Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 8.djvu/225

213 and to thee, for the excellence of thy governance and the goodliness of thy patience; and in this thou hast fared even as fared the spider with the wind.’ ‘And what is the story of the spider and the wind?’ asked the king. ‘Know, O king,’ answered the vizier, ‘that THE SPIDER AND THE WIND.

A spider once took up her abode on a high retired gate and span her web there and dwelt therein in peace, giving thanks to God the Most High, who had made this dwelling-place easy to her and had set her in safety from noxious reptiles. On this wise she abode awhile, still giving thanks to God for her ease and sustenance, till the Creator bethought Him to try her and make essay of her gratitude and patience. So he sent upon her a strong north-east wind, which carried her away, web and all, and cast her into the sea. The waves bore her ashore and she thanked God for safety and began to upbraid the wind, saying, “O wind, why hast thou dealt thus with me and what good hast thou gotten by carrying me hither from my abiding-place, where indeed I was in safety, secure in my house on the top of the gate?” “Leave thy chiding,” replied the wind, “for I will carry thee back and restore thee to thy place, as thou wast aforetime.”

So the spider waited patiently, till the north-east wind left blowing and there arose a south-west wind, which caught her up and flew with her towards her dwelling-place; and when she came to her abode, she knew it and clung to it. And we,’ continued the vizier, ‘beseech God (who hath rewarded the king for his singleness of heart and patience and hath taken pity on his subjects and blessed them with His favour and hath vouchsafed the king this son in his old age, after he had despaired [of