Story 37

  A dervish arrived in a place, the owner of which was of a noble

disposition, and had surrounded himself with a company of

distinguished and eloquent men, each of whom uttered something elegant

or jocular, according to the fashion of wits. The dervish who had

travelled through the desert and was fatigued had eaten nothing. One

of the company asked him by way of encouragement likewise to say

something. The dervish replied: 'I do not possess distinction and

eloquence like you and have read nothing so you must be satisfied with

one distich of mine.' The company having agreed with pleasure he

recited:

        'I am hungry and opposite to a table of food

        Like a bachelor at the door of a bath of females.'

  The company, having thus been apprised of his famished condition,

produced a table with bread but as he began to eat greedily the host

said: 'Friend, at any rate stop a while till my servants roast some

minced meat'; whereon the dervish lifted his head and recited:

        'Do not order pounded meat for my table.

        To a pounded man simple bread is pounded meat.'