The Fourteenth Night of the Month.
When the vizier returned to the king, the latter sought of him the story of the man whose caution slew him and be said, “Know, O august king, that
STORY OF THE MAN WHOSE CAUTION WAS THE CAUSE OF HIS DEATH.
There was once a man who was exceeding cautious over himself, and he set out one day on a journey to a land abounding in wild beasts. The caravan wherein he was came by night to the gate of a city; but the warders refused to open to them; so they passed the night without the city, and there were lions there. The man aforesaid, of the excess of his caution, could not fix upon a place wherein he should pass the night, for fear of the wild beasts and reptiles; so he went about seeking an empty place wherein he might lie.
Now there was a ruined building hard by and he climbed up on to a high wall and gave not over clambering hither and thither, of the excess of his carefulness, till his feet betrayed him and he slipped [and fell] to the bottom and died, whilst his companions arose in the morning in health [and weal]. Now, if he had overmastered his corrupt[1] judgment and submitted himself
- ↑ Or froward.
