their 
 stratagems, hunt after nothing, but around the dinner 
 table. In what sect is a breach of promise allowed ? In 
 what religion would it be tolerated to form a design against 
 the person, to whom yourself have given refuge? Couplet. 
 — " Any strong branch which, by thee, is grown tall ; do 
 not break it by thine own hand, for that also is to break 
 thyself." 
 
 The raven replied, I understand all these principles ; 
 but then, philosophers have said that, an individual may 
 be made a victim for a whole house ; that a household 
 may be made a sacrifice for a whole tribe ; a tribe for a 
 whole city; and the inhabitants of a city may be sacrificed 
 
108 
 
 for the august person of a king who is in danger, since 
 by liis preservation a benefit may be conferred upon the 
 inhabitants of a whole region of the earth. And besides, 
 some clear way may be found for breaking this engage- 
 ment; so that he who made the promise, may be free from 
 the cjuality of treachery, and his mind be preserved from 
 the pains of a sting, and the danger of starving. The lion 
 hung down his head, and the raven came back and said to 
 his friends, I have laid the case before the lion ; at first 
 he resisted, but at last he became docile. Now our plan 
 is this: Let us all go to the camel, and give a vivid account 
 of the hunger of the lion, and of the trouble which has 
 befallen him; and let us say, we have passed our days in 
 gladness under the protection of the prosperity, and in the 
 shade of the dignity of this auspicious monarch, and 
 to-day, when this event has occurred, honour demands 
 this, that we make life and soul a ransom for him; or else 
 we shall be stigmatized for ingratitude for his bounty, and 
 shall be excluded from the distinction of honourable and 
 generous feelings : our duty lies in this, that we go in a 
 body to the lion, and pour forth our thanks for his bounty 
 and gracious favour, and acknowledge that no service can 
 arise at our hands, except this, that we make our souls 
 and lives a ransom for him. And then let each of us say, 
 to-day let the king make his breakfast of me; but let the 
 others always raise some objection ; and thus, perhaps, 
 death may be fixed upon the camel. 
 
 Accordingly, they went in company to the camel, and 
 repeated all these details to him ; and because such was 
 the simplicity of his heart, he was deluded by their wiles 
 and cajoling ; and having settled ('very thing exactly in 
 «ray that has been described, they all went to the lion. 
 And when they had acquitted themselves of the declaration 
 of their gratitude and admiration; and of the setting forth 
 of praises and prayers for him ; the raven, giving loose to 
 tongue, said, Couplet. — *'Oking! through the world 
 
109 
 
 may prosperity be thine ; at the banquet of joy, may fes- 
 tivity be thine." Our repose is dependent upon the health 
 of the person of the king ; now, that a case of necessity 
 has occurred, and that enough to save life may be produced 
 to the king from my flesh, it is fit that he should con- 
 descend to kill and make use of me. Then all the others 
 said, What is the good of eating thee ? what satisfaction 
 can there be in thy food ? Verse. — " Who art thou, that 
 thou shouldest ever be taken even into the account T 
 
 The raven, when she heard these words, hung down her 
 head ; and the jackal began his speech, saying, Couplet. 
 — " O mighty king \ at whose hand, in the season of 
 vengeance, the messenger of death takes the daily list of 
 the slaughter." Along period has elapsed, that I have 
 lived safe from the heat of the sun of vicissitudes, under 
 the shade of thy life-increasing good fortune ; this day, 
 when the moon of the glory of this presence is overcome 
 by the eclipse of distress, I am desirous that the star of 
 success should take its rise from the horizon of my con- 
 dition; and that the king, making me his food, may be 
 free from anxiety about breakfast. To which the others 
 replied, All that thou hast said, is from excess of aflection, 
 and from the essence of dutifulness ; but then thy flesh is 
 rank, coarse, and unwholesome ; may it never be that by 
 feeding on it the illness of the king should increase. 
 
 The jackal was silent; and the wolf advancing, loosened 
 his tongue, and said, Couplet. — " I pray that, O king-, 
 the Lord may be thy aid ; may the enemy, in the day of 
 battle, be thy pursuit." I, too, making myself a sacrifice 
 for the king, am anxious that his majesty, with cheerful 
 smiles, should give my limbs a place at the roots of his 
 teeth. His allies said, Thou hast spoken these words out 
 of pure fidelity, and genuine attachment; but then thy 
 flesh would produce a choking, and in mischief it might 
 stand in the place 1 of deadly poison. 
 
 So the wolf stepped back, and the camel, stretching out 
 
110 
 
 bis long neck, and tossing up the long reins of " every tall 
 j nan is a fool," began his speech, and after the proper 
 duties of prayer, said, Couplet. — " O great king ! at 
 whose thrcshhold the azure heaven has opened many gates 
 of victory and triumph." I have been brought up in this 
 presence, and educated under this government: if I am fit 
 for his majesty's kitchen, or may serve for the supply of 
 his table, there is no trouble about my life. Couplet. — 
 " I will not arise from the end of thy street, so long as 
 I have life ; and if the thing extends to my life, I will 
 depart from all care for my life." 
 
 All the rest, agreeing in words, exclaimed, These words 
 arc from excess of affection, and from holiness of attach- 
 ment ; and in fact, thy flesh is sweet of digestion and 
 wholesome for the constitution of the king ; blessings be 
 upon thy resolution, that, towards thy benefactor, thou 
 hast made no difficulty about thy life; and by this conduct 
 thou hast left a good name for a remembrance. Couplet. 
 " The resolution of a valorous man. A hundred thousand 
 Dirhains. When the affair becomes a question of life, 
 then is the occasion for its exercise." Then, all at' once, 
 they made an attack upon the camel; and the poor wretch 
 could not draw a breath before they had torn his limbs 
 in pieces. 
 
 And I have produced this example for this ; that thou 
 mayest understand that the deceit of men of selfish views, 
 particularly when they are in union with each other, will 
 never be without effect. Damanah said, And what defence 
 dost thou think of against it ? Shanzabah answered thus, 
 At present, my thoughts wander from the path of sound 
 conduct. But I know no help for it, except battle and 
 contention, war, and slaughter; for whoever is killed in 
 guarding his property or protecting his life, is included 
 .in the circle of martyrs; and the virtue of this saying, 
 — " whoever is killed, except on his own account, is a 
 rtyr," — extends to him. And besides, if my death is 
 
Ill 
 
 determined and ordained at the hand of the lion, at least 
 let me be killed honourably ; let me perish with character 
 and dignity. Couplet. — " If I die with a good name, it 
 may pass; fame must be for me, for the body is for death." 
 
 Damanah said, A prudent man does not go before hand 
 in battle, and in time of war does not think precedence 
 right ; for " the first blow is the violenee ;" and to engage 
 in great dangers, of our own free-will, is no proof of 
 cleverness ; for, indeed, men of judgment set about an 
 affair of enmity with courtesy and conciliation, and confess 
 that it is better to repel a quarrel by gentleness. Verses. 
 — " An agreeable deception is better than disagreeable 
 anger ; it is better to scatter water than fire : that desire 
 which may be accomplished in gentleness, why should 
 the reins be turned towards anger? And besides, a 
 man should not hold a weak enemy to be small and 
 insignificant ; for if he should fail of power and strength, 
 it is likely that he may not be deficient in deceit and 
 stratagem ; and by fraud and cunning he may raise up 
 such a fire of strife, that the flame of it will not be 
 quenched by the water of deliberate plans; and thou 
 thyself hast known the violence of the lion ; and his 
 irresistible power is above the want of commentary and 
 enlargement : therefore, take full account of his enmity, 
 and be not inattentive to the fierce assault of his fighting. 
 For whoever holds an enemy contemptible, and does not 
 think about the consequences of the conflict, will be dis- 
 graced ; as the envoy of the ocean was by his contempt of 
 the Titu. And, at the request of Shanzabah, he related the 
 
 Story. 
 
 They have related that on the shores of the Indian ocean, 
 there is a kind of bird which they call Titu, and a pair of 
 them had a safe retreat on the sea coast, and had taken 
 up their abode at the water-side. When the season of 
 eggs was fully come, the female said, we must look out 
 for a place to lay the eggs, where we may live in peace of 
 
112 
 
 mind. The male replied, here is a nice place, and a 
 delightful spot ; and to remove at present from this plaee 
 seems impossible ; the eggs must be laid. The female 
 replied, here is a point for deliberation, for if the sea 
 should raise up a wave and carry off our young, and all 
 the labour of our life and time should be wasted, what 
 arrangement can be made against that ? The male said, 
 I have no notion that the envoy of the ocean can exercise 
 this audacity, or that he will shew such neglect of regard 
 for us ; and on the supposition that he should think of 
 such irreverence, and should ex) so far that our little ones 
 are drowned, justice may be obtained of him. Couplet. — 
 w I will break the sphere together, if it rolls round against 
 my wishes, I am not one, who will bear ill usage from the 
 sphere of heaven." 
 
 The female said, To wander from our own limits, and 
 to boast beyond our means, is unsuitable to a discreet 
 man ; by what power canst thou threaten the envoy of 
 the ocean with thy vengeance ; and with what pomp canst 
 thou take the place of contest and conflict with him ? 
 Couplet. — " Thou art making a Turkish inroad for thine 
 own devastation ; thou livest as a sparrow, and wilt act 
 the hawk." Get along from this thought, and choose, for 
 the eggs, a safe spot, a secure place, and do not turn the 
 head from my advice ; for any one who does not listen to 
 the words of his advisers, and does not shape his conduct 
 according to the counsel of his affectionate friends, that 
 will happen to him which befel the tortoise. 
 
