The Khoja looked out from an upper window.
"What dost thou want?" said he. But the man was a beggar by trade, and fearing that the Khoja might refuse to give alms when he was so well beyond reach of the mendicant's importunities, he would not state his business, but continued to cry, "Come down, come down!" as if he had something of importance to relate.
So the Khoja went down, and on his again saying "What dost thou want?" the beggar began to beg, crying, "The Inciter of Compassion move thee to enable me to purchase food for my supper! I am the guest of the Prophet!" with other exclamations of a like nature.
"Come up-stairs," replied the Khoja, turning back into his house.
Well pleased, the beggar followed him, but when they reached the upper room the Khoja turned round and dismissed him, saying, "Heaven supply your necessities. I have nothing for you."
"O Effendi!" said the beggar, "why did you not tell me this whilst I was below?"
"O Beggar!" replied the Khoja, "why did you call me down when I was up-stairs?"
Tale 15.—The Khoja Turned Nightingale.
One day the Khoja went into a garden which did not belong to him, and seeing an apricot-tree laden with delicious fruit, he climbed up among the branches and began to help himself.