CONTENTS
	Page
TITLE PAGE	iii
DEDICATION	v
PREFACE TO THE PRESENT TRANSLATION	vii
ERRATA	xxvi
PREFACE OF MULLÁ ḤUSAIN-BIN-’ALÍU’L VÁ’IZU’L KÁSHIFÍ	1
INTRODUCTION	15
Story 1.—The Story of the Two Pigeons, Bázindah and Nawázindah: in illustration of the Dangers of Traveling	43
Story 2.—The Story of the Hawking Falcon: in illustration of the Advantages of Traveling	52
Story 3.—The Story of the Greedy Cat: in illustration of the Desirableness of Contentment with one’s lot	55
Story 4.—The Story of the Swordsman who sought Kingship and Rule: in illustration of the Necessity of Courage in securing a Position in Life	59
Story 5.—The Story of the Tiger who entertained a Desire to Rule: in illustration of the Necessity for Diligent Exertion in our Enterprises	64
CHAPTER I.—ON AVOIDING THE TALK OF SLANDERERS AND CALUMNIATORS.—INTRODUCTION	71
Story 1.—The Story of the Dying Merchant who assembled his Three Sons: in illustration of the Necessity of Industry and of the Abandonment of Sloth	72
Story 2.—The Story of the Two Princes: inculcating a Reliance upon Providence	74
Story 3.—The Story of the Darvesh who neglected Causation: in illustration of a Commendable Reliance on God, without the neglect of Secondary Causes	78
Story 4.—The Story of the Wasteful Rat: in Condemnation of Lavish Expenditure	80
Story 5.—The Story of the Ape and the Wedge: in illustration of the Evil Effects of Meddling with what we do not understand	86
Story 6.—The Story of the Two Companions, Sálim and Ghánim: contrasting the Different Results, on the one hand of Perseverance, and on the other, of Indolence and Self-Indulgence	88
Story 7.—The Story of a Fox who was deceived by the size of a thing: in illustration of the Evil of Judging by External Appearances	98
Story 8.—The Story of the Devotee who had his Robe of Honor Stolen: to shew that our Misfortunes are Caused by our own Culpable Conduct	103
Story 9.—The Story of the Weak Sparrow, who obtained his Revenge on the Falcon: in illustration of the Advantage of Perseverance in Repelling an Enemy	111
Story 10.—The Story of the Just King: showing that ‘Whoever does what he ought not, suffers what he would not’	114
Story 11.—The Story of the Raven and the Serpent: illustrating the Superiority of Skill over Violence	116
Story 12.—The Story of the Heron and the Crab: showing that those who Contrive Evil to others often Circumvent Themselves	117
Story 13.—The Story of the Hare and the Fox: illustrating the Futility of employing Artifice towards the Cautious and Cunning	121
Story 14.—The Story of the Hare and the Lion: showing that by Artifice the Weak may overcome the Powerful	124
Story 15.—The Story of the Three Fishes—‘Very Cautious,’ ‘Cautious,’ and ‘Helpless’: inculcating the Value of Wisdom and Caution	130
Story 16.—The Story of the Scorpion and the Tortoise: showing that the Natural Disposition will always make itself Apparent	133
Story 17.—The Story of the Goose, who mistook the Moon for a Fish, and, discovering its Error, abandoned the Pursuit of Fish	142
Story 18.—The Story of the Hunting Falcon and the Domestic Fowl: showing that those who seek the Society of Princes do so in Ignorance of its Dangers	144
Story 19.—The Story of the Nightingale and the Rose: adduced to show the Folly of Contending with the Divine Decree	147
Story 20.—The Story of the Hunter: illustrating the Evils of Excessive Covetousness and Greed	151
Story 21.—The Story of the Crow, the Wolf, and the Jackal: showing that when the Crafty confederate they can overthrow the Innocent	153
Story 22.—The Story of the Sand-piper and the Genius of the Sea: illustrating the Evil Effects of Contemning even Weak Enemies	158
Story 23.—The Story of the Tortoise who fell while being carried by the Geese: illustrating the Evil Results of not attending to the Advice of Well-wishing Friends	159
