In Ṣa‘dah, one of the chief towns of Yemen, Al Ḥârith has con­tracted an intimacy with the Kadi of the place, whom he occasion­ally assists in the decision of law cases. One day an old man presents himself before them, complaining bitterly of the untract­ableness and disobedience of his son. The youth retorts, that his father urges him to beg, although he had formerly strongly impressed him with the ignominy of the practice, in support of which he quotes some verses that his father had taught him on the subject. The latter rejoins that necessity knows no law, and recites on his part some lines of the boy’s composition, to the effect, that rather than meekly to submit to poverty a needy man should appeal to the liberality of the wealthy. Thus placed on the horns of a dilemma, the youth sullenly disclaims the use of any such appeal, when munificence is no longer to be found in the world. This stings the Kadi, who belongs to the tribe of Temîm, renowned for their generous disposition, into bestowing a bounty on them, and they leave the court together, the father well pleased with his booty, the son simulating earnest remorsefulness. Ḥârith, whose instinct had told him that the apparent excessive decrepitude of the old man is only a blind, follows and overtakes them, and a cordial recognition takes place between him and Abû Zayd, who, however, soon manages to give him the slip, so as to escape all further inquiries.

Al Ḥârith, son of Hammâm, related: I had travelled up to Sa‘dah, at a time when I was straight of stature like a spear-shaft and of vigour that outstripped the daughters of Sa‘dah (the young of the onager or ostrich). Now when I had seen its freshness and fed [my looks] on her meads, I inquired from the most knowing of its informants, whom of lordly persons and mines of excellence it contained, so that I might take him for a beacon-light (ember) in times of darkness, and my tower of strength in days of oppression. Then there was pointed out to me a Kadi, wide of range [in generosity], easy in his circumstances, a Temîmî in descent and disposition. So I ceased not seeking approach to him by respectful attendance, at the same time making myself valuable to him by being chary in visiting, until I became the echo of his voice, and the Salmân of his household, and while gathering his honey and inhaling the fragrance of his bay-tree, I used to witness the contentions of litigant parties and to mediate between the unoffending of them and the offender. Now when the Kadi was sitting to give judgment on a day of flocking together and crowding, lo! there entered an old man, in plumage worse for the wear, of shaky appearance, who looked at the throng with the sharp look of the money-sifter. Then he stated that he had an unmanageable adversary, and it was not but as the scintillating of a spark or the intimation of a beckoning finger, that a lad was put in presence [bold] as though he were a lion. Said the old man: “May Allah help the Kadi, and preserve him from [ever becoming guilty of] connivance! behold this my son, like a bad reed-pen or a rusty sword, ignores the predicaments of equity, and suckles the teats of contra­vention [contradiction, opposition, gainsaying]. When I advanced, he drew back, when I spoke plain, he shuffled in his speech, when I kindled a fire, he put it out, and when I roasted, he scattered ashes, although I had reared him since he first crawled until he was a youth, and was to him the kindest of trainers and educators.” Then the Kadi made much of [put great stress upon] his complaint, and those around him were amazed at it [as at a case of grave concern]. Thereupon he said: “I protest that disobedience in children is one bereavement of twain, and that many an instance of infertility keeps the eye cooler.” Said the boy whom this speech had incensed: “By Him who has set up judges for the sake of justice, and possessed them of the reins of preferment and discrimination, forsooth, he never prayed, but I said Amen, and he never made a claim, but I maintained its truth, he never said ‘labbaika,’ but I donned the pilgrim’s cloak, and he never struck fire, but I gave sparks, in spite of his being like one who craves for the eggs of the cock-hawk, and wants the camels to fly.” Then the Kadi said to him: “Wherewith then used he to vex thee and to try thy obedience?” He said: “Ever since his substance has gone, and he has been visited with penury, he urges me to roll about my tongue in begging, and to ask rain from the clouds of bounty, so that his draught, which was dried up, might flow afresh in abundance, and what was broken in his fortunes might be set again. Yet when he had first taken me into schooling, and taught me culture of mind, he imbued my heart with the notion, that inordinate desire is a thing to be blamed, and covetous­ness worthy of rebuke, that greed breeds indigestion, and begging is a reproach. Then he indited to me, straight from the parting of his lips, with all the polish of his verse:

“‘Content thyself with scanty means, giving thanks therefor, like one who recks the little mighty much.

Shun greediness, that never fails lowering the worth of any wight who may take to it.

Fend thy fair fame and shield it with jealous care, as with a frown the lion would fend his mane.

Bear thou with patience, and forbear, poverty, as lords of holy purpose bore patiently;

Spill not the water of thy face even if he whom thou beg’st from spends on thee gifts galore.

For free is he, who if a mote hurts his eye conceals the mote from even his pupils twain,

And if his whilom gold-stuff has gone to rags sees not his way by begging to fret his cheeks.’”

