A good and holy man was apprised of these events, and said:--"In order
to conciliate the good-will of friends, it were better to sell our
patrimonial garden; in order to boil the pot of well-wishers, it were
good to convert our household furniture into fire-wood. Do good even to
the wicked; it is as well to shut a dog's mouth with a crumb."


XXXIV

One of Harun-al-Rashid's children went up to his father in a passion,
saying, "A certain officer's son has abused me in my mother's name."
Harun asked his ministers, "What ought to be such a person's
punishment?" One made a sign to have him put to death; another to have
his tongue cut out; and a third, to have him fined and banished. Harun
said: "O my child! it were generous to forgive him; but if you have not
resolution to do that, do you abuse his mother in return, yet not to
such a degree as to exceed the bounds of retaliation, for in that case
the injury would be on our part, and the complaint on that of the
antagonist.--In the opinion of the prudent he is no hero that can dare
to combat a furious elephant; but that man is in truth a hero who, when
provoked to anger, will not speak intemperately. A cross-grained fellow
abused a certain person; he bore it patiently, and said, O well-disposed
man! I am still more wicked than thou art calling me; for I know my
defects better than thou canst know them."


XXXV

I was seated in a vessel, along with some persons of distinction, when a
boat sunk astern of us and two brothers were drawn into the whirlpool.