Story 24.—The Story of the Monkeys and the Bird: showing the Evil Consequences of giving Advice to those Disinclined to Listen	170
Story 25.—The Story of the Two Partners, Sharp-wit and Light-heart: illustrating the Superiority of Uprightness and Honest Simplicity over Cunning and Treachery	172
Story 26.—The Story of the Frog whose Young Ones were devoured by a Snake: showing that Deceit recoils upon those who employ it	174
Story 27.—The Story of the Solitary Gardener who formed a friendship with a Bear: illustrating the Evils of Incongruous Friendship, or Companionship with the Ignorant	180
Story 28.—The Story of the Clever Merchant: who, by his Wit and Readiness, obtained the Restitution of Goods of which he had been Plundered	184
CHAPTER II.—ON THE PUNISHMENT OF EVIL-DOERS; AND THEIR DISASTROUS END.—INTRODUCTION	189
Story 1.—The Story of the Fox: showing that the Pursuit of Impossibilities leads to Ruin	191
Story 2.—The Story of the Ass who sought to recover his lost Tail, but who lost his Ears also: in further illustration of the above	193
Story 3.—The Story of the king’s Equerry: in illustration of the Evil result of Disclosing Secrets	200
Story 4.—The Story of the Devotee: showing the Value of Retirement and Freedom from Care; and the Disadvantage of giving them up to Mingle in Worldly Affairs	205
Story 5. The Story of the Blind Man who Mistook a Snake for a Whip: illustrating the Folly of being Fascinated by Outward Appearance	209
Story 6.—The Story of the Saint of Radiant Mind: showing that Holy Men may Effect essential Good by Frequenting Courts and entering the Service of Kings	212
Story 7.—The Story of the Merchant’s Wife and the Slave: showing the Evil of Acting Precipitately	219
Story 8.—The Story of the Three Envious Persons: illustrating the Baleful Effects of Envy	224
Story 9.—The Story of the Ignorant Physician: showing the Disastrous Results of acting in Ignorance and on mere Conjecture	232
Story 10.—The Story of the Falconer who falsely accused his Lord’s Wife: showing the Punishment which attends Lying Testimony	241
CHAPTER III.—ON THE AGREEMENT OF FRIENDS, AND THE ADVANTAGE OF THEIR MUTUALLY AIDING ONE ANOTHER—INTRODUCTION	249
Story 1.—The Story of the Pigeons: illustrating the Advantage of the United Action of friends	250
Story 2.—The Story of the Hawk and the Partridge: showing the Evil results of an Injudicious Choice of Companions	258
Story 3.—The Story of the Camel-rider and the Snake: showing the Necessity of Caution in Relying upon the Promises and Cajolements of an Enemy	264
Story 4.—The Story of the Wife of the Host: showing that one should Suspect the Motives of Persons who seem willing to Forego an Advantage	275
Story 5.—The Story of the Wolf and the Bow-string: the moral of which is that Greediness in amassing results in Disaster	275
Story 6.—The Story of the Greedy Cat: showing that he that is not Content with a Sufficiency will suffer for it	287
CHAPTER IV.—IN EXPLANATION OF ATTENTIVELY REGARDING THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF OUR ENEMIES, AND NOT BEING SECURE AS TO THEIR STRATAGEMS AND MACHINATIONS.—INTRODUCTION	297
Story 1.—The Story of the Owl-king, Shabáhang, and the Crow-king, Pírúz: inculcating the Value of Circumspection	298
Story 2.—The Story of the King of Kashmír: showing the Danger of Revealing one’s Secret Designs	306
Story 3.—The Story of the Birds who assembled to make a Chief; and of the origin of the Enmity and Hostility of the Owls and the Crows	313
Story 4.—The Story of the Clever Hare: in illustration of the Advantage of Securing a Skilful Leader	315
Story 5.—The Story of the Hypocritical Cat who Devoured the Partridge and the Quail: showing that Confidence is not to be placed in the Crafty and Perfidious	322
