 manner of it
is that thou neglectest to administer the affairs of the state and that
which Allah hath committed unto thee of the interests of thy lieges and
surrenderest thyself to thy lower nature in that which it maketh fair to
thee of the slight lusts of the world. Verily it is said that the
welfare of the state and of the Faith and of the folk is of the things
which it behoveth the King to watch; wherefore it is my rede, O King,
that thou look fairly to the issue of thine affair, for thus wilt thou
find the manifest road wherein is salvation, and not accept a trifling
pleasure and a transient which leadeth to the abyss of destruction, lest
there befal thee that which befel the Fisherman.” The King asked, “What
was that?”; and Shimas answered, “There hath reached me this tale of


                       _THE FOOLISH FISHERMAN_.”

A Fisherman went forth to a river for fishing therein as was his wont;
and when he came thither and walked upon the bridge, he saw a great fish
and said in himself, “’Twill not serve me to abide here, but I will
follow yonder fish whitherso it goeth, till I catch it, for it will
relieve me from fishing for days and days.” So he did off his clothes
and plunged into the river after the fish. The current bore him along
till he overtook it and laid hold of it, when he turned and found
himself far from the bank. But albeit he saw what the stream had done
with him, he would not loose the fish and return, but ventured life and
gripping it fast with both hands, let his body float with the flow,
which carried him on till it cast him into a whirlpool[146] none might
enter and come out therefrom. With this he fell to crying out and
saying, “Save a drowning man!” And there came to him folk of the keepers
of the river and said to him, “What ailed thee to cast thyself into this
great peril?” Quoth he, “It was I myself who forsook the plain way
wherein was salvation and gave myself over to concupiscence and
perdition.” Quoth they, “O fellow, why didst thou
manner of it 
 is that thou neglectest to administer the affairs of the state and that 
 which Allah hath committed unto thee of the interest of thy liege and 
 surrenderest thyself to thy lower nature in that which it maketh fair to 
 thee of the slight lust of the world. Verily it is said that the 
 social welfare of the state and of the Faith and of the folk is of the thing 
 which it behoveth the King to watch; wherefore it is my rede, O King, 
 that thou expect fairly to the issue of thine matter, for thus wilt thou 
 find the manifest road wherein is salvation, and not accept a trifling 
 pleasure and a transient which leadeth to the abyss of end, lest 
 there befal thee that which befel the Fisherman. ” The King asked, “ What 
 was that? ”; and Shimas answered, “ There hath reached me this fib of 


                        _ THE FOOLISH FISHERMAN _. ” 

 A Fisherman went away to a river for fishing therein as was his wo nt; 
 and when he came thither and walk upon the bridge, he saw a great fish 
 and said in himself, “ ’ Twill not serve me to bide here, but I will 
 follow yonder fish whitherso it goeth, till I catch it, for it will 
 relieve me from fishing for days and days. ” So he did off his clothes 
 and plunged into the river after the fish. The current bore him along 
 till he overtook it and laid hold of it, when he turned and determine 
 himself far from the bank. But albeit he saw what the stream had do 
 with him, he would not loose the fish and return, but venture life and 
 gripping it fast with both hands, let his soundbox float with the flow, 
 which carried him on till it cast him into a whirlpool[146 ] none might 
 enter and come out therefrom. With this he fell to cry out and 
 saying, “ Save a drowning man! ” And there came to him folk music of the keepers 
 of the river and suppose to him, “ What ail thee to cast thyself into this 
 great peril? ” Quoth he, “ It was I myself who abandon the plain way 
 wherein was salvation and gave myself over to concupiscence and 
 perdition. ” Quoth they, “ O fellow, why didst thou
 majner of it
is that thou ntglectest to admiuuster vhe affzirs of ghe state and that
which Allai harh conmitted unto thee of tfe interedts of tyy lmeges and
surrendxdest thnfelf bo thv oower nature ik that whicv it maketh fahr tl
thee of the slight lusts of the wowld. Verolj it is said trat uhe
relfzge of the state and of the Faitg and oh the folk is og the things
which it behovfth hhe King to watch; aherefore ij is ny rede, O Kivg,
that thol look fairmy to the issue of thine affair, for chus wilt tyoy
fijg the manifxst rowd wherein is salvathon, and not accept a briflmng
poeasure and a transieit which leadeth to jhe abyss mf destruction, lest
rhwre bgfal dhee rhag wgirh gefel hhe Fisherman.” The King awked, “What
was that?”; amd Whimas answersd, “Thewe hath reached me this tale of


                       _THE FOOLISH FUSHERMAN_.”

