ere is my father?" Whereupon his
mother told him all that had occurred to his father. "Well," said the
youth, "where is he to be found now?" "At Mecca," his mother answered.
"Very well, I will go to Mecca," he replied, "and find my father." He
set out, and when he arrived there, he found in the sacred precinct
surrounding the Kaaba many fakirs clothed with rags. "Do you know
Ibrahim ben Adham?" he asked them. "He is one of ourselves," one of them
answered; "he has gone to gather and sell wood wherewith to buy bread
and bring it us." The younger Ibrahim immediately went out of the city
to seek his father. Presently he found an old man carrying a bundle of
wood on his head, whom he recognised as his father. At this sight he was
near weeping, but controlled himself, and walked behind him unobserved.

As for Ibrahim ben Adham, he carried his wood to the bazaar, sold it,
and bought bread, which he took to his fellow-fakirs, and then
performed his devotions. On the other hand, his son did not disclose
himself, for he feared that to do so suddenly would cause his father to
fly.

The next morning one of Ibrahim ben Adham's fellow-fakirs rose and went
to his son's tent. He found the young man reading the Koran and weeping.
The fakir advanced and saluted him, asking, "Who art thou? Whence comest
thou? Whose son art thou?" "I am the son of Ibrahim ben Adham," replied
the young man, "and I was never able to see my father until now; but I
fear that if I make myself known to him, he will repulse me brusquely
and flee away." "Come," said the fakir, "I will myself lead you to him."

Without further delay the wife and son of Ibrahim joined the fakir, and
went to seek him. No sooner had his wife perceived him than she uttered
a cry and said, "My son, behold thy father." All the bystanders burst
into tears, while Ibrahim's son fell down in a swoon. When he came to
himself he saluted his father, who returned his greeting, embraced him,
and said, "O my son, of what religion art thou?" "Of the religion of
Muhammad," he answered. "God be praised!" exclaimed Ibrahim. Then he
asked, "Dost thou know the Koran?" "I know it," was the reply. "Dost
thou read the books which treat of religious knowledge?" "I read them."
"God be praised!" again exclaimed Ibrahim. Then he prepared to leave
them and depart, but his wife and son would not let him, and began to
weep. But Ibrahim, lifting up his eyes to heaven, prayed, "My God, come
to my help," on which