سندبادنامه 267.8

267.8

11. The Tale of the Soldier, the Child, the Cat, and the Snake
investigation and reflection, they may travel into the depth of occurrences, and separate the pure essence of truth from the dregs of falsehood.
If there is room for pardon, they display the perfection of their bounty to leader and follower,
servant and master, low and noble, far and near, and manifest their own persons
in the sphere of munificence. Any king who does not pause in punishing bodies,
shedding blood, and violating the persons of creatures, will be seized in this world and the hereafter
by chastisement and regret, and thereafter remorse and sorrow will be neither beneficial nor effective;
just as that soldier was hasty in killing that cat, and when the beauty of
truth showed its face from behind the veil of suspicion, he suffered many regrets, and [the cat] proved to be his rescuer and savior,
and had been his supporter and protector." The shah asked: "How was that? Relate it!"