Pagina 351 di 1116

One day as he had mounted his horse; and, in the eminence of his

kinglihood, was riding amidst his Emirs and Wazirs and the

Grandees of his realm his eye fell upon his old neighbour, the

Envier, who stood afoot on his path; so he turned to one of his

Ministers, and said, "Bring hither that man and cause him no

affright." The Wazir brought him and the King said, "Give him a

thousand miskals[FN#223] of gold from the treasury, and load him

ten camels with goods for trade, and send him under escort to his

own town." Then he bade his enemy farewell and sent him away and

forbore to punish him for the many and great evils he had done.

See, O Ifrit, the mercy of the Envied to the Envier, who had

hated him from the beginning and had borne him such bitter malice

and never met him without causing him trouble; and had driven him

from house and home, and then had journeyed for the sole purpose

of taking his life by throwing him into the well.