e down; and in speaking utter the best things which you have
learned by heart.'

XVII.

Ibn As-Sikkit, the philologist, related that Muhammad bin As-Summak
used to say: 'He who knows mankind humours them; he who has not that
knowledge thwarts them; and the main point in humouring mankind is to
abstain from thwarting them.' The neglect of carrying out this maxim
cost As-Sikkit his life. One day, whilst he was with the Khalif
Al-Mutwakkil, that prince's two sons, Al-Motazz and Al-Muwaiyad, came
in, and the Khalif said to him: 'Tell me, Yakub, which you like
best--these two sons of mine, or Al-Hasan and Al-Hussain, the sons of
Ali.' Ibn As-Sikkit answered by depreciating the merits of the two
princes, and giving to Al-Hasan and Al-Hussain the praise to which they
were well entitled. On this Al-Mutwakkil ordered his Turkish guards to
chastise him, and they threw him down and trod on his belly. He was
then carried to his house, where he died two days afterwards, A.D.
859.

XVIII.

Three men met together; one of them expressed a wish to obtain a
thousand pieces of gold, so that he might trade with them; the other
wished for an appointment under the Emir of the Muslims; the third
wished to possess the Emir's wife, who was the handsomest of women,
and had great political influence. Yusuf bin Tashifin, the Emir of the
Muslims, being informed of what they said, sent for the men, bestowed
one thousand dinars on him who wished for that sum, gave an
appointment to the other, and said to him who wished to possess the
lady: 'Foolish man! what induced you to wish for that which you can
never obtain?' He then sent him to her, and she placed him in a tent,
where he remained three days, receiving each day, one and the same
kind of food. She had him then brought to her, and said: 'What did you
eat these days past?' He replied: 'Always the same thing.' 'Well,'
said she, 'all women are the same thing!' She then ordered some money
and a dress to be given him, after which she dismissed him.

The following anecdotes have been gathered from various sources.

I.

A certain shepherd had a dog of which he was very fond, and which
having, to his great grief, died, was buried by him with every mark of
affection and regret. The Kadi of the village, whose ill-will the
shepherd had in some way incurred, hearing of this, ordered him to be
brought before him on the serious charge of profanity in having mocked
the ceremonies of the