A prince inherited immense riches by succeeding to his father. He opened
the hand of liberality, displayed his munificence, and bestowed
innumerable gifts upon his troops and people. "The brain will not be
perfumed by a censer of green aloes-wood; place it over the fire that it
may diffuse fragrance like ambergris. If ambitious of a great name, make
a practice of munificence, for the crop will not shoot till thou shalt
sow the seed."

A narrow-minded courtier began to admonish him, saying, "Verily, former
sovereigns have collected this wealth with scrupulosity and stored it
advisedly. Check your hand in this waste, for accidents wait ahead, and
foes lurk behind. God forbid that you should want it on a day of
need.--Wert thou to distribute the contents of a granary among the
people, every master of a family might receive a grain of rice; why not
exact a grain of silver from each, that thou mightest daily hoard a
chamber full of treasure?"

The prince turned his face aside from this speech, so contrary to his
own lofty sentiments, and harshly reprimanded him, saying, "A great and
glorious God made me sovereign of this property, that I might enjoy and
spend it; and posted me not a sentinel, to hoard and watch over
it.--Carown perished, who possessed forty magazines of treasure;
Nushirowan died not, who left behind him a fair reputation."


XIX

They have related that at a hunting seat they were roasting some game
for Nushirowan, and as there was no salt they were despatching a servant
to the village to fetch some. Nushirowan called to him, saying, "Take it