Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night - Volume 2.djvu/29

 Nur al-Din All and the Damsel Anis al-Jalis. II Nur al-Din's hand and said to him, " O my lord, he who hath left the like of thee is not dead ; and this way went also the Chief of the Ancients and the Moderns. 1 O my lord AH, be comforted and leave sorrowing/' Thereupon Nur al-Din rose and going to the guest-saloon transported thither all he needed. Then he assembled his companions and took his handmaid again ; and, collecting round him ten of the sons of the merchants, began to eat meat and drink wine, giving entertainment after entertain- ment and lavishing his presents and his favours. One day his Steward came to him and said, " O my lord Nur al-Din, hast thou not heard the saying, Whoso spendeth and reckoneth not, to poverty wendeth and recketh not ? " And he repeated what the poet wrote : I look to my money and keep it with care, o For right well I wot 'tis my buckler and brand : Did I lavish my dirhams- on hostilest foes, 2 o I should truck my good luck by mine ill luck trepanned : So I'll eat it and drink it and joy in my wealth; o And no spending my pennies on others I'll stand : I will keep my purse close 'gainst whoever he be; o And a niggard in grain a true friend ne'er I fand : Far better deny him than come to say: Lend, o And five-fold the loan shall return to thy hand ! And he turns face aside and he sidles away, o While I stand like a dog dis- appointed, unmanned. Oh, the sorry lot his who hath yellow-boys none, o Though his genius and virtues shine bright as the sun ! " O my master," continued the Steward, " this lavish outlay and these magnificent gifts waste away wealth." When Nur al-Din Ali heard these words he looked at his servant and cried, " Of all thou hast spoken I will not heed one single word, for I have heard the saying of the poet who saith ; An my palm be full of wealth and my wealth I ne'er bestow, o A palsy take my hand and my foot ne'er rise again ! Show me niggard who by niggardise e'er rose to high degree, o Or the generous in gifts generosity hath slain." Or, " Of the first and the last," i.e. Mohammed, who claimed (and claimed justly) to be the "Seal" or head and end of all Prophets and Prophecy. For note that whether the Arab be held inspired or a mere impostor, no man making the same pretension has moved the world since him. Mr. J. Smith the Mormon (to mention one in a myriad) made a bold attempt and failed.  i.*. flatterers.