Story No. 5

At the gate of Ughlumush's palace I saw a colonel's son who had extraordinary intelligence, shrewdness, understanding, and insight; even from childhood the marks of greatness showed clearly on his brow. Above his head, from his sharp mind, a high star was shining bright. In short, he became a favorite of the sultan, for he had beauty of both face and inner nature, and the wise have said: wealth lies in skill, not in money, and greatness in reason, not in years. Those of his own rank envied his position, accused him of treachery, and tried in vain to have him killed. What harm can an enemy do when your friend is kind to you? The king asked: what is the reason for their hostility toward you? He replied: under the shadow of my lord's fortune, may his kingdom endure, I have satisfied everyone except the envious man, who is never satisfied unless my blessings vanish, while I wish my lord's fortune and good luck to grow. I can manage not to wound anyone's heart, but what can I do about the envious man, who suffers from his own self? Die and be free, you envious one, for this is a pain whose torment can only be escaped through death. The ill-fated wish, in their longing, that the fortunate should lose their wealth and rank. If the bat's eye cannot see by day, what is the fault of the fountain of the sun? If you want the truth, a thousand such eyes are better blind than the sun turned black.