It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that there was a Fisherman well stricken in years who had a wife and three children, and withal was of poor condition. Now it was his custom to cast his net every day four times, and no more. On a day he went forth about noontide to the sea shore, where he laid down his basket; and, tucking up his shirt and plunging into the water, made a cast with his net and waited till it settled to the bottom. Then he gathered the cords together and haled away at it, but found it weighty; and however much he drew it landwards, he could not pull it up; so he carried the ends ashore and drove a stake into the ground and made the net fast to it. Then he stripped and dived into the water all about the net, and left not off working hard until he had brought it up. He rejoiced thereat and, donning his clothes, went to the net, when he found in it a dead jackass which had torn the meshes. Now when he saw it, he exclaimed in his grief, "There is no Majesty, and there is no Might save in Allah the Glorious, the Great!" Then quoth he, "This is a strange manner of daily bread;" and he began reciting in extempore verse:— O toiler through the glooms of night in peril and in pain ✿ Thy toiling stint for daily bread comes not by might and main! Seest thou not the fisher seek afloat upon the sea ✿ His bread, while glimmer stars of night as set in tangled skein. Anon he plungeth in despite the buffet of the waves ✿ The while to sight the bellying net his eager glances strain; Till joying at the night's success, a fish he bringeth home ✿ Whose gullet by the hook of Fate was caught and cut in twain. When buys that fish of him a man who spent the hours of night ✿ Reckless of cold and wet and gloom in ease and comfort fain, Laud to the Lord who gives to this, to that denies his wishes ✿ And dooms one toil and catch the prey and other eat the fishes.[60] Then quoth he, "Up and to it; I am sure of His beneficence, Inshallah!" So he continued:— When thou art seized of Evil Fate, assume ✿ The noble soul's long-suffering: 'tis thy best: Complain not to the creature; this be 'plaint ✿ From one most Ruthful to the ruthlessest. The Fisherman, when he had looked at the dead ass, got it free of the toils and wrung out and spread his net; then he plunged into the sea, saying, "In Allah's name!" and made a cast and pulled at it, but it grew heavy and settled down more firmly than the first time. Now he thought that there were fish in it, and he made it fast, and doffing his clothes went into the water, and dived and haled until he drew it up upon dry land. Then found he in it a large earthen pitcher which was full of sand and mud; and seeing this he was greatly troubled and began repeating these verses[61]:—