Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 9.djvu/160

140 water. We abode struggling on the surface a day and a night, till God sent us another ship, whose crew picked us up and we begged our way from town to town, suffering sore hardships and selling our clothes piecemeal, to buy us food, till we drew near Bassora; nor did we win thither till we had endured a thousand miseries. But, had we come off in safety with that which was with us, we had brought back riches that might vie with those of the king: but this was ordained of God to us.”

“O my brothers,” said I, “let not your hearts be troubled, for wealth is the ransom of bodies and safety is [to be accounted] gain. Since God hath written you of the saved, this is the end of desire, for poverty and riches are but as it were illusions of dreams, and gifted of God is he who saith:

O my brothers,” continued I, “we will put it that our father died to-day and left us all this money that is with me, for I am willing to share it with you equally.” So I fetched a departitor from the Cadi’s court and brought out to him all my money, which he divided into three equal parts, and we each took one. Then said I to them, “O my brothers, God blesseth a man in his livelihood, if he be in his own country: so let each of you open a shop and sit therein to get his living; and he to whom ought is ordained in the secret purpose of God, needs must he get it.” Accordingly, I helped each of them to open a shop and stocked it for him with goods, saying to them, “Sell and buy and keep your monies and spend nought thereof, for I will furnish you with all ye need of meat and drink and so forth.”

I continued to entreat them generously and they fell to