Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 4 1886.djvu/312

304 Chap. XIV. on the miracles of boys. Salmán was once travelling to Jerusalem (Baitu'l-Muqaddas), and met a boy who greeted him and told him to shut his eyes. When he opened them again he found himself at his journey's end. He offered the boy some money, whereon the boy smiled and took up some earth in his hand, which turned into gold and silver at once.

Chap. XV. on temperance and chastity. A holy man once asked at a door for water. The slave that brought it rebuked him for requiring it and not fasting during every day!

Chap. XVI. stories of faqírs. A faqír was once in a ship in which a merchant lost a valuable gem. The faqír who appeared to be very poor was charged with stealing it. He thereupon caused a quantity of fish to rise up from the sea, each with a gem in its mouth, which he gave to the merchant. He then jumped from the vessel and walked away on the surface of the sea.

Chap. XVII. on aiding the distressed. A tyrant once seized the house of a poor woman and began to build a palace in its place, on which she prayed to God, who sent the angel Gabriel to destroy the palace then and there.

Chap. XVIII. on the death of saints. Zu'nnún, while in Egypt (Misr), was so reserved that many thought him an atheist, but when he died and his body was being buried, at the words of the Creed he raised his finger to heaven and repeated the words with his lips.

Chap. XIX. on the visits of the dead saints. A young man who had been drowned in a shipwreck visited a friend after death and told him he had achieved a high place in heaven.

Chap. XX. miscellaneous tales. A friend asked a saint to dine with him, and when he arrived told him the dinner was not ready. He did this seven times, and still the saint showed no displeasure!