 The male asked how that was, and the female said, 
 
 Story. 
 
 They have related, that in a lake, whose water, by the 
 pureness of its bosom, would, like a clear mirror, receive 
 any reflection, and in freshness and sweetness might afford 
 information about the fountain of life, or the springs of 
 paradise, two ducks and a tortoise were inhabitants; and 
 Dy the laws of neighbourhood, the thread of their circum- 
 
113 
 
 stances was spun out into mutual good faith ; and having 
 the same shade, or neighbourhood, ended in having the 
 same house ; and being delighted with the sight of each 
 other, they passed their days, for a long period, in great 
 comfort. Couplet, — " Sweet is the life that is passed in 
 the sight of our friends ; sweet is the moment that passes 
 with those who love us affectionately." 
 
 Suddenly the hand of treacherous fortune began, with 
 the nails of vicissitude, to scratch the face of their condi- 
 tion ; and the sphere, a looking glass in colour, began to 
 display forms of separation in the mirror of their days. 
 Verse. — " And what enjoyment is there, which fortune 
 does not darken ?" Verses. — " How sweet is the wine 
 from the cup of union with those who have stolen our 
 hearts ; but there is behind it, the sick head-ache of 
 parting : at this table, no man can bite a mouthful of 
 bread, but a stone gets between his teeth." 
 
 A complete failure appeared in the water, which was 
 their material of life, and their means of subsistence ; and 
 a dreadful alteration was apparent. The ducks, when 
 they got full information of the particulars of this event, 
 withdrew their heart from their beloved home, and fastened 
 it on the design of emigration. Verses. — " Travelling is 
 better for that man, when, in his own place, his mind is 
 vexed with sorrow about this and that ; for although the 
 vexations of travelling are very^bad, yet they are better 
 than the sufferings of our native land." So with hearts 
 full of grief, and eyes full of moisture, coming to the tor- 
 toise, and introdueing words of parting benediction, they 
 said, Couplet. — " The evil eye of the times lias parted 
 us from thee ; that evil eye of the times, what can I say, 
 for what things has it done : " The tortoise lamented 
 about the anguish of parting, and drew forth his complaints 
 in great sorrow, saying, What words are these ? How can 
 life be thought of without you ? In what way can life 
 be possessed without confidential friends : / "erses. — " Oh ! 
 
114 
 
 without thee, existence is hateful ; indeed, without thee, 
 what is existence? For every mode of life, which must 
 be without thee, is but a kind of death, under the name 
 of existence." And since I have not the strength to bear 
 this farewell, how shall I be able to endure a separation ? 
 Couplet. — " I am still the stately cypress, by those eyes 
 which are not yet departed ; but my heart, at the thought 
 of your departure, is like a trembling willow." 
 
 The ducks replied, 
 
 To us also the heart is lacerated by the many thorns of 
 separation, and in our bosoms, by the blazing of the flame 
 of the fire of leaving thee, there is a burning beyond 
 excess. But it is close at hand, that the difficulty of want 
 of water should give the dust of our being to the wind of 
 extinction ; therefore, of necessity, relinquishing friends 
 and country, we make choice of the affliction of departure. 
 Couplet. — " Of his own accord, the heartless lover never 
 left the street of his beloved ; no man of his own choice, 
 ever left the gardens of paradise." 
 
 The tortoise said, 
 
 My friends, ye know that the evil of a failure of water 
 is greater w T ith respect to me ; and my existence, without 
 water, would not be possible. At this time, the claims of 
 ancient intimacy require this, that you should take me 
 along with you, and not leave me alone in the melancholy 
 abode of separation. Couplet. — " Thou art my soul, and 
 thou hast the design of going away ; when the soul 
 departs, what can this lifeless body do?" 
 
 They said, Thou single-minded friend, and noble asso- 
 ciate ! the grief of leaving thee is greater to us, than 
 quitting the place of our birth ; sorrow at parting with 
 thee is, to our heart, a cause of additional melancholy and 
 depression. And we, wherever we may go, and though 
 we may dwell in the utmost comfort, and should pass 
 our days in complete enjoyment, yet without the sight of 
 thee, the fountain of our joy will be dark, and the eye of 
 
115 
 
 our fortune, dull : for neither have we any desire, except 
 union and intercourse with thee; hut then it is extremely 
 difficult for us to move along upon the surface of the earth, 
 and to get through a long and tedious journey; whilst thy 
 flight through the expanse of the air, and keeping company 
 with us, is out of the question. Under this disposition of 
 nature, how can there be any travelling together ? By 
 what means can we keep company ? 
 
 The tortoise said, Your understanding is able to raise 
 up some remedy, even for this matter; and a device for this 
 purpose also may result from your thoughts ; for I, with 
 a soul distracted at the idea of your removal, and a heart 
 broken with the burden of separation, what arrangement 
 can I make ? Couplet. — " In every affair, the whole heart 
 is needed from the beginning ; sound plans never come 
 from a broken heart." 
 
 The ducks replied, Dear friend ! during this period, we 
 have perceived a little fickleness in thee, and have disco- 
 vered some inconsistency and want of steadiness. Perhaps 
 thou wilt not act upon what we shall say, aud wilt not be 
 firm in the promise that thou mayest make. The tortoise 
 answered, How can it be that you should give an opinion 
 for the bettering of my condition, and that I should think in 
 opposition to it; or that I should not fulfil a promise which 
 may be for the sake of my own benefit ? Couplet. — " I 
 have bound myself by a vow, that I will certainly never turn 
 away my head from my promise; I have made it a condition, 
 that I am not to deviate from the conditions. The ducks 
 said, The condition then is this, that when we have lifted 
 thee up, and are flying through the air, thou shalt abso- 
 lutely not speak a single word ; for every one whose eyes 
 shall fall upon us, will throw in a word, and will utter 
 some saying of broad hint and allusion. It is necessary 
 that, whenever, by speech or gesture, you may hear any- 
 thing, or observe any action, thou close up the path of 
 reply ; and that thou loosen not the tongue, neither for 
 
1 10 
 
 good nor bad. The tortoise said, I will obey your orders ; 
 and, positively, placing the seal of silence on my lips, I 
 will not be exposed to answer any creature. Fragment. — 
 " I came at length to an old man, in the farthest parts of 
 Greece : I said to him, O thou, who hast wisdom and un- 
 derstanding, what hast thou learnt from men ? which is 
 best in all conditions ? He said, If thou ask the truth, 
 silence — silence." Then they brought a stick, and the 
 tortoise seized the middle of it firmly in his teeth ; and 
 the ducks, taking up the two ends of it, carried him off. 
 When they got to a height in the air, their way lay over 
 a certain village ; and the men of the village, getting a 
 knowledge of it, were astonished at their appearance, and 
 coining forth to admire it, set up a shout, to left and right, 
 saying, Look at the ducks, how they are carrying a tor- 
 toise. And as the like of that appearance had never, in 
 those days, reached the observation of that tribe, their 
 shouts and screams kept increasing every moment. The 
 tortoise, for some time, continued silent ; at last the caul- 
 dron of her pride began to boil, and, her power of en- 
 durance being bowed down, she said, Verse — " Then let 
 him be blind, every one that cannot see." But to open 
 his lips, and to fall to the ground, was one and the same 
 thing ; and the ducks exclaimed, " Nothing belongs to a 
 messenger but to arrive." It is laid on friends to give 
 counsel; and on the fortunate to listen to advice. Frag- 
 ment. — ■" Well-wishers give advice ; but it is the fortunate, 
 or well-disposed, who become susceptible of advice : my 
 advice, although I am thy well-wisher, on thee, ill-fated, 
 when shall it make an impression ?" 
 
 And the use of the fable is this, — that every one who 
 does not listen with an ear of consent to the counsels of 
 bis fri( nds, will have laboured in his own destruction, and 
 will have drawn the veil of advice from the features of 
 hia own ignominy. Couplet. — "That man who does not 
 .-' xr ear to the words of the venerable, shall frequently 
 bite the finger of shame." 
 
117 
 
 The male Titu said, I have listened to this example, 
 that you have brought forward, and become well acquainted 
 with its meaning; but do not fear, only keep your place; 
 for men of weak hearts, who are timorous, never attain 
 their object. My opinion is still the same ; the envoy of 
 the ocean will consider a regard for us among his bounden 
 duties. So the female laid her eggs; and when the young 
 ones, bursting out of the white shirt of the eg:g, put their 
 heads forth from the collar of life, the sea, rising into 
 waves, took them under the skirt of destruction. The 
 mother, on beholding this catastrophe, fell into agitation, 
 and said, O wretch! I knew there was no joking with the 
 water; now thou hast given my children to the wind, and 
 set my soul on fire : think at least of some contrivance 
 by which some ointment may be laid upon my lacerated 
 feelings. The male replied, Thou speakest words of dis- 
 honour; for acquitting myself of the obligation of my 
 words, according to that very promise of mine, which 
 thou knowest, I will obtain justice against the envoy of 
 the ocean. He immediately repaired to the other birds; 
 and collecting together into one place, all those, each and 
 every one, who were the leaders and chieftains of each 
 species, he fully explained his condition to them ; and, 
 beseeching their aid and succour, he began, in a voice of 
 supplication, this song : Couplet. — " The details of the 
 wretchedness of my heart are boundless: this is the season 
 of succour, and the time of favour." If my honourable 
 friends are not all of them, in this emergency, of one back 
 and one heart; if they do not, with one accord, avenge me 
 of the envoy of the ocean, his boldness will increase, and 
 hereafter he will form a design against the young of other 
 birds; and when this rule has become habitual, and this 
 custom has received confirmation, you may as well tear 
 up your hearts from your children, and bid farewell to 
 your home and abode. Couplet. — " We must either, by 
 a hundred insults, work his sorrow with disgrace; or turn 
 our steps into the dismal abode of dissolution." 
 
