Tales from the Arabic/Story of the Three Men and Our Lord Jesus

by Unknown

STORY OF THE THREE MEN AND OUR LORD JESUS.

Three men once went out in quest of riches and came upon a block of gold, weighing a hundred pounds. When they saw it, they took it up on their shoulders and fared on with it, till they drew near a certain city, when one of them said, ‘Let us sit in the mosque, whilst one of us goes and buys us what we may eat.’ So they sat down in the mosque and one of them arose and entered the city. When he came therein, his soul prompted him to play his fellows false and get the gold for himself alone. So he bought food and poisoned it; but, when he returned to his comrades, they fell upon him and slew him, so they might enjoy the gold without him. Then they ate of the [poisoned] food and died, and the gold abode cast down over against them.

Presently, Jesus, son of Mary (on whom be peace!) passed by and seeing this, besought God the Most High for tidings of their case; so He told him what had betided them, whereat great was his wonderment and he related to his disciples what he had seen. Quoth one of them, ‘O Spirit of God,^[1] nought resembleth this but my own story.’ ‘How so?’ asked Jesus, and the other said,

The Disciple’s Story.

[story resumed]

Quoth Jesus (on whom be peace!), ‘Had these dealt prudently, they had taken thought for themselves; but they neglected the issues of events; for that whoso acteth prudently is safe and conquereth,^[2] and whoso neglecteth precaution perisheth and repenteth.’

Return to King Shah Bekht and His Vizier Er Rehwan.

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1. Or “Breath of God,” a title given to Jesus by the Mohammedans.
2. i.e. attaineth his desire.