Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 5.djvu/21

3 and made the ablution and prayed: and the Angel of Death took his soul in the act of adoration, and God transported it to the place of mercy and acceptance and forgiveness. THE ANGEL OF DEATH AND THE RICH KING.

A certain king had heaped up treasure beyond count and gathered store of all [precious] things, that God the Most High hath created, that he might take his pleasure thereof, against such time as he should have leisure to enjoy all this abounding wealth that he had collected. Moreover, he builded him a wide and lofty palace, such as beseemeth kings, and set thereto strong doors of cunning fashion and appointed for its service and guard servants and soldiers and doorkeepers. One day, he bade the cooks dress him somewhat of the goodliest of food and assembled his household and retainers and lords and servants to eat with him and partake of his bounty. Then he sat down upon the throne of his kingship and the chair of his state and leaning back upon his cushion, bespoke himself, saying, ‘O soul, behold, thou hast gathered together all the riches of the world; so now take thy leisure therein and eat of this good at thine ease, in long life and abounding prosperity!’

Hardly had he made an end of speaking, when there came so terrible a knock at the gate that the whole palace shook and the king’s throne trembled. The servants were affrighted and ran to the door, where they saw a man clad in tattered raiment, with a cadger’s wallet hanging at his neck, as he were one who came to beg food. When they saw him, they cried out at him, saying, ‘Out on thee! What unmannerly fashion is this? Wait till the king eateth and [after] we will give thee of what is left.’ Quoth he, ‘Tell your lord to come out and speak with me, for I