سندبادنامه 107

English (machine translation) 107

Language: English

107.1

"Yours is the highest-winning arrow in high matters, when the noble crowd around the divination arrows."

The Tale of the Wolf, the Fox, and the Camel
Sindbād definitely possesses the winning arrow in every field without qualification, especially since with age
and priority in undertaking the sciences over every class, and promptness in plunging into every art, ever
the beauty of his condition has been adorned with the tress and mole of virtue and wisdom, and the rose-garden of his utterances
pruned of the thorn of falsehood and contradiction. Sindbād said: "I do not say that I am wiser than you,
nor do I say more ignorant, just as that camel said to the wolf and the fox." The sages asked:

107.9

"How was that tale? Tell it!"

107.10

The Tale of the Wolf, the Fox, and the Camel
Sindbād said: They have related that in months and years gone by, a camel, a wolf,
and a fox kept company on a road, and traveled together in companionship.
With them, by way of provisions and nourishment, was not more than a single round loaf of bread. When they had walked for a time, and the toil
of the road and the trouble of travel took effect upon them, and the heat of thirst grew intense, and the dryness
of hunger took hold, they sat down by the water's edge, and contention and dispute arose among them
over the round loaf. Each of them brought forth an explanation and a proof
for his own entitlement, until in the end it was agreed that whichever of them
was older should have a better right to eat this round loaf. The wolf said: "Before God

107.19

[...]

107.20

exalted created this world, my mother bore me seven days before." The fox said:

107.21

"You speak the truth; I was present that night in that place, and I held the lamp for you,
and helped your mother." When the camel heard the statements of the wolf and the fox in that vein,
he stretched out his neck, snatched up the round loaf, ate it, and said: "Whoever sees me knows in truth
that I was not born of my mother last night, and that I am much larger than you, and have seen more of the world
than you, and have carried heavier burdens."
Then all the sages agreed that nothing could be a key to the door of this misfortune except the competence
of Sindbād, and they reported this to the ear of the king. The king gave the command that Sindbād be brought,
and he obtained the honor of admittance and welcome, and was honored with conversation and colloquy. The king
said: "This son is the cream of the realm, the choice substance of the kingdom, the preface of my joy, and the index of my delight,
and throughout the duration of my life no fruit before this has appeared from the tree of existence.
You must instruct him in noble traits of character, praiseworthy qualities, torches of governance,
canons of rule, customs of kingship, subtleties of the Sharīʿa, and truths of the spiritual path,
and set them before him, so that he becomes experienced and refined. After the grace of the Most Generous of the generous
and the bounty of the Most Merciful of the merciful, trust and reliance are placed in your competence and valor. And when the signs

107.35

[...]

Linked texts (1)

سندبادنامه — Ẓahīrī Samarqandī, Persian