118 
 
 The birds, being much agitated and afflicted by this 
 occurrence, wove their wings within each other ; and 
 hastening off to pay their duty at the court of the Simurgh, 
 they earried the form of the event to the goal of represen- 
 tation, and said, If thou dost feel the griefs of thy subjeets, 
 thou art fit to be their sovereign ; but, if thou hast no 
 care for the sufferings of the afflicted, and no sorrow for 
 the oppressed, then the inscription of sovereignty over 
 the birds being erased from the page of thy prosperity, 
 the patent of their guardianship shall be transferred to 
 another. Couplet. — " Take care that thou feel the 
 sufferings of the miserable ; or tremble at the violence of 
 fortune." 
 
 The Simurgh, kindly complying, set off with his servants 
 and guards, from the abode of royalty, to repel this aggres- 
 sion ; and the birds, with his help and succour, being- 
 strong in courage, turned their faces to the shore of the 
 Indian ocean. And when the Simurgh, with an army, 
 the extent and limits of which could not be contained 
 within the extent of the reckoning of any accountant, and 
 the number of their armies and species, the balance of 
 surmise and possibility could never weigh. Fragment. — 
 " All were audacious, fierce, valiant, and blood drinkers ; 
 all were courageous, experienced in war, and working 
 vengeance ; they had thrown over their breasts, mail and 
 armour of feathers and wings ; and had drawn out spears 
 and daggers of claws and beaks." When he arrived 
 in the neighbourhood of the ocean, the breeze of the 
 dawn, which sets the long line of the waves in motion, 
 carried the tidings to the envoy: and he, when he did not 
 find within his own capacity strength to contend with the 
 Simurgh and the army of birds, entering, of necessity, into 
 a position of apology, restored the children of theTitu. 
 
 And my purpose in relating the fable is this : That we 
 ought not to despise any enemy, though he should be ever 
 SO feeble ; for some work may be done by a diminutive 
 
119 
 
 needle, to which the lofty spear is incompetent : and a 
 burning- stiek from the fire, though it appear small in our 
 sight, yet will it burn whatever comes in contact with it. 
 And philosophers have said, that the friendship of a 
 thousand people is not to be put in comparison with the 
 enmity of one person. Couplet. — " For friendship, a 
 thousand persons are too few : for enmity, one would be 
 a great number." 
 
 Shanzabah then said, I will not take the first step in 
 the battle; that I may not be stamped with the infamy of 
 ingratitude for favours : but as soon as the lion makes an 
 attack upon me, I shall consider self-preservation, and the 
 defence of my person, as incumbent. Damanah said, 
 when thou goest near the lion, and seest that he has raised 
 himself up, and is lashing his tail on the ground, and that 
 the flame of his anger, like the fire of his eyes, appears 
 to be kindled ; be assured, that he has a design against 
 thee. Shanzabah replied, If anything of this nature 
 should appear, without a doubt, the veil of suspicion being 
 withdrawn from the features of certainty, there will be 
 conviction on the point of the perfidy and designs of the 
 lion. Damanah, then rejoicing, and fresh in spirits, came 
 back to Kalilah. Couplet. — " The fool, whose joy is from 
 the sorrow of others, seek not truth or honesty from him, 
 for he is alienated from all." 
 
 Kalilah said, How far are matters come ? and, in what 
 has the business concluded ? Damanah gave answer, 
 Vevse. — " I am thankful for my own fortune ; and also 
 for the times." And God be praised, that the fullest 
 relief has presented itself; and that such a difficult matter 
 has been accomplished with success and ease. Damanah 
 was saying this, while fortune, in the language of retri- 
 bution, was whispering the purport of this couplet, in the 
 ears of the wise men of the assembly of penetration. 
 Couplet. — " The guests joyfully seized the ringlets of the 
 cup-bearer : if heaven would but permit them to possess 
 any security." 
 
120 
 
 So they both went to the lion ; and it so fell out that the 
 ox came in immediately on their footsteps. The eyes of 
 the lion fell on the ox ; and the insinuations of Damanah 
 coming into operation, the lion began to roar, and kept 
 lashing the tail of assault on the ground, and was grinding 
 his teeth with excess of rage. Shanzabah made sure that 
 the lion had a design against him, and said to himself, 
 The service of princes, in fear and consternation, and 
 attendance upon kings, dread and terror, are like living in 
 the same house with a snake, and dwelling in the same 
 shelter with a lion : for though the snake may be asleep, 
 and the lion hid, yet at last the former will raise up his 
 head, and the latter will open his mouth. Couplet. — " Do 
 not pay your court to kings, for I am afraid of it ; lest it 
 become suddenly like the intimacy of the stone and the 
 pitcher." While thus reflecting he began the fight : and 
 on each they perceived the signal which the impudent 
 Damanah had described ; and the battle being begun, 
 they spread their roaring and bellowing through the whole 
 space of the land, and the expanse of time. Fragment, — 
 " From their uproar, the gentle and the ravenous beasts, 
 in that plain and wilderness, were confounded : one took 
 shelter in the cleft of a mountain ; and another hid himself 
 beneath the rubbish." 
 
 Kalilah, observing this event, turned round to Damanah, 
 and thus addressed him : Quatrain. — " Thou hast, with 
 artful skill, stirred up a hundred stratagems ; and then 
 thou hast fled from the midst of the affair. The rain of 
 two centuries will not allay this dust of calamity which 
 thou hast raised." O fool! dost thou see the evil of the 
 result of thine own proceedings, or no ? Dost thou 
 recognise the disgrace of the conclusion of thine under- 
 taking ? Damanah said, What is the evil result? The 
 other said, This work which thou hast done ; in this affair 
 there are seven manifest evils: the First is this, that, 
 without necessity thou hast involved the master of thv 
 
121 
 
 prosperity in difficulty, and hast brought heavy trouble upon 
 the spirit of the lion : the Second, that thou hast incited 
 thy master so far, that he is become notorious for breach 
 of promise and perfidy, and thou hast made this bad cha- 
 racter to be his due : the Third, without any cause thou 
 hast laboured for the blood of the ox, and hast thrown 
 him into a pathless desert of destruction : Fourth, thou 
 hast laid on thine own neck the blood of this innocent 
 creature, who will be killed by thy exertions : Fifth, thou 
 hast made a multitude evil-minded towards the king, and it 
 is possible that, for fear of him, deserting their native land, 
 they may repair to another ; and wandering from their 
 home, they may sink under the difficulties of foreign 
 travels, and emigration from their native land : Sixth, thou 
 hast rendered the chief of the armies of beasts an object 
 of ruin, and the bond of their union will hereafter be left 
 disjointed : Seventh, thou hast displayed thine own in- 
 competency and weakness, and thou hast not carried to an 
 end that boast, I will acquit myself of this business with 
 mildness and gentleness. And surely he is the most 
 stupid of mankind, who awakens strife that was asleep : 
 and some undertaking which would admit of being pur- 
 sued by peace and good will, he wishes to carry it on by 
 quarrels and fierceness. Damanah said, Thou hast perhaps 
 never heard how they have said, Couplet. — " The affair 
 that does not succeed by wisdom, something of madness 
 should be used in it." Kalllah replied, In this affair, what 
 point hast thou settled by the aid of prudence ? or what 
 plan hast thou formed by the help of the architect of deli- 
 beration, which not advancing, there was need of severity 
 and harshness ? After all, dost thou not know that sound 
 judgment and righteous thoughts are preferred before au- 
 dacity and bravery? Versa. — "Judgment is before the 
 bravery of the bold." Couplet. — " A thoroughly wise 
 man, with a word, performs works which are not to be 
 accomplished by a hundred desolating armies.' 1 And thy 
 
122 
 
 admiration and infatuation about thyself; how thou art 
 deluded by the pomp of this deceitful world, which, like the 
 thick vapour of the desert, has nothing in it but an outward 
 appearance, have always been known to me ; but I felt a 
 little hesitation about laying it open, as to whether thou 
 would take any warning ; whether thou wouldest arise, 
 alert and vigilant, from the sleep of pride, and the insen- 
 sibility and intoxication of the drink of conceit. But as 
 thou hast now gone beyond all bounds, and art becoming, 
 each moment, more wild and distracted in the desert of 
 error and the pit of desperation, it is time that I should 
 set forth a little of the height of thy ignorance and dark- 
 ness, and of the excess of thy boldness and contumacy ; 
 and that I should recount a few of thy offences in words, 
 and sins in conduct, though it may be but as a drop out 
 of the ocean, or a grain of dust from a mountain. Verses, 
 - — " That thou mayest know what things thou hast done : 
 drawing a pattern of perfidy, thou hast committed an error. 
 On all points, thou art nothing in any account that is 
 taken : though all others are something, thou, in short, 
 art nothing." 
 