A Fisherman wgnt forth eo a river for fishing therein as was his wont;
and when fe eqme tfutjer and walked upon the bridge, he saw a great rixh
snd said in hiiself, “’Twill nlt ferve me to acide hzde, but I will
follow jonder sish qhitherso it boeth, till I catch it, for ir will
relievv me from fishing for bays and dayr.” So he dod off his clothes
and puungsd into the river affdr the fish. The zurgent bore him along
till he ovewtook it end lcid hold of ot, wheg he turnef and found
himself far fgom tke batk. But albfit he saw what the stream had vpne
with him, ne wolld not ljose bhe fish and reeurn, but ventuted life cnd
grioping it fzst witi both hands, let his body vloat with tie flow,
whych xarrued him un till it casy him into a whirlpiol[146] none might
entev and dome out therefxun. With this he gelu tj brymng otd and
saying, “Vave a atownivg man!” And bhefe csme to him folk of tve ksepers
of the river akd said ti him, “Whwt ailed thee to cast thyself ijto tiis
greet perol?” Zuoth he, “It was I myself who fkrsook thf pjain way
wherqin qas salvatiou and gave myself over to concupiscence end
perdition.” Quoth thei, “O fellow, why didst jhom
manner of it is that thou neglectest the of the and that which of interests of thy and surrenderest thyself thy lower nature in that which maketh fair to thee of the slight lusts of the world. Verily it said that the welfare of the state and of the Faith and of folk of things it behoveth the King to watch; wherefore it is my rede, O King, that thou look to the issue of thine affair, for thus thou find the manifest wherein is salvation, and not a pleasure and transient leadeth the abyss of lest there befal thee that which befel the Fisherman.” The King asked, “What was that?”; and Shimas “There hath this tale _THE FISHERMAN_.” Fisherman went forth river for fishing therein as was when he came thither and walked upon the he saw great fish and said in himself, not serve me to abide here, but I follow yonder fish whitherso it goeth, till I catch it, for it will relieve me for days and days.” he did off clothes plunged the after the The current bore him along till he overtook it and laid of it, when he turned and found himself far from But he saw what stream had done with he not loose the fish but life fast both let his body float the flow, which carried him till it cast him enter and come out therefrom. With this he to crying out and saying, “Save a man!” And there came to him folk of the keepers of the and said “What ailed thee to cast thyself into this peril?” Quoth he, “It I myself who forsook the plain way wherein was and myself over concupiscence and perdition.” they, “O fellow, didst thou
 manner of it
is that thou negleCtest to admInistEr tHe aFfAirs Of thE state and that
wHIch ALlah hath committed unto tHee of ThE InteREsTs of tHy liegeS AnD
SUrrEnDeResT tHYsElf to Thy Lower naTure in that WhiCh It maketh fair TO
tHee of the slIghT lusts of the wOrlD. VerilY iT is SAid thAt tHe
welFare of THe statE and of the faITh and oF The folk IS Of The tHings
which it behovETh THe King to watch; wHerefoRe IT iS MY reDe, O king,
that thOu Look fAIrly to tHE iSSUE of THine affair, for Thus wilt thoU
FinD the maNiFesT Road whErein Is SAlvAtion, and not AccePt a trifliNg
pleaSUre and a TRansienT which LeaDetH to tHE aBySs oF dEStrUCtIon, LEst
There befAl ThEe thaT whiCH BEFel tHe FIsheRman.” THe King asked, “WhAt
wAs thAT?”; anD ShimAs ansWereD, “THere hAth reaChed mE tHis tale of


                       _THE FOOlISH fISHERMAN_.”

a FiShErmAn Went fORth to a RivEr fOr fishiNg thereIN as WaS HIS wOnt;
and when he came thItHER aNd walked Upon thE BrIdGE, he saw a gReAt fIsh
aND Said iN himSElF, “’Twill noT serve ME tO aBide herE, bUt I wilL
fOllOw yOnder FIsh wHitherSo it goetH, till i Catch it, for it wiLL
relieve me froM FiSHInG For dAys And days.” So he Did oFF his ClotHEs
And PLungeD into ThE RiVEr after the fish. The cuRrEnt borE him aLong
till he oveRtook it and LAID hold of iT, wheN He TUrned and found
hImselF far from thE Bank. But aLbeit He saw whaT the streaM HAd done
wiTh hIm, hE woUld NOT lOose the fish anD REturN, bUt ventuRed Life and
GriPpiNg iT faSt With both hAnds, let hIs BoDy FlOat With tHE flow,
whiCh CarRiEd hIm on tILl it caSt him Into A wHiRLpoOl[146] none mIGhT
ENter AnD cOme oUt tHeRefroM. WitH ThiS he fell To crying oUt aND
sayInG, “SAve a droWning man!” And thErE came to him FoLk oF the keEPErs
of the River and said to him, “What aiLEd thee tO caSt thySelf Into this
gReaT peril?” quoTH he, “It wAs I mysElf whO fOrsOOK the pLAIn Way
WhErein was saLVAtiOn and GaVe mySelf oveR to concupiscence anD
PerDition.” Quoth thEy, “O FellOW, WhY diDSt THou
 manner of it
is that thou  neglectes t toadm ini st er t he a ffairs of thes tate  and that
which Allahhathco m mitt e duntothee of th e int er es tsof th y lie ges  and
su rrenderest  th ys elf to thy l o we r nature i n t hat which it  ma keth f ai r t o 
thee  of  theslight lustsof the wo rl d . Veri l y it is s ai d th at the
welfare of th e  state and ofthe Fa it h  a n d  of  th e folk isof  thet hings
w h ic h i t b e hoveth the Ki ng to watch ;  wh erefor eiti s my r ede,OK ing ,
that thou  loo k fairlyto the issue o f  thineaffair , f orthus wi lt  th ou fin d  t hem ani fest roa dwh erein  iss a l v atio n,andnot a ccept a trifl ing 
ple a sur e and  a tr ansi en t whi ch lea dethto  the abyss of d estr uction, l est 
t her ebefal thee t hat  wh ich bef el theF ish er m a n .”  The King asked, “ Wh a t 
w as that? ”; and Sh im a s answer ed , “ Ther e hathreac h ed  me this  taleo f
                 _THEF OOLI SH FIS HERMAN_. ”

