affliction and sell and buy at home.' Then he made two parts of
his money, with one whereof he bought wheat in summer, saying,
'When the winter cometh, I will sell it at a great profit.' But,
when the winter came, wheat became at half the price for which he
had bought it, whereat he was sore concerned and left it till the
next year. However, next year, the price fell yet lower and one
of his friends said to him, 'Thou hast no luck in this wheat; so
do thou sell it at whatsoever price.' Quoth the merchant, 'This
long while have I profited and it is allowable that I lose this
time. God is all- knowing! If it abide [with me] half a score
years, I will not sell it save at a profit.'

Then, in his anger, he walled up the door of the granary with
clay, and by the ordinance of God the Most High, there came a
great rain and descended from the roofs of the house wherein was
the wheat [so that the latter rotted]; and needs must the
merchant give the porters five hundred dirhems from his purse, so
they should carry it forth and cast it without the city, for that
the smell of it was noisome. So his friend said to him, 'How
often did I tell thee thou hadst no luck in wheat? But thou
wouldst not give ear to my speech, and now it behoveth thee to go
to the astrologer and question him of thy star.' Accordingly the
merchant betook himself to the astrologer and questioned him of
his star, and the astrologer said to him, 'Thy star is
unpropitious. Put not thy hand to any business, for thou wilt not
prosper therein.' However, he paid no heed to the astrologer's
words and said in himself, 'If I do my occasion,[FN#103] I am not
afraid of aught.' Then he took the other part of his money, after
he had spent therefrom three years, and built [therewith] a ship,
which he loaded with all that seemed good to him and all that was