Shacabac, the Sage
“There are two ways of missing the miseries of matrimony: one is by not getting married, the other by not being born. The Prophet hath said that there is a third, which is by always overlooking the errors of thy partner. I know naught about this, but it recalleth an apologue:—
“There were two brothers of Bassorah who dwelt under the same roof, both being married. They had the misfortune, about the same time, to offend their wives most grievously. Kadijah, the wife of the elder, was so incensed that she never again spoke to her lord. Zobeide, the younger, not only forgave her spouse, but made it a point every day, in reminding him of his fault, to forgive him again most solemnly. Yet was the husband of Zobeide no happier than that of Kadijah; and when, finally losing patience, she procured a divorce from him, the ungrateful wretch only said, ‘It is better to have loved and lost than never to have lost at all.’ Truly, matrimony is a state into which none but the wise should enter, and they do not.”
Encouraged by the silent approval of the Pasha and fortified by a copious draught of the strong waters forbidden, but not unknown, to true believers,—concerning the use whereof he had eloquently written: “Hospitality saith, ‘Be blind when the guest helpeth himself to thy wine flask; but be deaf when he asketh for more’; also, ‘Tempt not thy neighbor with the cup which inebriates, lest he fall; but, if thy neighbor offer thee to drink, refuse him not, lest thou give him needless pain,’”—the Sage continued:—
“To be constant in love to one is good: to be constant to many is great.
“Politeness between husband and wife costeth nothing. Were it otherwise, the virtue would be even rarer than it now is.
“Marry not any woman out of gratitude, lest perchance she come in time to wonder where the reward cometh in.”
Furthermore, he inculcated the sage maxim: “Save up money for a rainy day, and it is sure to rain.”
He also added, perhaps irrelevantly,—for like other great philosophers he never allowed his mind to be fettered by text or theme,—“Be not concerned if thou findest thyself in possession of unexpected wealth. Allah will provide an unexpected use for it.”
In conclusion, he said impressively, after vainly shaking the now empty wine-flask: “It hath been said of the son of the desert, ‘Lo! he hath sand’; but what availeth a whole Sahara, and no sugar to blend therewith? Or who that hath a river before his door, and never a cow in his barn, shall grow rich in the milk business?”