Story 

  Harun-ur-Rashid said when the country of Egypt was surrendered to

him: 'In contrast to the rebel who had in his arrogance of being

sovereign of Egypt pretended to be God, I shall bestow this country

upon the meanest of my slaves.' He had a stupid negro, Khosaib by

name, whom he made governor of Egypt but his intellect and

discrimination were so limited that when the tribe of Egyptian

agriculturists complained and stated that they had sown cotton along

the banks of the Nile and that an untimely rain had destroyed it he

replied: 'You ought to have sown wool.' A pious man heard this, and

said:

        'If livelihood were increased by knowledge

        None would be more needy than the ignorant.

        Nevertheless the ignorant receive a livelihood

        At which the learned stand aghast.

        The luck of wealth consists not in skill

        But only in the aid of heaven.

        It happens in the world that many

        Silly men are honoured and sages despised.

        If an alchemist has died in grief and misery,

        A fool discovered a treasure amidst ruins.'