For what happeth by Allah is doomed to be ✿ Yet thine acts are the root I would have thee wot.[[128]]
Now this voice was the francolin which bore witness against him. The company present marvelled at this tale and all cried, “Woe to the oppressor!” Then came forward the sixteenth constable and said, “And I for another will tell you a marvellous story which is on this wise.”
THE SIXTEENTH CONSTABLE’S HISTORY.
I went forth one day of the days, intending to travel, and suddenly fell upon a man whose wont it was to cut the way. When he came up with me he offered to slay me and I said to him, “I have naught with me whereby thou mayst profit.” Quoth he, “My profit shall be the taking of thy life.” I asked, “What is the cause of this? Hath there been enmity between us aforetime?” and he answered, “Nay; but needs must I slay thee.” Thereupon I ran away from him to the river side; but he caught me up and casting me to the ground, sat down on my breast. So I sought help of the Shaykh of the Pilgrims[[129]] and cried to him, “Protect me from this oppressor!” And indeed he had drawn a knife to cut my throat when, lo and behold! there came a mighty great crocodile forth of the river and snatching him up from off my breast plunged into the water, with him still hending knife in hand, even within the jaws of the beast; whilst I abode extolling Almighty Allah, and rendering thanks for my preservation to him who had delivered me from the hand of that wrong-doer.[[130]]
TALE OF HARUN AL-RASHID AND ABDULLAH BIN NAFI’.[[131]]
Know thou, O King of the Age, that there was in days of yore and in ages and times long gone before, in the city of Baghdad, the Abode of Peace, a Caliph Harun al-Rashid hight, and he had cup-companions and tale-tellers to entertain him by night. Among his equerries was a man named Abdullah bin Náfi’, who stood high in favour with him and dear to him, so that he did not forget him a single hour. Now it came to pass, by the decree of Destiny, that it became manifest to Abdullah how he was grown of small account with the Caliph, who paid no heed unto him nor, if he absented himself, did he ask after him, as had been his habit. This was grievous to Abdullah and he said within himself, “Verily, the soul of the Commander of the Faithful and his Wazir are changed towards me and nevermore shall I see in him that cordiality and affection wherewith he was wont to treat me.” And this was chagrin-full to him and concern grew upon him, so that he recited these couplets:—
Whoso’s contemned in his home and land ✿ Should, to better his case, in self-exile hie:
So fly the house where contempt awaits, ✿ Nor on fires of grief for the parting fry;
Crude Ambergris[[132]] is but offal where ✿ ’Tis born; but abroad on our necks shall stye;
And Kohl at home is a kind of stone, ✿ Cast on face of earth and on roads to lie;