When the third Saturday came roundI went to the standingbut found him not；so I enquired for him and was told that he lay sick in the hut of such a woman. Now this was an old woman，renowned for pietywho had a hut of reeds in the burial-ground. So I went thither and found him lying on the naked earthwith a brick for a pillow and his face beaming with light. I saluted him and he returned my salute；and I sat down at his headweeping over his tenderness of years and strangerhood and submission to the will of his Lord. Then said I to him'Hast thou any need？'Yes，' answered he；and I said，'What is it？' He replied'Come hither tomorrow in the forenoon and thou wilt find me dead. Wash me and dig my grave and tell none thereof： but shroud me in this my gownafter thou hast unsewn it and taken out what thou shalt find in the bosom，which keep with thee. Thenwhen thou hast prayed over me and laid me in the dustgo to Baghdad and watch for the Khalif Haroun er Reshidtill he come forthwhen do thou bear him my salutation and give him what thou shalt find in the breast of my gown.' Then he made the profession of the Faith and glorified his Lord in the most eloquent of wordsreciting the following verses：
Carry the trust of him on whom the wished-for death hath come To Er Reshidand thy reward with thy Creator stand！
'An exile greets thee，' say'who longed full sorely for thy sight；With long desire he yearned for theefar in a foreign strand.
Nor hate nor weariness from thee estranged himforindeedTo God Most High he was brought near by kissing thy right hand.
ButO my father'twas his heartshunning the vain delights Of this thy worldthat drove him forth to seek a distant land！'
Then he betook himself to prayerasking pardon of God and blessing the Lord of the Just and repeating verses of the Koran；after which he recited the following：
Let not prosperity delude theefather mine；For fortune wastes and life itself must pass away.
Whenas thou com'st to know of folk in evil plightThink thou must answer it upon the Judgment Day；And when thou bearest forth the dead unto the tombsThink that thoutoomust pass upon the self-same way！
Then I left him and went home. On the morrowI returnedat the appointed hourand found him indeed deadthe mercy of God be on him！ So I washed him and unsewing his gownfound in the bosom a ruby worth thousands of diners and said to myself'By Allahthis youth was indeed abstracted from the things of this world！' After I had buried himI made my way to Baghdad and going to the Khalif's palacewaited till he came forthwhen I accosted him in one of the streets and gave him the rubywhich when he sawhe knew and fell down in a swoon. His attendants laid hands on mebut he revived and bade them unhand me and bring me courteously to the palace. They did his biddingand when he returnedhe sent for me and carrying me into his closetsaid to me'How doth the owner of this ruby？' Quoth I，'He is dead；' and told him what had passed；whereupon he fell a-weeping and said'The son hath profitedbut the father is disappointed.' Then he called outsaying'Hosuch an one！'
And beholda woman came out to him. When she saw meshe would have withdrawn；but he said to her'Come；and heed him not.'
So she entered and salutedand he threw her the rubywhich when she knewshe gave a great shriek and fell down in a swoon. As soon as she came to herselfshe said'O Commander of the Faithfulwhat hath God done with my son？' And he said to me'Do thou tell her；' for he could not speak for weeping.
So I repeated the story to herand she began to weep and say in a failing voice'How I have longed for thy sightO consolation of my eyes！ Would I might have given thee to drink，when thou hadst none to tend thee！ Would I might have companied with theewhenas thou foundest none to cheer thee！' And she poured forth tears and recited the following verses：
I weep for one to whom death camean exile and in pain： Alone he diedwithout a friend to whom he might complain.
Puissant and honoured and conjoined with those that loved him dearTo live alone and seeing noneunfriendedhe was fain.
That which the days conceal shall yet be manifest to us： Not one of us by deathindeedunsmitten may remain.
O absent onethe Lord of all decreed thy strangerhoodAnd thou left'st far behind the love that was betwixt us twain！
Though deathmy sonforbid me hope to see thee in this life，Tomorrowon the Reckoning-Daywe two shall meet again.
Quoth I'O Commander of the Faithfulwas he indeed thy son？'
'Yes，' answered he；'and indeedbefore I succeeded to this officehe was wont to visit the learned and company with the devout；butwhen I became Khalifhe grew estranged from me and withdrew himself apart. Then said I to his mother'This thy son is absorbed in God the Most Highand it may be that tribulations shall befall him and he be smitten with stress of evil chance；whereforedo thou give him this rubythat it may be to him a resource in the hour of need.' So she gave it him，conjuring him to take itand he obeyed her. Then he left the things of our world to us and removed himself from us；nor did he cease to be absent from ustill he went to the presence of God（to whom belong might and majesty）with a holy and pure mind.' Then said he'Comeshow me his grave.' So we repaired to Bassora and I showed him his son's grave. When he saw ithe wept and lamentedtill he fell down in a swoon；after which he came to himself and asked pardon of Godsaying'We are God's，and to Him we return！' and invoked blessings on the dead. Then he besought me of companionship；but I said to him'O Commander of the Faithfulverilyin thy son's case is for me the gravest of admonitions！' And I recited the following verses：
'Tis I am the stranger！ None harbours the wightThough he lie in his native city by night.
'Tis I am the exile！ Nor children nor wife Nor comrades have I，to take ruth on my plight.
The mosques are my refuge；I haunt them indeed： My heart from their shelter shall never take flight.
To the Lord of all creaturesto God be the praiseWhilst yet in the body abideth the spright！
