Volume Seven-第55章

Once upon a time I entered a vineyard to eat of its grapes；and，whilst so doing behold，I saw a falcon stoop upon a partridge and seize him；but the partridge escaped from the seizer and，entering his nest，hid himself there. The falcon followed apace and called out to him，saying，'O imbecile，I saw thee anhungered in the wold and took pity on thee；so I picked up for thee some grain and took hold of thee that thou mightest eat；but thou fleddest from me；and I wot not the cause of thy flight，except it were to put upon me a slight. Come out，then，and take the grain I have brought thee to eat and much good may it do thee，and with thy health agree.'When the partridge heard these words，he believed and came out to him，whereupon the falcon struck his talons into him and seized him. Cried the partridge，'Is this that which thou toldest me thou hadst brought me from the wold，and whereof thou badest me eat，saying，'Much good may it do thee，and with thy health agree？' Thou hast lied to me，and may Allah cause what thou eatest of my flesh to be a killing poison in thy maw！'So when the falcon had eaten the partridge，his feathers fell off and his strength failed and he died on the spot. 'Know，then，O wolf！'（pursued the fox），'that he who diggeth for his brother a pit himself soon falleth into it，and thou first deceivedst me in mode unfit.'Quoth the wolf，'Spare me this discourse nor saws and tales enforce，and remind me not of my former ill course，for sufficeth me the sorry plight I endure perforce，seeing that I am fallen into a place，in which even my foe would pity me，much more a true friend. Rather find some trick to deliver me and be thou thereby my saviour. If this cause thee trouble，remember that a true friend will undertake the sorest travail for his true friend's sake and will risk his life to deliver him from evil；and indeed it hath been said，'A leal friend is better than a real brother.' So if thou stir thyself to save me and I be saved，I will forsure gather thee such store as shall be a provision for thee against want however sore；and truly I will teach thee rare tricks whereby to open whatso bounteous vineyards thou please and strip the fruitladen trees.'Rejoined the fox，laughing，'How excellent is what the learned say of him who aboundeth in ignorance like unto thee！'