“Child to come, list to one who warns thee beforehand, aye! and warning belongs to faith’s foremost duties:

Thou art safe now within a home closely guarded, an abode from all misery well protected,

Nought thou seest there to frighten thee on the part of false a friend or a foeman frank in his hatred,

But as soon as thou salliest forth from its shelter thou alight’st in a dwelling hurtful and shameful,

Where the hardship awaiting thee will betide thee drawing tears from thy eyne in fast-flowing down-pour.

So continue thy easeful life and beware of changing things proved with things that are all uncertain,

Being heedful of one who seeks to beguile thee, that he hurl thee the surer in sorry torment.

Now I gave thee, upon my soul, fair advice, but sound advisers how often are they suspected.”

Then he blotted out the writing unawares, besputtering it abundantly, and tied the meerschaum in a shred of silk, after having besprinkled it profusely with ambergris, and bade fasten it to the thigh of the labouring woman, but that the hand of none men­struous must touch it. Thereupon it took no longer than the taste [lasts on the palate] of drinking, or the interval that the milker makes in drawing the milk, when the body of the child slipped out, through the specific quality of the meerschaum, and the might of the One, the Eternal. Then the castle was filled with joy, and its thane and thralls were ready to fly with delight, and their throng surrounded Abû Zayd, sing­ing his praises and kissing both his hands and deeming themselves blessed by the touch of his tattered garments, so that I was made to fancy him Uways Al-Ḳaranî or Dobays Al-Asadî. Thereupon he bestowed on him in presents of requital, and in abundant gifts that which poured wealth upon him, and brightened the face of his every wish, and his revenue ceased not to come in turn after turn, from the time the lamb was born, until safety was given back to the sea and our voyage to ‘Omân became easy. Abû Zayd was con­tented with the largess received, and prepared for departure; the Wâlî [governor], however, would not allow him to move after he had experienced his blessing, but bade enrol him in his household, so that his hand might make free with his treasures. Said Al Ḥârith, son of Hammâm: When I saw that he inclined to where he might gain riches, I took to rebuking him and taunted him with the forsaking of his home and his intimate. He replied: “Off with thee and listen to me:

“To a native place cling not where folks oppress and hold thee in scant esteem,

But depart the land that exalts the low above the high in dignity,

And take thy flight to a safe retreat, although it were on the skirts of Kâf,

With a lofty soar, so as to dwell where naught of soilure attains to thee

And roam about in the world at will, and where thou choosest, select thy home,

Not thinking of thy haunts of old, nor breathing sighs for thy distant friends.

For know full well that a free-born man in his country meets but with disregard,

As the pearl is slighted within its shell and underrated its preciousness.”

Thereupon he said: “Suffice thee what thou hast heard, and well done, if thou act accordingly.” So I proffered to him my excuses, saying to him: “Make allowance for me,” wherewith he accepted them, and excused himself, and provisioned me, stinting naught. Then he escorted me, as one escorts one’s nearest rela­tives, until I had embarked in the boat, when I bade him good-bye, lamenting our separation, and deprecating it, wishing heartily the babe and its mother had come to grief.