Page:Gems of Arabic Literature.djvu/19

 of the crow?" The Cadi answered, "Thy veracity is so generally known amongst men that they have made it the subject of a proverb; it is, 'More truthful than a sand-grouse'". Thereupon the sand-grouse said to the Cadi, "If the fact is as thou sayest, then I swear by God that the pit belongs to the crow; and I will not be one of those to whom a virtuous character is accredited, but whose actions belie it ". The Cadi then said, "What has prompted thee then to prefer this false claim?" He answered, "A fit of anger, because the crow had prevented me from drinking from the pit; but truth is better than falsehood, and if this reputation is preserved to me, it it better than a thousand pits".

A very rich merchant had a promising son whom he trained to commerce in his own city from boyhood, until he was satisfied with his knowledge. When the boy attained his majority; (his father), wishing to accustom him to journeys for trading in foreign countries, equipped him as befitted his position, and the lad set out. One night, when at some days' journey from the city, he halted in a certain meadow. It was a moonlight night, and ere it was far spent he got up and took a stroll. He noticed a fox prostrate, overcome by old age and exhaustion, and too weak to move. The lad stood by him and began to ponder over his plight, saying, "How is this miserable animal provided with food? I am sure he will die of hunger." While he was thus meditating, he saw a lion approach which had just seized its prey, and, coming close to the fox, it ate its fill of its victim and, departed leaving the remnants. Thereupon the fox, by dint