what will become of him in the morning. They boast over time, yet they are the people with the least wealth.'

My master said to him: 'Then be subtle with them regarding the acceptance of this wealth.' He said: He described their locations to me and named every man among them by his name and what he is attributed to. My master ordered me to carry the wealth, and I carried it. My master continued to seek out every man among them in his location, fulfilling his right and being subtle with him, asking him to accept the wealth or some of it, but they refused that until we reached the last of them. They did not accept anything of the wealth from us.

My master returned to the Merchant, and I was with him with the wealth. We informed him of the story. He said to us: 'I already informed you of this. The wealth belongs to the youth who sold me the jewel; he is more entitled to it and has more right. Also, you must write a letter to him asking him to travel to me so that he may be my partner in my blessings.'

My master said to him: 'You promised me that you would let me know the reason that necessitated your brothers' aversion to you and their cutting you off, so that I may do in this what is mandatory upon me.' He said to him: 'I have a brother here in lineage, and he lives in one of the estates he owns adjacent to the city. When he collects its harvests, he summons his brothers and asks each one of them to take what he needs. Then he sells the rest and leaves its price in a chest. Whenever one of them needs something of the money, he takes from it and spends it on what he needs. If a man among their brothers comes to them, they magnify his matter and raise his status; he mixes with them as one of them. If he chooses to stay with them, he stays; if he chooses to return to his family, it is said to him: "Go and take from the money in the chest." He goes and takes what he needs from it.

It happened that a man from their brothers came to my brother and stayed with him for a few days. Then he mentioned to my brother that he desired wine accompanied by listening and singing. My brother said