money to the gallant soldier that he may be zealous in thy cause, for if
he is stinted of his due he will go abroad for service.--_So long as a
warrior is replenished with food he will fight valiantly, and when his
belly is empty he will run away sturdily_.

XV

One of the vizirs was displaced, and withdrew into a fraternity of
dervishes, whose blessed society made its impression upon him and
afforded consolation to his mind. The king was again favorably disposed
towards him, and offered his reinstatement in office; but he consented
not, and said, "With the wise it is deemed preferable to be out of
office than to remain in place.--Such as sat within the cell of
retirement blunted the teeth of dogs, and shut the mouths of mankind;
they destroyed their writings, and broke their writing reeds, and
escaped the lash and venom of the critics."--The king answered: "At all
events I require a prudent and able man, who is capable of managing the
state affairs of my kingdom." The ex-minister said: "The criterion, O
sire, of a wise and competent man is that he will not meddle with such
like matters.--The homayi, or phoenix, is honored above all other birds
because it feeds on bones, and injures no living creature."

A Tamsil, or application in point.--They asked a Siyah-gosh, or
lion-provider, "Why do you choose the service of the lion?" He answered:
"Because I subsist on the leavings of his prey, and am secure from the
ill-will of my enemies under the asylum of his valor." They said: "Now
you have got within the shadow of his protection and admit a grateful
sense of his bounty, why do you not approach more closely, that he may
include you within the circle of select courtiers and number you among
his chosen servants?" He replied, "I should not thus be safe from his
violence."--Though a Guebre may keep his fire alight for a hundred
years, if he fall once within its flame it will burn him.--_Procul a
Jove, procul a fulmine_. It on one occasion may chance that the courtier
of the king's presence shall pick up a purse of gold, and the next that
he shall lie shorter by the head. And philosophers have remarked,
saying, "It is incumbent on us to be constantly aware of the fickle
dispositions of kings, who will one moment take offence at a salutation,
and at another make an honorary dress the return for an act of rudeness;
and they have said, That to be over much facetious is the accomplishment
of courtiers and blemish of the wise.--B