In Caliph, of God’s wisdom we’ve an emblem got.
We bring our pot of water to great Tigris’ stream.
If we ourselves not asses call, us asses deem.
The Arab of our tale excusable was,—troth;
He knew not of a Tigris. Where’s the Arab doth?610
Had he, as we, known Tigris’ stream, and all its store,
His water-pot had never travelled to its shore;
Had he become aware of what a Tigris meant,
Arrived at Bagdād, he’d his pot to fragments sent.
The Caliph, when he saw that pot, and heard that tale,