Story 6.—The Story (Metrical) of the Judge: showing that Integrity is all that is required in a Judge	325
Story 7.—The Story of the Thieves, who by persisting in one story persuaded the Devotee that his Sheep was a Dog: showing that ‘Stratagem is Better than Force’	331
Story 8.—The Story of the Merchant’s Wife: showing that some emergencies reconcile a Man to his Enemy	336
Story 9.—The Story of the Thief and the Demon: illustrating the truth of the proverb, ‘That when Rogues fall out, Honest Men come by their own’	338
Story 10.—The Story of the Carpenter, who was Deceived by the Specious Words of his Profligate Wife: showing that we ought not to suffer ourselves to be Cajoled by the Deceitful	340
Story 11.—The Story of the patriotic Monkey: showing that some will surrender even Life for their Friends and Country	345
Story 12.—The Story of the Mouse; an Example of the Strength of Natural Habits and Predilections	355
Story 13.—The Story of the Snake and the Frog: showing that a Resolute Man will submit even to Indignities to Preserve his Friends and Chastise his Foes	361
Story 14.—The Story of the Sparrow and the Snake: in illustration of the Danger of Despising an Enemy	365
CHAPTER V.—ON THE DETRIMENT OF GIVING WAY TO NEGLIGENCE, AND OF PERMITTING THE OBJECTS OF DESIRE TO ESCAPE FROM ONE’S HANDS.—INTRODUCTION	370
Story 1.—The Story of the Monkey-king, Kárdán and the Tortoise: an example of the Folly of Undervaluing and Letting Slip our Blessings	371
Story 2.—The Story of the King of Kashmír and his Monkey-sentinel: showing that a Wise Enemy is oftentimes better than an Injudicious Friend, and illustrating the truth of the Proverb, ‘Save me from my Friends’	376
Story 3.—The Story of the Ass and the Fox: showing that he who suffers himself to be Twice Deceived by the same Person is an Absolute Fool	393
CHAPTER VI.—ON THE CALAMITOUS RESULTS OF PRECIPITATION, AND THE INJURIOUSNESS OF HASTE.—INTRODUCTION	402
Story 1.—The Story of the Holy Man, who, through Precipitation, stained his hands with the Innocent Blood of an Ichneumon that had Saved the Life of his Child from a Serpent	404
Story 2.—The Story of the Devotee who Spilt the Jar of Honey and Oil: illustrating the proverb, ‘Do not count your Chickens before they are hatched’	409
Story 3.—The Story of the King who killed the Hawk that had just Saved his Life: showing the Evils of Precipitate Action	413
CHAPTER VII.—OF VIGILANCE AND DELIBERATION, AND OF ESCAPING FROM THE INJURIES OF FOES.—INTRODUCTION	417
Story 1.—The Story of the Rat and the Cat: to impress upon one the Necessity of Foresight and Reflection, in order to avoid Evils and secure Benefits	419
Story 2.—The Story of the Farmer’s Wife: showing the Evil Results which certainly overtake those who do not Fulfil their Troth and Plight	425
Story 3.—The Story of the Mouse and the Frog: illustrating the Evils of an Injudicious Friendship	439
CHAPTER VIII.—ON AVOIDING THE MALEVOLENT, AND NOT RELYING ON THEIR PROFESSIONS OF ATTACHMENT.—INTRODUCTION	444
Story 1.—The Story of Ibn-i Madín and the Lark: showing the Necessity for Caution in Dealing with one who, from being a Dear Friend, has become a Malignant Enemy	445
Story 2.—The Story of Dánádil and the Thieves: showing the Certain Effects of Retributive Justice	449
Story 3.—The Story of the Old Woman and her Daughter Muhastí: illustrating the Inherent Love of Life in mankind	453
Story 4.—The Story of the Musician and the King: shewing that since Events Beyond our Control will be sure to Wrest from us Many Enjoyments, it is the Height of Folly to retrench them by our own Perverseness	456
Story 5.—The Story of the Physician and the Ignorant Patient: shewing that Mental Acuteness will often be the best Cure for Bodily Ills	458
