, he locked up his granaries,
determined to wait for a more favourable opportunity. In the meantime,
one of his friends having come on a visit to him, wished to persuade
him to give up this new kind of commerce in which he was engaged; but
he did not listen to this advice, and was obstinately determined to
keep his grain a third year. Soon after there happened so violent a
storm that the streets and houses of Bagdad suffered by an inundation.
When the waters were abated, Kaskas went to see if his corn had
received any damage; he found it all springing, and beginning to rot.
In order to escape the penalty, it cost him five hundred pieces to get
thrown into the river that which he had heaped up in his granaries at
a great expense.

His friend returned to him.

"You have neglected," said he, "the advice which I gave you. Distrust
fortune, she seems to have sworn against you, and engage in no
enterprise without the advice of a skilful astrologer."

There was no scarcity of these in Bagdad; and Kaskas, taught by his
ill success, thought the advice of his friend deserved attention. The
soothsayer drew out his horoscope, and assured him that his star was
so malignant, that he must of necessity lose whatever stock he should
hazard in commerce. Kaskas, shocked with a prophecy so contrary to his
own inclination, attempted to prove the prediction false. He laid out
all the money he had remaining in loading a vessel, and embarked in it
with all his wealth.

At the end of four days, during which he had an agreeable voyage, a
terrible tempest arose, which broke in pieces the masts and sails,
carried away the rudder, and at last sunk the ship, with the whole
crew. Kaskas alone, after seeing the remainder of his fortune perish,
was saved from shipwreck by a fragment of the vessel, which carried
him towards a sandy country, where he landed at length, after much
difficulty and fatigue. Tired and naked, he landed in the
neighbourhood of a village which was situated on the sea-shore. He
hastened thither to implore relief, and return thanks to Heaven for
having preserved him from death, while his unfortunate companions had
perished.

As he entered this little colony, he met an old man whose features and
dress inspired respect and confidence. This man, affected with the
situation of Kaskas, covered him with his cloak, and led him to his
house, where, after having given such relief as his exhausted strength
required, he clothed him in