Freest am I of all mankind fro' meddling wight * Who, seeing others err, self error ne'er can sight: Riches and talents are but loans to creature lent, * Each wears the cloak of that he bears in breast and sprite: If by mistaken door attempt on aught thou make, * Thou shalt go wrong and if the door be right, go right!' Continued the maiden, 'As for anecdotes of devotees, quoth Hisham bin Bashar, 'I asked Omar bin Ubayd, What is true piety?'; and he answered, 'The Apostle of Allah (to whom be salutation and salvation!) hath explained it when he sayeth, The pious is he who forgetteth not the grave nor calamity and who preferreth that which endureth to that which passeth away; who counteth not the morrow as of his days but reckoneth himself among the dead.' And it is related that Abu Zarr[FN#339] used to say, Want is dearer to me than wealth, and unheal is dearer to me than health.' Quoth one of the listeners, 'May Allah have mercy on Abu Zarr!'. For my part, I say, 'Whoso putteth his trust in the goodness of the election of Almighty Allah should be content with that condition which Allah hath chosen for him.' Quoth one of the Companions of the Prophet, 'Ibn Abi Aufa[FN#340] once prayed with us the dawn-prayer. When he had done, he recited, 'O Thou Enwrapped!'[FN#341] till he came to where Allah saith, 'When there shall be a trumping on the trumpet,' and fell down dead. It is said that Sabit al-Banani wept till he well-nigh lost his eyes. They brought him a man to medicine him who said to him, 'I will cure thee, provided thou obey my bidding' Asked Sabit, 'In what matter?' Quoth the leach, 'In that thou leave weeping!' 'What is the worth of mine eyes?', rejoined Sabit, 'if they do not weep?' Quoth a man to Mohammed bin Abdillah, 'Exhort thou me!'"—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. When it was the Eighty-first Night,