 Damanah said, O brother, from the beginning of life 
 till this time, I do not believe that a word which was not 
 fit, or an action was not suitable, has come into existence 
 from me ; yet if thou hast observed any fault in me, 
 certainly it is right to set it forth. Kalilah said, * Thou 
 hast many faults. The first is this ; that thou fanciest 
 thyself to be faultless: another, that thy talk preponderates 
 over thy doings : and they have said, that there is no 
 danger to a king equal to this, that the words of his 
 ministers are weighter than his actions. And the men of 
 the world are, as to words and actions, of four classes : 
 First, there is the man who says and does not ; and this 
 is the habit of hypocrites and misers : Secondly, he who 
 does not say, but yet does ; and this is the practice of 
 upright generous men : the Third, is one who says and 
 
123 
 
 does ; which is the temper of men of society : and the 
 Fourth is, he that neither says nor does; and this is the 
 character of the base and low-minded. Now, thou art 
 of that class which will talk, but do not adorn their 
 words with the ornament of action ; and I have always 
 found thy talking far beyond thy merits. And the lion, 
 deluded by thy narrations, is become exposed to such peril 
 as this : and if, God protect us ! any injury should befal 
 hirn, anarchy and confusion will arise in these dominions ; 
 the misery and destruction of the people will exceed all 
 bounds; all their lives and property will fall into danger 
 of destruction and plunder ; and the sin of all this misery 
 will be upon thy neck. Fragment, — " Whoever is evil in 
 action, or evil in thought, where shall he ever again see 
 the face of welfare : whoever plants a sprig of injury, 
 where shall he pick the fruit of benefit ?" 
 
 Damanah said, I have always been a minister, giving 
 good advice to the king ; nor have I planted any but the 
 shrubs of good counsel in the garden of his circumstances. 
 Kalilah replied, The shrub, whose fruit is that conduct 
 which is now seen, had been better plucked up by the 
 root: and that advice, which produces such consequences 
 as have now come to sight, had been better, neither uttered 
 nor heard. And how can any advantage be looked for in 
 thy discourse, while the fact is that it is not adorned with 
 the ornament of practice ? For knowledge, without prac- 
 tice, is like wax without honey, it has not the least flavour; 
 and talking, without doing, is like a tree without leaves or 
 fruit, it is fit for nothing but to burn. Verses. — " Know- 
 ledge, which has no sign of being put in practice, is a 
 carcase only, and there is no soul in it. Knowledge is a 
 tree, and conduct is the fruit to it ; it is especially for the 
 sake of the fruit, that the tree grew up. The branch, 
 which is without fruit, is hateful ; it is a supply for the 
 fire of the cooks." 
 
 And eminent men have, with the pen of kindness, 
 
 R 
 
124 
 
 inscribed this upon the pages of their volumes; that from 
 things no advantage can he derived: — the First, 
 discourse without practice; the Second, wealth without 
 prudence; the Third, friendship without experience ; the 
 Fourth, knowledge without virtue; the Fifth, alms with- 
 out pious intentions; and the Sixth, life without society. 
 And the king, though in his own nature he be just and 
 seldom oppressive, yet a minister, ill-disposed and of sordid 
 character, will cut off all the benefits of his justice and 
 clemency from all the people ; and from dread of his 
 opposition, the sorrowful tale of the afflicted never attains 
 to the honour of being laid before the king ; just like 
 sweet and limpid water, in which the figure of a crocodile 
 may be observed, no thirsty swimmer, though he may be 
 excessively parched, can either open his hand in it, or 
 place his foot in it. Couplet. — " I am come, parched to 
 the liver, to a fountain of water ; but what is the use ; 
 since there is no power to drink." 
 
 Daman ah said, I had no object in this proceeding, but 
 the honour of attending upon the king, Kalilah said, 
 Accomplished attendants, efficient servants, and ministers, 
 who understand business, are the pride and ornament of 
 the courts of kings : but thou art desirous that others 
 should be set aside from doing their duty to the king; and 
 that thou mayest be the one relied upon, and pointed out; 
 1 1 nd that high favour in his presence shall be confined to 
 thyself; and this notion is from the extreme of ignorance, 
 and the excess of folly; for princes are not to be restrained 
 to any one thing or person. And the rank of sovereignty 
 has a resemblance to grace and beauty; for just as some 
 fascinating beauty, the more numerous her lovers, the more 
 frequent is the display of the splendour of her attractions; 
 so a king also, whatever number of servants and retainers 
 may appear, his inclination will be for an addition to his 
 retinue and attendants, And this unripe desire that thou 
 hast, is a clear demonstration of excess of stupidity; just 
 
125 
 
 as philosophers have said, the signs of folly are five things: 
 — First, to seek our own benefit in the injury of others ; 
 Second, to hope for the rewards of a future life, without 
 holiness and charity; Third, to make love to women with 
 harsh language and violence of temper; Fourth, to learn 
 the subtle points of the sciences, with self-indulgence and 
 ease; Fifth, to expect friendship from men, without faith- 
 fulness or regard to the rights of attachment. And it is 
 from the height of that affection which I entertain, that I 
 speak these words : or else it is as clear as the sun, that 
 the dark night of thy depravity will never be made light 
 by the torch of my preaching ; and that the darkness of 
 ignorance, and the blackness of envy, which are interwoven 
 in thy being, will never be dissipated by the rays of my 
 counsels. Couplet. — " It would not be possible, with the 
 water of the well of Mecca, or the streams of Paradise, to 
 bleach the blanket of the fortune of that man, which they 
 have woven black." And the example of myself, with 
 regard to thee, is the same as that of the man,* who kept 
 saying to the bird, do not take fruitless trouble, nor waste 
 thy words upon a set, who are not in a case to listen : but 
 he would not attend, and in the end the just reward of it 
 reached him. 
 
 Damanah enquired how it was, and Kalilah told this 
 
 Story. 
 
 They have related that a flock of monkeys held their 
 abode on a certain mountain, and lived upon the fruits 
 and herbs of it. By destiny, on a certain night, more 
 black than the hearts of sinners, and darker than the 
 minds of men of desperate fortunes, the army of winter 
 made an assault upon them ; and by the gust of the 
 blasts of intense cold, the course of the blood in their 
 bodies began to congeal. Verses, — " By the frost, the Lioq 
 of the firmament was in hopes that he might change 
 
 * Note. — From the Story, it appears that ii pas not a man, but 
 
 another bird, who said this to the bird. There i 
 
126 
 
 his skin, inside out, on his body : and in the fields, the 
 birds had their shoes in the fire, (/. e. were in restless 
 haste) for cheerfully would they be put on the spit to the 
 fire. The poor creatures, distressed by the cold, were 
 Beeking some shelter ; and in their search for it, girding 
 themselves with alacrity, were running about into every 
 corner. On a sudden, they saw a bright lump of quick- 
 silver lying on one side of the road ; and under a belief 
 that it was fire, having collected some sticks and laid them 
 about it, were blowing their breath on it. And opposite 
 to them, a bird on a tree kept calling out, it is not fire : 
 but they paid no attention, and did not desist from their 
 fruitless task. By chance, in this interval, another bird 
 came there and said to this bird, do not take this trouble, 
 for they will not be hindered by thy talking, and thou wilt 
 become vexed. Couplet. — " Every one who becomes 
 allied to misfortune, in the commencement of his affairs, 
 renounce him, for he will not become fortunate by perse- 
 verance." And to show any exertion in polishing and 
 regulating such persons, is like trying a sword upon a 
 stone ; or to seek from deadly poison the properties of a 
 sovereign antidote. Fragment, — " Whoever, in his origin, 
 turned out base in nature, do not entertain a hope of 
 any goodness from him. Because, assuredly, with every 
 exertion, it is not possible to make, out of a black raven, 
 a white hawk." When the bird saw that they did not 
 listen to his words, from the excess of his kindness he 
 alighted from the tree, in order that he might more clearly 
 bring his advice to their ears; and make some remon- 
 strance with them against that unprofitable labour which 
 they were bearing, when the monkeys, collecting together 
 about her, separated her head from her body. Now, my 
 proceedings with thee have just the same character; I am 
 wasting my time, and uttering unprofitable words : and 
 whilst no benefit will result to thee, there is a fear also of 
 some injury to me. Fragment, — " If the listener does 
 
 
127 
 
 not agree to thy counsel ; why shouldest thou lay a useless 
 burthen on thy tender heart. Thou hast said thus, mount 
 the holy beast of happiness ; that thou mayest reach unto 
 the halting place, and thou mayest be free from care. 
 But he would not hear; and goes on, just as before, in his 
 way : let him alone, that, on foot, he may lag behind for 
 his folly." 
 
 Damanah said, My brother ! eminent men have always 
 observed the conditions of integrity towards inferiors in 
 their advice and counsel ; and have abstained from their 
 own inclinations and from deceit: and the maintenance of 
 the usages of counsel and advice, is incumbent upon men 
 of excellence ; whether a person will listen to them, or 
 will not. Fragment. — " Keep not thy advice from any 
 person back, but speak; though there may be on the part 
 of the hearer, some fault. The cloud does not withhold 
 the drops of rain from the mountain ; although it does not 
 make any impression upon the heart of the marble." 
 
 Kalilah said, I do not close the gate of advice against 
 thee ; but I am afraid of this, that thou hast laid the 
 foundations of thy conduct upon deceit and stratagem, 
 and hast taken self-opinion, and self-will for thy trade : 
 " it is the worst qualification, that obstinacy :" and when 
 thou shalt become ashamed, shame will do no good ; and 
 ever so often as thou shalt bite the back of thy hand, or 
 scratch the face of the bosom, it will yield no profit. For 
 every project, of which the foundations are built upon 
 fraud and perfidy, the result of it will finish in disgust, 
 and conclusion of it in disgrace. Just as it befel the 
 cunning partner ; and the evil of his stratagem turning 
 into the ring of a snare of calamity, hung about his own 
 neck : while the wise partner, by the blessing of honesty 
 and a pure heart, attained his object. 
 
