Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 3.djvu/284

260 disposed of them there at a like profit; after which I bought stuffs of Aleppo and repaired with them to Baghdad, where I sold them with the same result; nor did I cease to buy and sell, till I was worth nigh ten thousand dinars.’ Each of the others told a like tale, till it came to Alaeddin’s turn, when they said to him, ‘And thou, O my lord Alaeddin?’ Quoth he, ‘I was brought up in a chamber underground and came forth from it but this week and I do but go to the shop and return home.’ ‘Thou art used to abide at home,’ rejoined they, ‘and knowest not the delight of travel, for travel is for men only.’ ‘I reck not of travel,’ answered he, ‘and value ease above all things.’ Whereupon quoth one to the other, ‘This youth is like the fish: when he leaves the water he dies.’ Then they said to him, ‘O Alaeddin, the glory of the sons of the merchants is not but in travel for the sake of gain.’ Their talk angered him and he left them, weeping-eyed and mourning-hearted, and mounting his mule, returned home. When his mother saw him thus, she said to him, ‘What ails thee to weep, O my son?’ And he answered, ‘All the sons of the merchants made mock of me and said to me, “There is no glory for a merchant’s son save in travel for gain.”’ ‘O my son,’ rejoined she, ‘hast thou a mind for travel?’ ‘Yes,’ said he. ‘And whither wilt thou go?’ asked she. ‘To the city of Baghdad,’ answered he; ‘for there folk make a profit of two to one on their goods.’ ‘O my son,’ said she, ‘thy father is a very rich man, and if he provide thee not with merchandise, I will do so of my own monies.’ Quoth he, ‘The best of favours is that which is quickly bestowed; if it is to be, now is the time for it.’ So she called the servants and sent them for packers; then opening a store-house, brought out ten loads of stuffs, which the packers made up into bales for him. Meanwhile Shemseddin missed his son and enquiring after him, was told that he had mounted and gone home; so he too