ive hundred soldiers to the capital.

While all these things were taking place, the King saw in his dreams,
for three nights, one after the other, the Holy Prophet, who, looking
steadfastly at him, exclaimed: "Abbas, protect and favor my friend."
And on the third night, the King took courage and said to the Prophet:
"And who is thy friend?" And the answer came:

"He is a poor laboring man, Abdul Karim by name, who of his poverty
gave one-fifth to the shrine at Meshed, and now, because he has found
the King's treasure, they have bound him, and are bringing him to this
city to oppress him."

So the King went forth two days' journey to meet Abdul. First came one
hundred horsemen. Next, poor Abdul, seated on a camel, with his arms
bound tightly. Walking behind the camel were the weeping children and
their mother. Then came the foot soldiers guarding the treasure. The
King made the camel kneel down, and with his own hands undid the cruel
bonds.

Then with tears running down his face, Abdul knelt before the King and
pleaded for his dear ones, saying: "If thou slay me, at least let these
innocent ones go free!"

Lifting Abdul from the ground, the King then said: "I am come to honor,
not to slay thee. When thou hast rested, thou shalt return to thine own
province, not as a prisoner, but as the Governor thereof." And smiling,
he added:

"Already is the silk dress prepared for Zeeba; the horse and sword for
Yusuf; and the Indian handkerchief and the golden slippers for Fatima
have not been forgotten." For the King had read in the report of the
chief of police all the details of Abdul's case.

And so it was that Abdul's piety and gift to the shrine had come back,
not a hundredfold, but beyond his wildest dreams, and the shrine and
the poor benefited greatly thereby.

THE KING AND THE FISHERMAN

PERSIAN FAIRY TALES

The King and the Fisherman

Illustrating the advantage of being able to formulate a judicious reply
to an embarrassing question, especially when material plenitude may
ensue.

THE countries washed by the great rivers Tigris and Euphrates were once
ruled by a certain King who was passionately fond of fish.

He was seated one day with Sherem, his wife, in the royal gardens that
stretch down to the banks of the Tigris, at the point where it is
spanned by the wonderful bridge of boats; and looking up spied a boat
gliding by, in which was seated a fisherman having a large fish.

Noticing that the