our sight. You have proved
yourself unworthy of the riches that were given you. Now they have
passed into my hands, whence they will flow into the hands of others
less greedy and ungrateful than you."

The dervish said no more and left me, speechless with shame and
confusion, and so wretched that I stood rooted to the spot, while he
collected the eighty camels and proceeded on his way to Balsora. It
was in vain that I entreated him not to leave me, but at least to take
me within reach of the first passing caravan. He was deaf to my
prayers and cries, and I should soon have been dead of hunger and
misery if some merchants had not come along the track the following day
and kindly brought me back to Bagdad.

From a rich man I had in one moment become a beggar; and up to this
time I have lived solely on the alms that have been bestowed on me.
But, in order to expiate the sin of avarice, which was my undoing, I
oblige each passer-by to give me a blow.

This, Commander of the Faithful, is my story.

When the blind man had ended the Caliph addressed him: "Baba-Abdalla,
truly your sin is great, but you have suffered enough. Henceforth
repent in private, for I will see that enough money is given you day by
day for all your wants."

At these words Baba-Abdalla flung himself at the Caliph's feet, and
prayed that honour and happiness might be his portion for ever.

The Story of Sidi-Nouman

The Caliph, Haroun-al-Raschid, was much pleased with the tale of the
blind man and the dervish, and when it was finished he turned to the
young man who had ill-treated his horse, and inquired his name also.
The young man replied that he was called Sidi-Nouman.

"Sidi-Nouman," observed the Caliph, "I have seen horses broken all my
life long, and have even broken them myself, but I have never seen any
horse broken in such a barbarous manner as by you yesterday. Every one
who looked on was indignant, and blamed you loudly. As for myself, I
was so angry that I was very nearly disclosing who I was, and putting a
stop to it at once. Still, you have not the air of a cruel man, and I
would gladly believe that you did not act in this way without some
reason. As I am told that it was not the first time, and indeed that
every day you are to be seen flogging and spurring your horse, I wish
to come to the bottom of the matter. But tell me the whole truth, and
conceal nothing."

Sidi-Nouman changed colour as he heard these words, an