ty upon
the head of whatever person first enters the city gate in the morning,
and commit the kingdom to his charge." It happened that the first man
that presented himself at the city gate was a beggar, who had passed his
whole life in scraping broken meat and in patching rags. The ministers
of state and nobles of the court fulfilled the conditions of the king's
will, and laid the keys of the treasury and citadel at his feet.

For a time the dervish governed the kingdom, till some of the chiefs of
the empire swerved from their allegiance, and the princes of the
territories on every side rose in opposition to him, and levied armies
for the contest. In short, his troops and subjects were routed and
subdued, and several of his provinces taken from him.

The dervish was hurt to the soul at these events, when one of his old
friends, who had been the companion of his state of poverty, returned
from a journey and found him in such dignity. He exclaimed:
"Thanksgiving be to a Deity of majesty and glory that lofty fortune
succored you and prosperity was your guide, till roses issued from your
thorns and the thorns were extracted from your feet, and till you
arrived at this elevated rank!--_Along with hardship there is ease; or,
to sorrow succeeds joy_.--The plant is at one season in flower and at
another withered; the tree is at one time naked and at another clothed
with leaves." He said: "O, my dear friend, offer me condolence, for here
is no place for congratulation. When you last saw me I had to think of
getting a crumb of bread; now I have the cares of a whole kingdom on my
head. If the world be adverse, we are the victims of pain; if
prosperous, the fettered slaves of affection for it. Amidst this life no
calamity is more afflicting than that, whether fortunate or not, the
mind is equally disquieted. If thou covetest riches, ask not but for
contentment, which is an immense treasure. Should a rich man throw money
into thy lap, take heed, and do not look upon it as a benefit; for I
have often heard from the great and good that the patience of the poor
is more meritorious than the gift of the rich. Were King Bahram Ghor to
distribute a whole roasted elk, it would not be equal to the gift of a
locust's leg from an ant."

XXVIII

A person had a friend who was holding the office of king's divan, or
prime minister, and it happened that he had not seen him for some time.
Somebody remarked, saying, "It is some time since you s