第52章

Quoth the tortoise，'If the matter be as thou sayest and the case as thou describest，I will not leave thee nor cease to stand before thee，that I may do thy need and fulfil thy service；for it is said that there is no sorer desolation than that of him who is an exile，cut off from friends and home；and it is also said that no calamity equalleth that of severance from the good；but the best solace for men of understanding is to seek companionship in strangerhood and be patient under sorrows and adversity.

Wherefore I hope that thou wilt approve of my company，for I will be to thee a servant and a helper.'Now when the water fowl heard the tortoise's words he answered，'Verily，thou art right in what thou sayest for，by my life，I have found grief and pain in separation，what while I have been parted from my place and sundered from my brethren and friends；seeing that in severance is an admonition to him who will be admonished and matter of thought for him who will take thought. If the generous youth find not a companion to console him，weal is forever cut off from him and ill is eternally established with him；and there is nothing for the sage but to solace himself in every event with brethren and be constant in patience and endurance：indeed these two are praiseworthy qualities，and both uphold one under calamities and vicissitudes of the world and ward off startling sorrows and harrowing cares，come what will.'Rejoined the tortoise，'Beware of sorrow，for it will spoil thy life and waste thy manliness.'

And the two gave not over conversing till the bird said，'Never shall I cease fearing the shifts of time and vicissitudes of events.'When the tortoise heard this，he came up to him and，kissing him between the eyes，said to him，'Never may the company of the birds cease to be blest in thee and through thee，and find wisdom in thy good counsel！ How shalt thou be burdened with care and harm？'And he went on to comfort the water fowl and soothe his terrors till he became reassured. Then he flew to the place where the carcass was and found on arriving there the birds of prey gone，and they had left nothing of the body but bones；

whereupon he returned to the tortoise and acquainted him with the fact that the foe had disappeared from his place，saying，'Know that of a truth I long for return homewards to enjoy the society of my friends；for the sage cannot endure separation from his native place.'So they both went thither and found naught to affright them；whereupon the water fowl began repeating，'And haply whenas strait descends on lot of generous youth

Right sore，with Allah only lies his issue from annoy：

He's straitened，but full oft when rings and meshes straitest clip，He 'scapes his strait and joyance finds，albe I see no joy.'

So the twain abode in that island；and while the water fowl was enjoying a life of peace and gladness，suddenly Fate led thither a hungry falcon，which drove its talons into the bird's belly and killed him，nor did caution avail him when his term of life was ended. Now the cause of his death was that he neglected to use the formula of praise，and it is said that his form of adoration was as follows，'Praised be our Lord in that He ordereth and ordaineth；and praised be our Lord in that He enricheth and impoverisheth！'Such was the waterfowl's end and the tale of the ravenous birds. And when it was finished quoth the Sultan，'O

Shahrazad，verily thou overwhelmest me with admonitions and salutary instances. Hast thou any stories of beasts？''Yes，'

answered she，and began to tell the TALE OF THE WOLF AND THE FOX.[150]

Know，O King，that a fox and a wolf once cohabited in the same den，harbouring therein together by day and resorting thither by night；but the wolf was cruel and oppressive to the fox. They abode thus awhile，till it so befel that the fox exhorted the wolf to use gentle dealing and leave off his ill deeds，saying，'If thou persist in thine arrogance，belike Allah will give the son of Adam power over thee，for he is past master in guile and wile；and by his artifice he bringeth down the birds from the firmament and he haleth the mighty fish forth of the floodwaters：and he cutteth the mountain and transporteth it from place to place. All this is of his craft and wiliness：

wherefore do thou betake thyself to equity and fair dealing and leave frowardness and tyranny；and thou shalt fare all the better for it.'But the wolf would not accept his counsel and answered him roughly，saying，'What right hast thou to speak of matters of weight and importance？'And he dealt the fox a cuff that laid him senseless；but，when he revived，he smiled in the wolf's face and，excusing himself for his unseemly speech，repeated these two couplets，'If any sin I sinned，or did I aught In love of you，which hateful mischief wrought；My sin I sore repent and pardon sue；So give the sinner gift of pardon sought.'

The wolf accepted his excuse and held his hand from further illtreatment，saying，'Speak not of whatso concerneth thee not，lest thou hear what will please thee not.'Answered the fox，'To hear is to obey！'And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.