of arithmetical progression how many pieces of gold it comes to;
and even after all this, thy avarice hath brought thee back again
through the first gate. What wilt thou do after having accumulated so
much money? A [real] _fakir_ ought only to think [of the wants] of the
passing day; the following day the great Provider [of necessaries]
will afford thee a new pittance. Now evince some shame and modesty;
have patience, and be content; what sort of mendicity is this that
thy spiritual guide hath taught thee?"

On hearing these reproaches of mine, he became displeased and angry,
and threw down on the ground all [the money] he had received from me,
and said, "Enough, sir, do not be so warm; take back your gifts and
keep them, and do not again pronounce the word generosity. It is very
difficult to be generous; you are not able to support the weight of
generosity, when will you attain to that station? [203] you are as
yet very far from it. The word [Arabic: sakhy] _Sakhi_ (generous),
is also composed of three letters; first act up to the meaning of
those three letters, then you will be called generous." On hearing
this I became uneasy, and said to the _fakir_, well, holy pilgrim,
explain to me the meaning of those three letters. He replied, "from
[Arabic: s] _sin_ is derived _sama,i_ (endurance); from [Arabic: kh]
_khe_ comes _khaufi Ilahi_ (fear of God); and from [Arabic: y]_ye_
proceeds _yad_ (remembrance of one's birth and death). Until one
is possessed of these three qualities, he should not mention the
name of generosity; and the generous man has also this happiness,
that although he acts amiss [in other points], yet he is dear to
his Maker [on account of his generosity]. I have travelled through
many countries, but except the princess of _Basra_, I have not seen a
[person really] generous. The robe of generosity God hath shaped out on
[the person] of that woman; all others desire the name, but do not act
up to it." On hearing this, I made much entreaty, and conjured him
[by all that was sacred] to forgive my rebuke, and take whatever he
required. He would not, on any account, accept my proffered gifts,
but went away repeating these words, "Now if thou wert to give all
thy kingdom, I would not spit upon it, nor would I even **." [204]
The pilgrim went away, but having heard such praises of the princess
of _Basra_, my heart became quite restless, and no way could I be
easy. Now this desire arose within me, that by some m