Once there was a very learned physician, who died leaving his wife with a little baby boy, whom, when he was old enough, she named, according to his father’s wish, Hassee′boo Kareem′ Ed Deen′.
When the boy had been to school, and had learned to read, his mother sent him to a tailor, to learn his trade, but he could not learn it. Then he was sent to a silversmith, but he could not learn his trade either. After that he tried many trades, but could learn none of them. At last his mother said, “Well, stay at home for a while;” and that seemed to suit him.
One day he asked his mother what his father’s business had been, and she told him he was a very great physician.
“Where are his books?” he asked.
“Well, it’s a long time since I saw them,” replied his mother, “but I think they are behind there. Look and see.”
So he hunted around a little and at last found them, but they were almost ruined by insects, and he gained little from them.
At last, four of the neighbors came to his mother and said, “Let your boy go along with us and cut wood in the forest.” It was their business to cut wood, load it on donkeys, and sell it in the town for making fires.
“All right,” said she; “to-morrow I’ll buy him a donkey, and he can start fair with you.”
So the next day Hasseeboo, with his donkey, went off with those four persons, and they worked very hard and made a lot of money that day. This continued for six days, but on the seventh day it rained heavily, and they had to get under the rocks to keep dry.