 Damanah asked the particulars, and Kalilah said, 
 
 Story. 
 
 They have related that there were two partners ; the 
 
128 
 
 one prudent, the other negligent. The former, by the 
 excess of cunning and counterfeit, would work a thousand 
 changes upon the water; and men used also to call him 
 Sharp-wit: the other, from the extent of his stupidity and 
 ignorance, could not make any distinction between profit 
 and loss ; and him they called Light-heart. They had a 
 claim upon a certain merchant ; so, in union with each 
 other, they set their faces to the journey, and went on 
 folding up their stages and marches. By destiny, they 
 found a sum of money on the way ; and reckoning it 
 great spoils, they began to hesitate. The clever one said, 
 Brother, in this world, there is much profit, that is never 
 made : at present, to be content with this sum, and to 
 pass our days with tranquility, in the corner of our own 
 hut, appears best. Verses. — " How long wilt thou wander 
 about the world for the sake of gold ? the more the gold 
 becomes, the greater the sorrow grows. The cup of the 
 eye of the avaricious was never filled. While the oyster 
 shell was not satisfied, it was not filled with pearls." So 
 they turned back; and being come near to the city, they 
 alighted at the halting place. The inconsiderate partner 
 said, come on ! that we may divide this money ; and 
 getting free from alarm, may each of us spend our own 
 share in whatever we like. But the clever one answered, 
 At present, it is not expedient to make a division ; the 
 right course would be in this ; that we should carry away 
 that amount, for which necessity may occur for our 
 exprnces; and let us lay the rest as a deposit some where, 
 with great circumspection: and every certain number of 
 days, coining, and taking from it, in proportion to our 
 necessities, we will, in like manner, make the remainder 
 ire; that it may be the further from danger, and the 
 nearer to safety. The stupid partner, inveigled by the 
 delusion, and receiving his fictions with approbation, they 
 took, in the way that has been mentioned, a quantity of 
 coin, and by agreement buried the remainder under a tree, 
 
129 
 
 and setting their faces towards the city, each took up his 
 ahode in his own home. Couplet. — " Next day, when 
 the juggling sphere opened the lid of the chest of fraud," 
 That partner who used to pretend to cunning, went to the 
 foot of the tree, and taking all the pieces of money out 
 of the earth, carried them away. The careless partner, 
 knowing nothing of the matter, was busy in spending the 
 cash that he had, till the least of it was not left. So he 
 came to the clever one, and said, come along ! and let us 
 fetch something from our buried store, for I am grown 
 completely destitute. The cunning fellow, pretending 
 ignorance, said, it would be right. So they both came 
 along together to the foot of the tree ; but by how much 
 the more they sought, the less did they find. Then 
 Sharp-wit laid his hand on the collar of Light-heart, 
 saying, this money thou hast taken, while any other person 
 had not information. And the poor fellow, with all the 
 oaths that he swore, and the lamentations that he made, 
 did not reach his point. And to go on with the Story, 
 their business went on, from a quarrel to a law-suit ; and 
 from a contest it terminated in an appeal. The cunning 
 partner, bringing the careless one before the judge, made 
 his claim upon him, and conveyed to the ear of the judge 
 the purport of the Story, and the meaning of the dispute : 
 and after the denial of Light-heart, the judge demanded 
 from Sharp-wit, some proof in conformity with his claim. 
 Sharp-wit said, " O Kazi, may God Almighty preserve 
 thee." Couplet. — " Take enjoyment of thy life ; for on 
 the bench of justice, all the sentences of thy life are 
 stamped for perpetuity." There is no witness for me, with 
 the exception of that tree, at the foot of which the gold 
 was buried ; and I hope that the Lord, glorious and 
 almighty, by His perfect power, may bring that tree to 
 speech, that it may establish evidence to the theft of this 
 iniquitous traitor, who has carried off the whole of the 
 cash, and made me desolate. The Kazi was amazed at 
 
130 
 
 those words ; and after a good deal of altercation and 
 abundant talk, they gave rest to it upon this, — that next 
 day, the Kazi appearing at the foot of the tree, should call 
 upon the tree for evidence; and that if its evidence should 
 be conformable to the claim, he should upon its evidence 
 make a decree. The cunning partner went home ; and 
 having detailed the whole affair to his father, withdrew 
 the veil from the business, and said, And with a confidence 
 in thee, my father, I have formed a notion of evidence 
 from the tree; and with hopes in thee, I have planted the 
 shrub of stratagem in the court of justice, and the whole 
 project is connected closely with thy love; if thou wilt act 
 in concert, we may carry off that gold, and obtain as much 
 more, and pass the rest of our life in comfort and ease. 
 The father said, What can that be, which depends upon 
 me in this undertaking ? The son said, The inside of the 
 tree is hollow, in such a manner, that if two persons 
 should be hid in it, one could not see them. It is neces- 
 sary for thee to go this night, and to remain inside the 
 tree till to-morrow, when the KiizI shall come and call for 
 evidence : then, as the custom is, thou canst bring thy 
 testimony to fulfilment. The father said, My son! depart 
 from the thought of fraud and stratagem ; for if thou 
 shouldst delude the creatures, thou canst not deceive the 
 Creator. Quatrain. — " The Lord of heaven knows all 
 thy secrets ; for He knows thee, hair by hair, and vein by 
 vein. I grant that, by fraud, thou mayest deceive mankind. 
 What wilt thou do with Him ? for He understands all 
 things individually." Oh ! many is the stratagem which 
 has become a plague to its author ; and the fit reward of 
 it reaching even to himself, he has become disgraced and 
 exposed. And I am fearful that, (let it not be), thy 
 stratagem may be like the stratagem of the frog. 
 
 The son asked how that was, and the father said, 
 
 Story. 
 
 They have related, that a frog had made her home by 
 
131 
 
 the side of a snake, and had taken up her dwelling in the 
 neighbourhood of that blood- sucking oppressor: and every 
 time that the frog used to bring forth young, the snake 
 used to eat them up ; and used to afflict her heart with 
 the brand of the loss of her offspring. This frog had an 
 intimacy with a crab ; one day she went to him and said, 
 Obliging friend ! think of some suitable scheme for me ; 
 for I have a superior enemy and a powerful foe ; for 
 neither to stand against him can be conceived, nor is any 
 tale or allegory of vengeance within my reach. For the 
 spot which I have made my dwelling, is a sweet place; 
 and my delightful abode is a meadow, the dark green 
 limits of which exhilirate the soul like the gardens of 
 paradise ; and its delightful breezes are perfumed, like 
 the ringlets of beauties. Verses. — " A hundred thousand 
 flowers are blown in it ; the verdure is lively, and the 
 water tranquil in it. Each flower of a different kind, in 
 its colouring ; the odour of each flower had extended a 
 league. The volumes of roses had unfolded a hundred 
 leaves; and the tulips held on their palms, cups of moisture. 
 By the fragrance of the northern breeze, shedding odours, 
 all the sides of it became mingled with perfume." And 
 no person would by choice abandon such a residence ; nor 
 withdraw his heart from this specimen of the celestial 
 paradise. Couplet. — " My abode is the street of the 
 pagons ; and what a lovely spot it is : no reasonable man 
 in the world would abandon such a place." 
 
 The crab said, Do not suffer sorrow ; for it is possible 
 to bind a strong enemy in the noose of stratagem ; and 
 one can cast a superior foe into the snare of fraud. 
 Couplet. — " If any one scatter the grains of stratagem, 
 he may bring plenty of cunning birds into the snare." 
 
 The frog said, And in this chapter, what hard question 
 of the book of subtlety hast thou solved; and what remedy 
 hast thou got hold of, for the repulse of the evil of this 
 malevolent enemy? The crab said, In a certain spot 
 
132 
 
 there is an ichneumon, fond of battle, and sharp tempered: 
 catch a few fishes, and drag them, and spread them along, 
 from before his hole, all the way to the dwelling of the 
 snake : and so, as the^ichneumon eats them up, one by 
 one, and goes on in search of another, doubtless, wdien 
 he conies to the hole of the snake, he will make use of 
 him too ; and will set thee free from his malice and mis- 
 chief. The frog, by this contrivance, which coincided 
 with destiny, destroyed the snake. When a space of two 
 or three days had passed after this occurrence, there arose 
 to the ichneumon a temptation to this, that he would 
 make a movement in seeking to eat fish ; and repeat the 
 same scene to which he had now formed a habit. Again 
 he set off, in search of fish, on the same road which he 
 had before measured with the foot of desire ; and as he 
 found no fish he ate up the frog and her young ones. 
 Couplet. — " Thou hast snatched me from the fangs of the 
 wolf; but when I looked, in the end, thou thyself wast 
 the wolf." And I have brought this example, because the 
 termination of stratagem is entanglement ; and the end of 
 fraud and perfidy is shame and humiliation. Couplet. — 
 " Set not thy foot in the valley of deceit and devices; 
 for thou wilt fall into the snare of calamity, in the 
 conclusion." 
 
