Baghdad came and saluted him, after which he took a bundle
containing ten pieces of costly stuffs, with the prices written
on them, and carried it to the merchants' bazar, where they
welcomed and saluted him and showed him all honour; and, making
him dismount from his beast, seated him in the shop of the Syndic
of the market, to whom he delivered the package. He opened it
and, drawing out the pieces of stuff, sold them for him at a
profit of two diners on every diner of prime cost. At this Ghanim
rejoiced and kept selling his silks and stuffs one after another,
and ceased not to do on this wise for a full year. On the first
day of the following year he went, as was his wont, to the
Exchange which was in the bazar, but found the gate shut; and
enquiring the reason was told, "One of the merchants is dead and
all the others have gone to follow his bier,[FN#82] and why
shouldst thou not win the meed of good deeds by walking with
them?"[FN#83] He replied "Yes," and asked for the quarter where
the funeral was taking place, and one directed him thereto. So he
purified himself by the Wuzu-ablution[FN#84] and repaired with
the other merchants to the oratory, where they prayed over the
dead, then walked before the bier to the burial place, and
Ghanim, who was a bashful man, followed them being ashamed to
leave them. They presently issued from the city, and passed
through the tombs until they reached the grave where they found
that the deceased's kith and kin had pitched a tent over the tomb
and had brought thither lamps and wax candles. So they buried the
body and sat down while the readers read out and recited the
Koran over the grave; and Ghanim sat with them, being overcome
with bashfulness and saying to himself "I cannot well go away
till they do." They tarried listening to the Koranic perfection
till nightfall, when the servants set supper and