ll he had made
up to him, saluted him an end of his day's work;
and said to him, "I then, going up to him,
would fain be thy guest saluted him with the salam
this night." "With all and said, "I would be thy
my heart," replied the guest this night." Replied
smith, and carried him to the smith, "With gladness
his house, where they and goodly gree!" and
supped together and lay carried him to his place,
down to sleep. The guest where they supped together
watched his host, but and lay down to sleep.
found no sign of [special] The guest watched but saw
devoutness in him and no sign in his host of praying
said to himself. "Belike through the night or
he concealeth himself from of special devoutness, and
me." So he lodged with said in his mind, "Haply
him a second and a third he hideth himself from
night, but found that he me." So he lodged with
did no more than observe him a second and a third
the ordinary letter of the night, but found that he
law and rose but little did not exceed the devotions
in the night [to pray]. At prescribed by the
last he said to him, "O law and custom of the
my brother, I have heard Prophet and rose but little
of the gift with which in the dark hours to pray.
God hath favoured thee At last he said to him, "O
and have seen the truth of my brother, I have heard
it with mine eyes. Moreover, of the gift with which
I have taken note of Allah hath favoured thee,
thine assiduity [in and have seen the truth of
religious exercises], but it with mine eyes. Moreover,
find in thee no special I have taken note
fervour of piety, such as of thine assiduity in
distinguisheth those in religious exercises, but find
whom such miraculous in thee no such piety as
gifts are manifest. distinguished those who work
"Whence, then, cometh saintly miracles; whence,
this to thee?" "I will then cometh this to thee?"
tell thee," answered the "I will tell thee,"
smith. answered the smith.

"Know that I was once "Know that I was once
passionately enamoured of passionately enamoured
a certain damsel and of a slave girl and oft-times
required her many a time sued her