found that the owner was dead, having been torn to pieces by wolves: so I entered the orchard and saw the fruit shining upon the trees." The wolf doubted not the fox's report and his gluttony gat hold of him; so he arose and repaired to the cleft, for that greed blinded him; whilst the fox falling behind him lay as one dead, quoting to the case the following couplet:—
For Layla's[1] favour dost thou greed? But, bear in mind * Greed is a yoke of harmful weight on neck of man.</poem>
And when the wolf had reached the breach the fox said, "Enter the vineyard: thou art spared the trouble of climbing a ladder, for the garden-wall is broken down, and with Allah it resteth to fulfil the benefit." So the wolf went on walking and thought to enter the vineyard; but when he came to the middle of the pit-covering he fell through; whereupon the fox shook for joy and gladness; his care and concern left him and he sang out for delight and improvised these couplets:—
Fortune had mercy on the soul of me, * And for my torments now shows clemency,
Granting whatever gift my heart desired, * And far removing what I feared to see:
I will, good sooth, excuse her all her sins * She sinned in days gone by and much sinned she:
Yea, her injustice she hath shown in this, * She whitened locks that were so black of blee:
But now for this same wolf escape there's none, * Of death and doom he hath full certainty.
Then all the vineyard comes beneath my rule, * I'll brook no partner who's so fond a fool.
Then the fox looked into the cleft and, seeing the wolf weeping in repentance and sorrow for himself, wept with him; whereupon the wolf raised his head to him and asked, "Is it of pity for me thou weepest, O Father of the Fortlet[2]?" Answered the fox, "No, by Him who cast thee into this pit! I weep for the length of thy past life and for regret that thou didst not fall into the pit before this
