And they went till they reached the caliph, and made their salutations before the caliph. And the caliph was sitting there with his vizirs. And he welcomed him. And the Languid one fell down at the feet of the caliph, and said to him, "I ask pardon of you, I have a matter I wish to tell you." And he said, "Say on." Then he lifted his face, and looked upward. And he moved his lips, and the top of the house opened, and there came out, as it were, palaces, and gardens, and trees in the gardens, and the leaves of those trees were pearls, and their fruit coral.
And the caliph was excessively astonished. And he asked him, "Where did you get this wealth? And we only remember you as Mohammed the Languid, and your father was a cupper at the baths. How then did it happen that you got into such circumstances?" And he answered and said, "If you so order me, I will give you my story; and all these I have not brought you through fear, but I looked upon these as suitable only for you, the king. If then you wish me to give you my story, I will tell it you." And the king gave him the order, and said, "Bring your story."
And he said, "At first when I was young, and when my father died, I was very lazy, so that my mother even fed me. And even when I lay down, I could not turn on the other side, my mother must come and turn me over. And so it was, my mother used to go and beg, and when she got anything she gave me food. And I remained in this state fifteen years in idleness.
Till one day my mother went and begged, and got five dirhems, and she came to me there in the house where I was lying, and told me, 'To-day I have gone begging, and have got these five dirhems; so take these five dirhems and carry them to Sheikh Abalmathfár; the