Then the old man contracted his brows and scowled at his son, and rushed upon him and growled, saying: “Hush! O thou disobedient one, O thou who art choking and stifling me! Woe betide thee, wilt thou teach thy mother how to copulate, and thy nurse how to give thee suck? forsooth, the scorpion has rubbed himself against the snake, and the weanlings have coursed along with the stallions.” Then it was as if he repented of what had escaped his mouth, and affection led him to conciliate the boy, for he looked at him with the eye of the fondly disposed, and lowered to him the wing of the kindly, saying: “Alas! dear son, those who are bidden to be contented, and chidden from self-abasement are the owners of merchandise, and the workers for gain through handicraft, but as for those who are possessed of needs, an exception is made in their behalf with regard to matters prohibited. And granted thou wast ignorant of this interpretation, and it has not reached thee what has been said [on this point], wast not thou he who opposed his father in what he said, not revering him:

“‘Sit not content with distress and suffering hunger’s pangs, that people may say he is high-minded and patience full.

See for thyself if a land that is not decked out with plants, is like a land all around hedged in with trees, rich of growth;

So wend aside from what fools are in their sloth pointing to, for say, what good can there be in wood that bears never fruit?

And lead thy beasts from a place where thou sustainest brunt of thirst, to pasture-grounds whereupon in fertile flow falls the rain,

And ask the drought to descend full from the breast of the cloud, for if thy hands are bedewed then may thy gain prosper thee,

But if thou shouldst be denied, there is no harm in rebuff, for Moses met heretofore, and Prophet Khiẓr, with the same.’”

Said the narrator: Now when the Kadi saw the contra­diction between the speech of the lad and his action, and that he adorned himself with that which was not his own, he looked with wrathful eye, and said: “Temîmî at one time, and Kaisî at another? Fie upon him, who belies what he says, and changes colour as the Ghûl changes colour.” Then the boy said: “By Him, who has made thee a key for the truth, and an opener [of justice] amongst mankind, I have been caused to forget, since I became sorrowful, and my wits have been turned rusty, since I waxed thirsty. More­over, where is the open door, and the ready gift? And is there one left who bestows with full hands, and if asked for food says: ‘Take.’” Thereupon the Kadi replied to him: “Stop! for among the missing arrows is one that hits, and not every lightning deceives, so distinguish between the flashes if thou watchest the clouds [for rain], and testify not but what thou knowest.” Now when the old man saw that the Kadi was wroth on account of the generous, and thought it a serious thing to reckon all men as [to be] misers, he knew that he would abet his word, and show his munificence. So he belied him not [was not slow] in setting his net, and baking his fish before the fire, and quoth saying:

“O Kadi, thou whose wisdom and kindliness more deeply are rooted than mount Raẓwá,

This youth maintains, misguided by ignorance, that in this world none exercise bounty,

Not knowing that thou art the son of a tribe, whose gifts are like yon quails and you Manna.

Confer thou then that which will make him ashamed of what he forged of impudent falsehood,

And let me go rejoicing and giving praise for what in helpful bounty thou spendest.”

Then the Kadi was pleased at his speech, and bestowed on him liberally of his largess, whereupon he turned his face towards the boy, for whom he had already headed the arrows of rebuke, and said to him: “Hast thou now seen the refutation of thy assertion, and the error of thy opinion? So be not henceforth hasty in thy blame, and pare no wood before testing it; and beware to refuse obedience to thy father. For if thou return to thy revolt against him, there will alight on thee from me that which thou deservest.” Then the youth was dumfounded with repentance (fell to biting his hand with remorse), and sought shelter by his parent’s side, and presently rose and sped away, while the old man followed him inditing:

“Let him whom his fell fortune has treated ill repair to Ṣa‘dah town and her Kadi.

His bounty shames the bounteous that went before, his justice baffles those who come after.”

Said the narrator: Now I was bewildered in my mind as to whether I knew the old man, or not, until he had started off on his journey, when I persuaded myself to follow him, even if need be to his abode; haply I might become aware of his secrets and learn what tree was the fuel of his fire. So I flung from me what clung to me, and set out whither he had set out, and he ceased not to step along and I to follow in his track, he to get further, and I to come nearer to him, until both were face to face, and recognition was in­cumbent on any two intimates. Then he showed gladness, and did away with his shakiness, saying: “He who deceives his brother may not live (enjoy life).” Accordingly I knew that he was the Serûji and no mistake, and without change of condition. So I hastened towards him to shake [clasp] his hand, and to inquire after his good and evil hap. Thereupon he said: “Here is the dutiful son of thy brother at hand for thee” (i.e., let him tell thee what thou wantest to know), and left me passing his way. The youth, how­ever, did but laugh, then he fled, as yonder had fled. So I went back after I had ascertained their identity, but where was I to find the twain of them?