 The son said, My father, shorten the discourse, and 
 hold these far and distant thoughts in suspense ; for this 
 is a matter of little harm and much benefit. A lust for 
 the money, and affection for his child led the helpless old 
 man from the halting place of honesty and religion, to the 
 deserts of violence and treachery ; and the secret of 
 " verily your wealth and their children are a temptation 
 for you" came to publicity. Leaving the road of manli- 
 ness untrodden, and entirely rolling up the carpet of fine 
 feeling, he thought lit to undertake such a part, as in law 
 and custom is forbidden and denied; and on that dark 
 night, with a darkened heart took his place inside the 
 
133 
 
 tree. At dawn, when the clear minded Kazi, the sun, 
 became manifest on the judgment seat of the sky, and 
 the perfidy of the black faced night became as clear as 
 day to the creatures of the world; — the Kazi, made his 
 appearance with a concourse of eminent persons, at the 
 foot of the tree; and the people, in a crowd to behold the 
 sight, drew up in a line. The Kazi, turning his face to 
 the tree, after explaining the claim of the plaintiff*, and the 
 denial of the defendant, called upon it to explain the state 
 of the case. A voice came forth from inside the tree, 
 that Light-heart took away the money ; and has done 
 violence to Sharp-wit, w r ho is his partner. The Kazi was 
 astounded ; and by his sagacity understood, that some one 
 was concealed within the tree ; and that to expose him 
 would not be attainable, but by an adroit contrivance. 
 Couplet. — " The secret of every device which is hidden 
 from the eye.of prudence ; except in the mirror of con- 
 trivance does not become manifest." 
 
 Then he gave orders ; and so, collecting a great deal 
 of rubbish, they laid it all about the tree, and set it on 
 fire ; till they brought smoke out of the family (or breath 
 out of the body) of that unfinished man, raw business. 
 The covetous old man, having a little while shewn patience, 
 when he saw that the matter was come to his life, called 
 for quarter: and the Kazi, having extricated him and 
 shewn him kindness, put questions to him about the truth 
 of the case. The half-burnt old man revealed with truth 
 the form of the event; and the Kazi, being fully informed 
 of the particulars, set forth to the people the characteristic 
 of integrity and moderation in Light-heart, and the 
 treachery and worthlessness of Sharp-wit. And coincident 
 with this state; of things, the old man, witli his hypocrisy, 
 removed the furniture of life from this perishable world to 
 the mansions of eternity: and with all the heat of worldly 
 fire, he found a union with the raging of the flames of 
 futurity. The son, after he had met with the utmost 
 
134 
 
 chastisement, and had endured grievous severity, laying 
 his dead father upon his neek, set off for the city. And 
 Light-heart, hy the blessing of righteousness and integrity, 
 truth and probity, getting back his own money, became 
 engaged in settling his affairs. And the conclusion from 
 the recital of this example is this; that it may be known 
 to mankind, that the results of deceit are unpleasant, and 
 the conclusion of treachery is unhappy and contemptible. 
 Verses. — " Whoever places his foot in the straits of 
 deceit; at length will give his own head to the wind. 
 Fraud is a snake which has two heads; and each one has 
 a different kind of danger. That end, if it make the 
 enemy heart-sore, this brings mischief to its owner " 
 
 Damanah said, Thou hast imposed upon judgment the 
 name of deceit ; and given to arrangement the epithet of 
 fraud and perfidy. I have performed this object by sound 
 arrangement, and have accomplished so great a matter 
 with a right judgment. Kalilah said, Thou art, in weak- 
 ness of judgment, and infirmity of plan, in that state that 
 the tongue becomes incompetent to the recital of it ; and 
 in baseness of mind, and violence of love for power, art 
 at such a stage, that description is left at a loss in telling 
 it. The advantage of thy fraud and deceit to thy master 
 and the lord of thy prosperity, may be what thou seest : 
 still at last, what will be the evil and the punishment of it 
 with regard to thyself; for the infamy of thy double face 
 and double tongue will yield an evil consequence. Damanah 
 said, What is the harm of having a double face ? for the 
 beautiful rose is an ornament to the garden, from having 
 a double face. And what is the fear of being double 
 tongued ; for the pen of the secretary, with its two 
 tongues, is the guardian of wealth and dominion : the 
 sword which has only one face, (or edge) to drink blood 
 is its office ; but a comb, which has two faces, (sides) its 
 resting place is the forehead of the lovely. Fragment. — 
 ' lie drinks blood, like a sword, in this age ; every one 
 
135 
 
 who is of one face and of one tongue, because he is of a 
 a pure nature : but that man who is like a comb, with 
 double face and double tongue, they will give him a place 
 on their foreheads, because of his superiority." 
 
 Kalllah said, Damanah, leave off this boasting. Thou 
 art neither that two-faced rose, that in beholding thy 
 beauty the eye becomes bright ; but rather, that heart- 
 vexing thorn, from which nothing but injury comes to 
 mankind : nor yet that two-tongued pen, that thou 
 shouldst give information to the government and the 
 kingdom ; but rather, that double-tongued snake, for the 
 wound of thy tongue can be nothing but hurtful poison : 
 indeed, the snake has an excess of virtue over thee ; for, 
 from one of his tongues comes poison, and from the other, 
 the antidote flows ; whilst in thee, poison pours out from 
 both tongues, and neither has any trace or token of the 
 antidote. And it is right, that when nothing but antidote 
 is produced by the tongue of any one, on account of his 
 friends, if, for his enemies some poison should appear, it 
 may be fit : just as an eminent man has said. Couplet. — 
 " The antidote and the poison are to me, on the tip of the 
 tongue ; the first shall be for my friends, and the other 
 for my foes." 
 
 Damanah said, Pass on from rebuking me; for perhaps 
 reconciliation may grow up between the lion and Shanza- 
 bah ; and again the foundations of affection and concord 
 may be confirmed. Kalllah said, This speech, again, is 
 out of the collection of those sayings which are mingled 
 with impossibility : and thou, perhaps, hast never learnt 
 that three things must be established, before the occurrence 
 of three things ; after which, the settling of those things 
 is of the class of what is forbidden, and their firm position 
 is of the chapter of impossibilities. First, The water of 
 a fountain or conduit is so long pleasant, as it has not 
 reached the sea ; but when it has joined the ocean, pure- 
 ness and sweetness may not again be expected from it. 
 
186 
 
 Second, Union among relations will take place, so long 
 as evil-disposed and wicked persons have not interfered 
 among them ; but after it, the interference of the wicked 
 and the malevolent, it is not possible to expect agreement 
 and concord from relations and connections. Third, The 
 springs of society and intimacy will for such a time be 
 pure, as they do not give to tale-bearers and mischief- 
 makers any opportunity of speaking ; but when double 
 faced, double-tongued men have found an occasion for 
 plausible talk between two affectionate friends, reliance 
 cannot again be placed on their friendship. And, hereafter, 
 if the ox should find escape from the paws of the lion, it 
 is not possible that, by his gentleness and flattery, he 
 should turn from his path, or shew any desire for recon- 
 ciliation and confidence with him: or upon the supposition 
 that the gates of intercourse should still be left open, there 
 will be to each an apprehension of the other. Couplet. — 
 " When a thread is broken, it may be tied again ; but a 
 knot will be left in the midst." 
 
 Damanah said, If I, relinquishing attendance on the 
 lion, become a recluse in the corner of my cottage, and 
 seizin"; with the hand of attachment the skirt of intercourse 
 with thy virtues, draw the head of seclusion within the 
 collar of retirement, — how might that be? Kalilah said, 
 Far be it, that I should again keep company with thee ; 
 or have any inclination for thy society; for I have always 
 been alarmed at this close intimacy with thee ; and in my 
 heart I have always rejected thy familiarity. For the 
 Learned have said, that we ought to abstain from the 
 society of the ignorant and the vicious ; and shew attach- 
 ment to the service of the wise and virtuous : since an 
 union with men of vice and profligacy is like rearing a 
 snake: for bow much the more the snake catcher takes 
 trouble in nursing it, after all, the flavour of venom will 
 give out ;i smell from his gums. While waiting upon men 
 of understanding and purity of morals is like the casket of 
 
137 
 
 the apothecary: for if nothing of the contents falls to 
 any man, in the end, the odours of his perfume will give 
 fragrance to the palate. Verses. — " Be like an apothecary; 
 for by the side of him the gown becomes perfumed by his 
 fragrance. How long, like the forge of blacksmiths, wilt 
 thou give on every side smoke and sparks." 
 
 O Damanah ! how can one have any hope of thy faith- 
 fulness and kindness; since against a king (who has made 
 thee noble, honourable, confidential, and illustrious, to such 
 an extent that, in the shade of his prosperity, like the sun, 
 thou dost boast of rising higher ; and that, by reason of 
 attendance upon his heaven-like threshold, thou dost place 
 the foot of boasting on the forehead of the polar stars ;) 
 thou hast thought such conduct allowable ; and hast 
 imagined the claims of all his bounty and grace to be 
 nothing. Couplet. — " Neither for justice nor for thyself 
 hast thou any shame ; nor also any modest sense of 
 manly feeling." And I, if I choose a distance of a thou- 
 sand leagues from such a person, a noble understanding 
 will hold me excused; and if I should renounce fellowship 
 with such a worthless person, reason, our guide, will 
 connect me with rectitude. Fragment. — " To break off 
 intercourse with friends in appearance, is more agreeable ; 
 for absence is pleasanter than the presence of one who is 
 not congenial : that companion, by whose society thy 
 mind is not gladdened, distance, to a hundred leagues 
 from such a companion, is sweeter." And just as boundless 
 advantages belong to the society of the virtuous and the 
 holy; so mischiefs without end belong to an intercourse 
 with the ignoble and wicked: and the society of bad men 
 makes an impression more quickly ; and the evil of it 
 becomes manifest in a little time. Therefore, he who is 
 completely wise ought to form a friendship with wise men, 
 approved in their life, speaking the truth, and sweet in 
 temper; and should keep aloof from a companion, lying, 
 treacherous, ill-natured, and profligate, f'crscs. — "As 
 
\3H 
 
 long as it is possible to close the door in the face of 
 mankind, sit down alone in the chamber of retirement. 
 It is right to gain a virtuous companion ; for every black 
 heart is not fit for society. I have a recollection of these 
 words from a wise man, on whose pure soul be mercy, viz. 
 with the foolish, every man who became intimate, by their 
 intimacy at last, he became entangled. And whoever 
 takes an unworthy friend, or strengthens himself by an 
 ignorant friend, that happens to him, which happened to 
 the gardener. 
 
