' To a woman at the door of a tomb hung with
relics of hundreds of poor souls in misery, who besought the buried saint
to intercede for her with Allah, I made the same catechism, and she
answered, 'Oh, effendi, if his wealth were mine, I would give my son what
he has lost.' 'What has he lost, woman?' said I; and she answered: 'A
little house with a garden, and a flock of ten goats, a cow and a
dovecote, his inheritance of which he has been despoiled by one who
carried a false debt 'gainst his dead father.' And I said to her: 'But if
thy wealth were as that of the ruler of the city, thy son would have no
need of the little house and garden and the flock of goats, and a cow and
a dovecote.' Whereupon she turned upon me in bitterness, and said: 'Were
they not his own as the seed of his father? Shall not one cherish that
which is his own, which cometh from seed to seed? Is it not the law?'
'But,' said I, 'if his wealth were thine, there would be herds of cattle,
and flocks of sheep, and carpets spread, and the banquet-tables, and
great orchards.
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