" "Do not multiply words on me," answered he; "it is in
my power to kill thee: but I give thee thy choice." "O Afrit,"
rejoined I, "it would best become thee to pardon me, even as the
envied pardoned the envier." Quoth he, "And how was that?" "They
say, O Afrit," answered I, "that
Story of the Envier and the Envied.
There dwelt once in a certain city two men, who occupied
adjoining houses, having a common party-wall; and one of them
envied the other and looked on him with an evil eye and did his
utmost endeavour to work him ill; and his envy grew on him till
he could hardly eat or enjoy the delight of sleep for it. But the
envied man did nought but prosper, and the more the other strove
to do him hurt, the more he increased and throve and flourished.
At last the hatred his neighbour bore him and his constant
endeavour to do him hurt came to his knowledge and he said, 'By
Allah, I will renounce the world on his account!' So he left his
native place and settled in a distant city, where he bought a
piece of land, in which was a dried-up well, that had once been
used for watering the fields. Here he built him an oratory, which
he fitted up with all that he required, and took up his abode
therein, devoting himself with a sincere heart to the service of
God the Most High. Fakirs[FN#32] and poor folk soon flocked to
him from all sides, and his fame spread abroad in the city, so
that the notables resorted to him.
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