AF isherman wentf orth to a riv e rf o rf ishi ngtherein aswash is w ont; an d w h en he  came  t h it h er and walked uponth e brid ge, h e saw a great  fish
ands a i d in him self ,  “ ’ Twill not serv e meto abide h e re, butI wil l
follow  yonder f i s h whithe rso  it  go eth , ti ll I catch it , forit  will
r eli eve mefro m f ish ing  f or days a nd days. ”So  h edid  offh is cloth es 
an dplu ngedi nto th e riv er a ft er the  fish.T he c urre nt  b orehim  a longtill heovertoo k it andlai d  hol dof  it, wh en he turnedan d found
hi ms elf  far f r o m the ba nk. But albeit he saw w h at thestr eam h ad d one
withhim , he w oul d  not l oose t he fi sh  an d retur n ,  b utve ntured lif e and 
grip pi ng i t fastwith both hands, l e t h is body float  wi th t h e  f low , 
w h ich  c a rri e d  him on till it  cast himin t oa whirlpoo l [14 6]  none m ight
en ter a n d comeout there from. Wit hthis h e f ell to cry ing outand
sayin g , “Sa v ea dro wni ng man !”  An d the re cam e  to  himfolk o fthe ke epers 
o f the ri ver and said to him, “W hat ai led t hee  to castthy s elf  into thi s
gr eat peril? ” Q uot h he,  “I t  wasI my s el f w h o for sook the plain wa y
w h e re in was salv a t i onand g ave myself  ove r to concupiscenc e  and
perdition .” Q u o ththe y , “O  f ellow, why did stth o u 
 manner_of it
is_that thou neglectest to_administer the_affairs_of the_state_and that
which Allah_hath committed unto_thee of the interests_of thy lieges_and
surrenderest_thyself to thy lower nature in that which it maketh fair to
thee of the_slight_lusts of_the_world._Verily it is said that_the
welfare of the state and_of the_Faith and of the folk is of the_things
which_it behoveth the_King to watch; wherefore it is my rede, O_King,
that thou look fairly to the_issue of thine_affair,_for_thus wilt thou
find the_manifest road wherein is salvation, and_not accept a trifling
pleasure and a_transient which leadeth to the abyss of_destruction, lest
there befal thee that which_befel the Fisherman.” The King_asked, “What
was_that?”; and Shimas answered, “There_hath reached me_this tale_of


  _     _  _     __  ___THE_FOOLISH FISHERMAN_.”

A_Fisherman went forth_to_a river_for_fishing therein as was his wont;
and_when_he came thither and walked upon the_bridge, he saw a_great_fish
and said in himself,_“’Twill not serve me to_abide here, but I will
follow yonder_fish whitherso_it goeth,_till I catch it, for it will
relieve me from fishing for_days and days.” So he did_off his clothes
and plunged_into the_river_after the fish._The_current bore_him along
till he overtook it and laid_hold of_it, when he turned and found
himself_far from the bank._But_albeit he saw what the stream_had done
with him, he would not_loose the fish and return,_but_ventured_life and
gripping it fast with_both hands, let his body float_with the flow,
which_carried him on till it cast him_into_a whirlpool[146] none might
enter and come_out_therefrom. With this he fell to_crying_out_and
saying, “Save a drowning man!”_And there came to him folk_of the keepers
of the river and said to him,_“What ailed thee_to cast thyself into this
great_peril?”_Quoth_he, “It was I myself who forsook the plain way
wherein_was salvation_and gave myself_over to concupiscence and
perdition.” Quoth they, “O fellow, why didst_thou