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and singing and wasted his substance in gifts and prodigality, till he had squandered all the money his father left him. Night dlxxxviii.Then he betook himself to selling his slaves and lands and houses and spent the proceeds on like wise, till he was reduced to beggary and must needs labour for his living. He abode thus a year’s space, at the end of which time he was sitting one day under a wall, awaiting who should hire him, when there came up to him a man of comely aspect and apparel and saluted him. “O uncle,” said the young man, “hast thou known me aforetime?” “Not so, O my son,” replied the other, “I know thee not at all; but I see the trace of gentle breeding on thee, despite thy present case.” “O uncle,” rejoined the poor man, “needs must Fate and fore-ordained fortune be accomplished; but, O uncle, bright of face, hast thou any occasion wherein thou wouldst employ me?” “Yes,” said the other, “I wish to employ thee in an easy matter.” “What is it?” asked the young man, and the stranger, “I have with me ten old men in one house, but we have none to serve us; so, if thou wilt take service with us, thou shalt have food and clothing to thy heart’s content, besides what cometh to thee of money and other goods, and haply God will restore thee thy fortune by our means.” “With all my heart,” replied the youth. “But,” said the other, “I have a condition to impose on thee.” Quoth he, “What is that?” And the old man said, “O my son, it is that thou keep our secret in what thou seest us do, and if thou see us weep, that thou question us not of the cause of our weeping.” “It is well, O uncle,” replied the young man; whereupon the other bade him, “Come with me, O my son, with the blessing of God the Most High!”
So he followed him to the bath, where he caused cleanse his body of the crusted dirt, after which he sent for a handsome garment of linen and clad him therein. Then he carried him to a lofty and spacious house, wherein were
