سندبادنامه 394.53

394.53

20. The Tale of the Ascetic, the Peri, and Consulting with His Wife
and a bonded affection with him, and passed his time in the delightful company of seeing his dear person.
Whenever an adversity or calamity befell the ascetic, or an incident
or illness descended, the genie, to the utmost of his capacity and the limit of his power,
would lend him help and assistance, and deemed showing benevolence and compassion incumbent upon himself. In sum,
the ascetic derived great strength and full support from harmony and association with him, and possessed ample wealth and confidence
by virtue of his position. One day, the ascetic had finished his worship upon his cushion of obedience and retreat
of devotion, and had rested his back against the prayer niche, when the genie
entered, sat down before the ascetic on the knees of reverence, and said: ‘O compassionate
friend and sympathetic companion! An important matter has befallen me, and a difficult journey
toward Iraq has arisen before me; one cannot know under what conditions affairs will unfold,
or how long the stay will last. I have come to take my leave and ask permission from you.
[As a gift, names] that answer prayers, the key of goods, and the opener of the gates of good deeds, I have brought as an offering,
so that if an urgent matter arises or a difficulty appears, by these names you may avert and remove
it:’