His uncle was so moved that he knelt beside the child to soothe him.
“Pray, pray, restrain yourself,” he said. “You will do yourself some hurt. I admire you, my dear boy, I perceive your singular gifts. More than all your elder brothers do you seem to know that which the young should seek in life. You understand indeed what others do not always, all that money means. But it is terrible to see one of your age suffering such agonies from a mere recital of its loss. Indeed, I am moved to console you,” here the old man was tempted to put his hand into his pouch and offer some small coin in consolation to the child, but he recollected himself and continued, “to console you with a pleasant draft of cold water, which I am afraid I forgot to tender to you and your brothers when I last had the pleasure of your attendance.”
The little fellow sat up, still sobbing, but attempting to dry his eyes and moaning from time to time “All that money! All that lovely money!”
Pure, cold, crystal water was brought round and gratefully sipped by the boys, who when they had thus refreshed themselves at their uncle’s expense, thanked him warmly and disappeared with reverence from his presence just at the moment when the voice of the Muezzin was heard from a neighbouring minaret boring the Faithful to tears with its repeated call to prayer.
AL-GHANAMAT
That is:
The Sheep