Story 

  A king with some of his courtiers had during a hunting party and

in the winter season strayed far from inhabited places but when the

night set in he perceived the house of a dehqan and said: 'We shall

spend the night there to avoid the injury of the cold.' One of the

veziers, however, objected alleging that it was unworthy of the high

dignity of a padshah to take refuge in the house of a dehqan and

that it would be best to pitch tents and to light fires on the spot.

The dehqan who had become aware of what was taking place prepared some

food he had ready in his house, offered it, kissed the ground of

service and said: 'The high dignity of the sultan would not have

been so much lowered, but the courtiers did not wish the dignity of

the dehqan to become high.' The king who was pleased with these

words moved for the night into the man's house and bestowed a dress of

honour upon him the next morning. When he accompanied the king a few

paces at the departure he was heard to say:

        'Nothing was lost of the sultan's power and pomp

        By accepting the hospitality of a dehqan,

        But the corner of the dehqan's cap reached the sun

        When a sultan such as thou overshadowed his head.'