Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 6.djvu/217

189 KHUZEIMEH BEN BISHR AND IKRIMEH EL FEYYAZ.

There lived once, in the days of the Khalif Suleiman ben Abdulmelik, a man of the Benou Ased, by name Khuzeimeh ben Bishr, who was notorious for benevolence and excellence and abounding generosity and righteous dealing with his brethren. After awhile, times grew strait with him and he became in need of the aid of those on whom he had lavished favour and kindness. So they succoured him awhile and then grew weary of him, which when he saw, he went in to his wife, who was the daughter of his father’s brother, and said to her, ‘O my cousin, I find that my brethren are changed to me; wherefore I am resolved to keep my house till death come to me.’ So he shut his doors and abode in his house, living on that which he had by him, till it was spent and he knew not what to do. Now Ikrimeh er Rebaï [surnamed] el Feyyaz, governor of Mesopotamia, had known him, and one day, as he sat in his audience-chamber, mention was made of Khuzeimeh, whereupon quoth Ikrimeh, ‘How is it with him?’ And they answered, saying, ‘He is in a plight past telling, and hath shut his door and keeps the house.’ Quoth Ikrimeh, ‘This comes but of his excessive generosity: but how is it that Khuzeimeh ben Bishr finds none to succour him or requite him his benefits?’ And they replied, ‘He hath found nought of this.’

When it was night, Ikrimeh took four thousand dinars and laid them in one purse; then, bidding saddle his beast, he mounted and rode privily to Khuzeimeh’s house, attended only by one of his servants, carrying the money. When he came to the door, he alighted and taking the