with a resolution to ruin him. With this intent he went to the new convent of dervishes, of which his former neighbor was the head, who received him with all imaginable tokens of friendship. The envious man told him that he was come to communicate a business of importance, which he could not do but in private; “and that nobody may hear us,” he said, “let us take a walk in your court; and seeing night begins to draw on, command your dervishes to retire to their cells.” The chief of the dervishes did as he was requested.
When the envious man saw that he was alone with the good man, he began to tell him a pretended errand, walking side by side in the court, till he saw his opportunity; and getting the good man near the brink of the well, he gave him a thrust, and pushed him into it.
Now the old well was inhabited by peris and genii, which happened luckily for the head of the convent; for they received and supported him, and carried him to the bottom, so that he got no hurt. He perceived that there was something extraordinary in his fall, which must otherwise have cost him his life; but he neither saw nor felt anything. He presently heard a voice, however, which said, “Do you know what honest man this is, to whom we have done this piece of service?” Another voice answered, “No.” To which the first replied, “Then I will tell you. This man, out of charity, left the town he lived in, and established himself in this place, in hopes to cure one of his neighbors of the envy he had con-
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