Page:Anecdotes of Indian Life.djvu/37

 Shah was a fakeer, a beggar, but not of the low type you meet with any where. Of him it is told that on a Friday, the sabbath of the Mussalman, he found himself in the principal mosque at Patna in a company made up of the Nawab of the place and his retainers and went through the evening nemaz or prayer with them. After this was over, the Nawab uttered a special prayer to the effect: "Allah, give me more wealth, more health, more power, and more fame among my fellow-men." Then he distributed alms, as his custom was, among the beggars who were assembled at the gate of the mosque. Seeing that Mukdum Shah passed out without waiting to receive his dole, the Nawab called out and asked him to do so. But the fakeer walked on answering back, "Nawab, I do not beg of beggars!"