Story 6.—The Story of the King of Turkistan: shewing that the Weak ought to Shun Encounters with the Powerful	460
Story 7.—The Story of the Devotee and the Wolf: showing the Uselessness of Giving Advice which is not Heeded	466
Story 8.—The Story of the Hungry Arab, who made a Bargain with the Baker	468
CHAPTER IX.—OF THE EXCELLENCE OF CLEMENCY: THAT IT IS THE BEST ATTRIBUTE OF KINGS, AND THE MOST PLEASING QUALITY OF THE MIGHTY.—INTRODUCTION	472
Story 1.—The Story of the Lion, Kámjúí, and the Jackal, Farísah: inculcating the Necessity that exists for Monarchs to Reward the Actions of Well-doers, and to Punish Traitors in Proportion to their Guilt	476
Story 2.—The Story of the Flies who Settled in the Vessel of Honey: in illustration of the Advantage of Withdrawing from Worldly Pursuits	482
Story 3.—The Story of the Sulṭán of Baghdád: inculcating in Monarchs the duty of Sacrificing Private Gratification to the Public Good	489
Story 4.—The Story of the Wretched Merchant, who ordered his slave to kill him, in order that the crime of Murder might be laid to his Neighbor’s charge: showing the Strength of the Passion of Envy	498
Story 5.—The Story of the King of Yaman and his Chamberlain: showing the Gracefulness of Clemency in Kings	506
CHAPTER X.—ON THE SUBJECT OF REQUITING ACTIONS BY WAY OF RETRIBUTION.—INTRODUCTION	514
Story 1.—The Story of the rank-breaking Lion and the Archer: illustrating the uses of a Belief in Retributive Justice	516
Story 2.—The Story of the Seller of Wood and the Tyrant who Oppressed him, and whose Property was Destroyed in Retribution for his Tyranny	523
Story 3.—The Story of the Hog and the Monkey that Devoured his Fruit, and in Retribution for this, was Destroyed	526
CHAPTER XI.—ON THE DETRIMENT OF SEEKING MORE, AND FAILING IN ONE’S OBJECT.—INTRODUCTION	530
Story 1.—The Story of the Versatile Guest who Wished to Learn the Hebrew Tongue; showing the Folly of Quitting one’s Profession to run after Others not Suitable	532
Story 2.—The Story of the Crane; illustrating the Evil of Following Uncongenial Pursuits	536
Story 3.—The Story of the Man and his Two Wives: shewing the Advantage of Adhering to One Line of Conduct	538
Story 4.—The Story of the Hunter: showing that no Loss Accrues from Toil after Learning	541
Story 5.—The Story of the Crow that Tried to Learn the Gait of the Mountain-Partridge, and so Forgot his Own	546
CHAPTER XII.—OF THE EXCELLENCY OF MILDNESS AND CALMNESS AND TRANQUILLITY AND COMPOSURE, ESPECIALLY IN KINGS.—INTRODUCTION.	550
Story 1.—The Story of the King of Hindústán showing the Advantage which Accrues to Kings from having Sage Ministers	553
Story 2.—The Story of Sulaimán and the Heron: adduced to show the Worthlessness of Life without Suitable Companions	562
Story 3.—The Story of the Letter-Possessing King: illustrating the Evils of Precipitation and Rashness	582
Story 4.—The Story of the Pigeon: in further illustration of the above	588
CHAPTER XIII.—ON THE SHUNNING OF THE PERFIDIOUS AND TRAITOROUS BY KINGS.—INTRODUCTION	596
Story 1.—The Story of the Goldsmith and the Traveler: in illustration of the Proverb that ‘Evil Communications Corrupt Good Manners’	599
Story 2.—The Story of the Prince and the Shoemaker: in further illustration of the above	603
CHAPTER XIV.—ON ABSTAINING FROM REGARD TO THE VICISSITUDES OF TIME, AND THE BASING ONE’S ACTIONS ON THE DECREES AND WILL OF GOD—INTRODUCTION	624
Story 1.—The Story of the King and his Two Sons: in illustration of the Necessity of Relying on the Decrees of Providence	625
Story 2.—The Story of the Farmer and the Purse of Gold: in further illustration of the above	631
Story 3.—The Story of the Old Man and the Two Hoopoes: in further lllustration of the above	645
CONCLUSION OF THE BOOK	647