 Damanah asked what that was, and Kalilah said, 
 Story. 
 
 They have related that there was a gardener; for a long 
 time he had been engaged in different kinds of agriculture; 
 and had spent his dear life in laying out gardens and pleasure 
 grounds. He had a garden, the paradise-like borders of 
 which, by the deliciousness of its shrubs, had thrown the 
 dust of envy into the eyes of the garden of Aram ; and by 
 the freshness of its flowers and streams had fixed a scar of 
 distraction on the bosom of the gardens of the palace of 
 Bahrain : on its variegated trees the splendour of a pea- 
 cock was apparent, and from its gold-painted flowers the 
 the blaze of an imperial diadem was refulgent ; the surface 
 of the ground was resplendent, like the countenance of a 
 beauty wearing ornaments ; and the gales of the air were 
 perfumed, like the cottage of a master-dealer in ambergris; 
 the flourishing trees, with the quantity of fruit, like aged 
 men with bent backs; while the fruit, trickling with 
 lusciousness, like a heavenly sweetmeat ripened without 
 the heat of fire; the colours of its vernal and autumnal 
 fruits to an excess of delicacy, and the last degree of 
 elegance; its apples, without evil, like the chins of silver- 
 bodied heart-stealers, ensnared all hearts; and by their 
 lovely colour, and exhilerating odour, had captivated a 
 world of people, fragment. — " They have compared the 
 apple to the chin of a mistress ; its colour grew red, and 
 
139 
 
 the whole face was lighted up in the garden : the apple is 
 a lamp, shining from the tree ; who has seen a lamp at 
 the end of a branch, in the bright day ? " The pear had 
 suspended, at every branch, jugs of the water of life, with 
 pitchers full of a delicious juice of sugar; and by the offer 
 of a delicate preserve excited the inclination of the indolent 
 without capital or profit. Verses. — " What shall I say in 
 praise of the pear ; for in sweetness and delicacy, it is so 
 many bottles of fine sugar hanging from the branches." 
 And the (juince, clothed in wool, like philosophers who 
 rise by night, with its yellow complexion, had put forth 
 its head from the cage of the monastery of creation : and 
 its dust-soiled face had awakened the grief-soiled hearts 
 of lovers from affection to their moon-like loves. Couplet. 
 — " The quince is yellow with the sun, and I am yellow 
 with my love; he from the moon and the sun, and I from 
 the love of my mistress." The golden ball of the orange, 
 shining from among the green leaves, like the globe of the 
 sun blazing from the azure sky. And the gilded censer 
 of the citron was sparkling in the courts of the garden, 
 with its trancjuilizing perfume and exhilirating odours. 
 Verses. — " Its pomegranates, smiling like the lips of the 
 mistress of our heart, was to all parties as delicious as the 
 lustre of her teeth. By way of experiment, the heavens, 
 like a goldsmith, had cast the essence of rubies into the 
 fire, (or the pomegranate.) When my reason would sing 
 a description of the peach ; my discourse upon it would 
 appear moist and sweet: as yet, its life is not come to our 
 lip, when the juice of beauty and delicacy exudes from it." 
 On one side there was an incomparable fig; such that 
 the hand of power had fixed the quality of its beauty, in 
 conformity with " and the fig ;" and had composed a 
 rare sweetness out of fragrant herbs and fine sugar. On 
 another side, a transparent grape 4 , the details of whose 
 perfection the pen of wisdom had drawn upon the illus- 
 trious page of " and in it we raised up grain and the 
 
 T 
 
140 
 
 grape ;" lay swelling, like a moist blister on the palm of 
 the green leaf. And on the edge of the beds, the golden 
 balls of the melons, with green ringlets and fair cheeks, 
 like a new moon, which shews its face from the horizon 
 of the azure-coloured sky, burst forth in splendour. 
 Verses. — " Each melon ball, which had grown green in 
 it. carried off the ball from the fruits of Paradise : with a 
 freshness of ringlets, in the form of its hair never was ; 
 breathing musk, musk never had that odour." 
 
 And the old villager had so much attachment to each 
 tree, that he had none of the enjoyments of a father, and 
 no solicitude about children ; but passed his time in 
 solitude in that garden. But the end of the matter w T as, 
 that he got into a strait with the horrors of solitude ; and 
 became to the last degree melancholv with the dread of 
 being alone, and without a companion. Verse. — " Roses 
 and violets, and all things, are here; but there is no friend: 
 what is the good of them ? " 
 
 But to the Story. From grief at being alone, he came 
 forth to ramble in the plain ; and was taking a walk on 
 the skirts of a hill, which, like the extent of the length of 
 hope, the expanse of it was not susceptible of limit. By 
 chance, a bear, foul-tempered, ugly in shape, disagreeable 
 in appearance, and impure in nature, had also, on account 
 of his solitary state, turned his face from the top of the 
 hill to the bottom. And in the moment that they met, 
 on both sides, by reason of being of like kind, the chain 
 of affection came into motion ; and the heart of the peasant 
 was disposed to the companionship and society of the bear. 
 Couplets. — " The merest atoms that are in this earth and 
 heaven, are, to their own kind, like the straw and the 
 amber: bodies of lire are attractive to bodies of fire; bodies 
 of light also seek bodies of light: what is pure, those who 
 arc pure are fond of: and sorrow also, those who are 
 dark draw to themselves. What is it that carries away 
 \;nn persons'- sonic vanity: and what is it that is pleasing 
 
141 
 
 to the wise ? a wise man. Men of error draw fools after 
 them ; and all the rest are pleased with all the rest." 
 
 The inexperienced bear, seeing the flattery of the peasant, 
 was completely attached to his society; and upon a little 
 signal, laying the head at his feet, entered the Paradise-like 
 garden : and by enriching and honouring him with all 
 those delicious fruits, friendship became confirmed be- 
 tween them; and the roots of the shrub of affection found 
 firmness in the piece of land of the heart of each. Verses. 
 — " In the corner of the garden, they continued for a 
 space ; in the union of each other constantly delighted." 
 
 And whenever the gardener, from excess of weariness, 
 would lay, in the shade of repose, the head of tranquility 
 on the pillow of rest, the bear, from motives of love and 
 affection, sitting at the edge of his pillow, would drive 
 away the flies. Verse. — " I do not wish, moreover, that 
 even a fly should cast a shadow on that lip." One day, 
 the gardener, in his accustomed way, was gone to re'st, 
 and had fallen into sleep ; and a great many flies being 
 collected on his face, the bear was occupied in fly-driving; 
 but as often as he used to drive the flies away, instantly 
 they would return ; and as he would hinder them on this 
 side, they would make an attack on the other side. The 
 bear was exasperated, and taking up a stone, to the amount 
 of twenty mans, (about half a ton,) with the design that 
 " I will kill the flies," he cast it on the face of the helpless 
 peasant. To the flies, no injury occurred from the danger 
 of the stone; but the old gardener became all the same 
 with the dust. And hence our forefathers have said, that 
 in all circumstances, a wise enemy is better than a foolish 
 friend. Couplet. — " A wise enemy, though he be the 
 grief of the soul, is better than a friend who is ignorant." 
 
 And I have quoted this Story for this ; that friendship 
 with thee yields just the same result, as if the head should 
 be in a situation of destruction, or the breast should 
 become a target to the arrows of calamity. Couplet. — 
 

 
 1 12 
 
 " The society of fools is like an empty kettle ; which on 
 the inside is destitute, and on the outside black." 
 
 Damanah said, I am not such a fool that I do not 
 distinguish what is beneficial to my friend from what is 
 injurious: or that I cannot make a distinction of his good 
 from his hurt. Kalilah said, I acknowledge this ; that 
 thou art not in folly at that degree; yet the dust of sinister 
 views makes the sight of the mind dark and corrupt: it is 
 possible that, on account of some selfish object, thou wilt 
 abandon the part of thy friend, and wilt make ready a 
 thousand unsatisfactory explanations as an excuse for it : 
 just as in the matter of the lion and Shanzabah, thou hast 
 stirred up all this perfidy, and still dost make pretension 
 to a pure garb and a good disposition. And the example 
 of thee with thy friends, is like the example of that mer- 
 chant, w T ho had said, " In a city where mice eat a hundred 
 mans of iron, what wonder if a hawk should carry off 
 a boy r " 
 
 Damanah said, how was that ? 
 
 Story. 
 
 Kalilah said, They have related that a merchant, of 
 small means, was going on a journey: by way of fore- 
 thought, he put a hundred mans of iron in deposit, in the 
 house of a friend ; so that if any necessity should occur, 
 making that a source of livelihood, he might give some 
 stability to the thread of subsistence. After the merchant 
 had brought his journey to a conclusion, and had once 
 more arrived at the object or his endeavours, he became 
 in want of the iron: but the friend who had taken it in 
 trust, had sold the iron, and spent the price of it. 
 
 One day, the merchant went unto him to demand the 
 iron, The trustee led him into the house, and said, 
 " O sir ! I had laid by that iron in security, in a corner, 
 and made my mind easy; thoughtless of this, that in that 
 corner the hole of a mouse is situated: and by the time 
 tint I became aware of it. the mouse had perceived the 
 
143 
 
 opportunity to be great spoil, and bad entirely eaten tbe 
 iron. The merchant answered, Thou sayest true ; for 
 mice have a great affection for iron ; and their teeth have 
 entire power over such a juicy and tender morsel. Couplet. 
 — " To mice, mouthfuls of iron are, just like macaroni, 
 a delight to the throat." 
 
 The trust-worthy and veracious man, was rejoiced at 
 hearing these words; and said to himself, — " This stupid 
 merchant is deluded by this speech, and has taken off his 
 heart from the iron : there is not any thing better than 
 this, that I should do him hospitality, and should display 
 the fashion of personal exertions in the feast ; so that a 
 confirmation may arise to this affair/' So he gave the 
 gentleman an invitation to an entertainment ; and said, 
 Couplet. — " If to my hospitality thou wilt set thy foot in 
 my cottage ; thou wilt do me a kindness, and shalt place 
 thy foot on my eyes." 
 
 The good man replied, " To-day an urgent engagement 
 has occurred ; but I give a pledge, that in the morning 
 at dawn I will come back." So he came out of his dwel- 
 ling ; and carried away a son of his, and concealed him in 
 his house. At day-break he presented himself at the 
 gate of his host. The host, in a distracted state, loosened 
 the tongue of apology, thus: O worthy guest ! hold me 
 excused ; for ever since yesterday a son has been absent 
 from me ; and two or three times they have sounded a 
 proclamation in the city and the environs ; and I have 
 not obtained any tidings of that lost one. Couplet. — 
 " Jacob-like, bewailing, I make lamentations ; saying, 
 ho ! ho ! who has any tidings of the lost Joseph ?" 
 
 The merchant said, Yesterday, as I was coming out of 
 thy house, I saw a boy, just of the description thou sayest, 
 whom a hawk had carried off, and taking her flight, was 
 bearing him through the air. The trusty man uttered a 
 cry, saying, Stupid fellow! why dost thou utter impossible 
 words; and for what purpose dost thou charge a life of 
 
144 
 
 this enormity on thyself? A hawk, whose whole body 
 cannot be half a man; how can she move, and carry into 
 the air, a child which is of the weight of ten mans ? The 
 merchant smiled, and said, Do not be surprised at this. 
 Li a city, where a mouse is able to eat a hundred mans of 
 iron, a hawk, too, is able to carry into the air a boy, who 
 is ten mans. The trustee perceived how the case w r as, and 
 said, Do not suffer grief, for the mouse has not eaten the 
 iron. The merchant said, Do not be unhappy; for the 
 hawk has not carried off thy son : give the iron, and take 
 the boy. 
 
 And I have told the Story, that tliou mayest know, that 
 in a sect, where a man may shew perfidy to his bene- 
 factor, it is clear, what he can imagine with respect to 
 others : and since thou hast done this to the king, there 
 is not left, to others towards thee, a hope of fidelity, or 
 expectation of discharging thy duty. And to me it is 
 cleat, that to keep away from the darkness of thy wicked- 
 ness is necessary ; and to abstain from the blackness of 
 thy deceitfulness and treachery is essential. Couplet. — 
 " The bonds of prosperity arose from cutting such a 
 fellow as thee: the chief source of happiness is not seeing 
 thy face." 
 
 When the conversation of Kalilah and Daman ah came 
 to this point, the lion was at leisure from the affair of the 
 OX, and had cast him into dust and gore. Yet, when the 
 liqn, with the claws of chastisement, had settled the matter 
 of Shanzabah ; and had cleared the space of the wilder- 
 ness of his being ; when the strength of his anger and the 
 violence of wrath had received quiet — he fell into medita- 
 tion, and said to himself, Alas! for Shanzabah, w T ith such 
 wisdom, and prudence, and judgment, and talents; I know 
 not whether, in this business, I have drawn my breath in 
 rectitude, moved my foot in error; nor whether in what 
 they ha\e brought to me about him, they have fulfilled 
 the rights of honesty, or taken the road of treachery. I at 
 
145 
 
 least, have involved myself in calamity by reproaches ; and 
 with my own hand have made a faithful friend to taste 
 the drink of destruction. Couplet. — " Can a friend with 
 a friend, after all, do this ; I am an infidel, if any infidel 
 would do this." 
 
 The lion, casting down his head in remorse, and loosen- 
 ing the tongue of rebuke, kept blaming his own folly and 
 hastiness ; whilst the form of Shanzabah, in the language 
 of the occasion, was bringing to his ears the meaning of 
 this quatrain. Quatrain. — " O friend ! does any one 
 without cause, kill a friend ? and even then, does he kill 
 such a faithful friend as me ? Do not call thyself a friend ; 
 take thyself as an enemy to me. Y^ould any one so cruelly 
 kill his enemy ? " 
 
 The continual smile of the lion was, by sorrow for this 
 event, changed into weeping : and his constitutional heat 
 became twofold, by the burning of that occurrence. 
 Couplet. — " The hand of thy departure has placed for me, 
 the scar of sorrow in the breast ; so that from this thorn 
 of grief for thee, what flowxr shall again blossom ?" 
 
 Damanah, as from a distance, saw the signs of com- 
 punction manifest on the forehead of the lion, and observed 
 proofs of remorse on his front, breaking off the discourse 
 of Kalilah, went before him and said. Verses. — " O king ! 
 let the throne and prosperity be thy place ; the throne of 
 the sky be thy couch : may thy flourishing head be exalted 
 in joy ; and the head of thy foe cast at thy feet." 
 
 What is the cause of thoughtful ness, and what can be 
 the reason of reflection ? Where is there a time more 
 joyful than this ? or a day more blessed than this ? When 
 the king moves proudly in a station of victory and 
 triumph ; and his enemy is wallowing in the dust of 
 contempt, and the gore of disappointment. Couplet. — 
 " The dawn of hope has drawn the sword of triumph; 
 behold! the day of the enemy is come to an evening of 
 destruction : behold ! " 
 
14G 
 
 The lion said, Every time that I recollect the polite 
 manners in attendance, and the forms and effects of the 
 wisdom and society, and the many kinds of accomplishment 
 of Shanzabah, an agony becomes victorious over me; and 
 grief and consternation get triumphant over me: and in 
 truth, he was the support and defence of the army, and 
 the power of the arm of valour used to increase to my 
 followers, by his assistance. Couplet. — u He is gone ; 
 he, by whom the affairs of a world adds stability; he is 
 gone ; he, by whom the house of the kingdom was firm." 
 
 Damanah said, To the king there is no occasion for 
 that despiser of his bounty, that traitor in practice ; but 
 rather for this victory, which has shewn its face, he ought 
 to set forth daily portions of thanks to God; and for this 
 triumph, which has given him the hand, he should open 
 the gates of exultation and rejoicing in the precincts of his 
 heart. Couplet. — " The dawn of triumph has arisen from 
 the eastern horizon of hope; to men of sinister designs 
 the night of madness is come to an end." You should 
 reckon this auspicious record of victory, (by which the 
 chronicles of prosperity are adorned); and this mandate 
 of august success, (by which the register of happiness 
 becomes ornamented); as an illustrious preface, and a 
 sublime opening, to the pages of the times. Fragment. 
 — " This day, good fortune brings me glad tidings ; and 
 to prosperity there arc a hundred melodies, in the key of 
 hope. It is a day, this, which my heart, with thousands 
 of prayers, has sought; it is a period, this, which my soul, 
 with thousands of wishes, has desired." 
 
 () king ! C) refuge of the world ! To have pity upon a 
 person, from whom one cannot be secure as to life, is an 
 error : and to make the enemy of the king a prisoner in 
 the confinement of the grave, is the act of the wise. The 
 finger, which is the ornament of the hand, and the instru- 
 menl ^\' seizing and holding, if a snake should inflict a 
 wound upon it, for the preservation of the rest of the body 
 
147 
 
 they cut it off; and they reckon the pain of that wound 
 as the essence of ease. Couplet. — " What work can the 
 enemy do, that thou shouldest make mention of him; it 
 is better that thou make thy heart glad in the loss of him." 
 The lion, was a little soothed by these words. But 
 fortune took just amends for the ox : at the conclusion of 
 the affair, Damanah drew on to ignominy and disgrace ; 
 and the shrub of his bad actions, and the seed of his false 
 words coming to fruit, he was slain in retaliation for the 
 ox. And the consequences of fraud and deceit have 
 always been hateful ; and the conclusions of cunning 
 and malevolence, despicable and unpropitious. Verses. 
 — " The malevolent, even in his own project his head 
 goes, like the scorpion, who seldom gets back to her home. 
 If thou do evil, have no expectation of good : for the 
 colocynth does not produce grapes for fruit. Do not 
 fancy, O thou that hast sown barley in autumn, that thou 
 shalt gather wheat in the time of harvest. A teacher 
 spake a proverb, such as this: — do not evil, or thou shalt 
 experience from fortune ; that man shall see good in both 
 abodes, who brings happiness to the people of God. 
 
 fSTIN A.ND sons, PRINTERS, HERTFORD.