“Naufal called the old wood-cutter near him, and said, ’Tell the truth; what is the real state of the matter; who has seized and brought Hatim here?’ The honest fellow related truly all that had occurred from beginning to end, and added, ’Hatim is come here of his own accord for my sake.’ Naufal, on hearing this manly act of Hatim’s, was greatly astonished, and exclaimed, ’How surprising is thy liberality! even thy life thou hast not feared to risk [for the good of others]!’ With regard to all those who laid false claims to having seized Hatim, the king ordered them to have their hands tied behind their backs, and instead of five hundred pieces of gold, to receive each five hundred strokes of a slipper on their heads, so that their lives might perish [under the punishment].  Instantly, the strokes of the slippers began to be laid on in such a style, that in a short time their heads became quite bald.  True it is, that to tell an untruth is such a guilt, that no other guilt equals it; may God keep every one free from this calamity, and not give him a propensity for telling lies; many people persevere in uttering falsehoods, but at the moment of detection they meet with their dessert.

“In short, Naufal having rewarded all of them according to their desserts, thought it contrary to gentlemanly conduct and manliness of character to harbour enmity and strife towards a man like Hatim, from whom multitudes received happiness, and who, for the sake of the necessitous, did not even spare his own life, and was entirely devoted to the ways of God.  He instantly seized Hatim’s hand with great cordiality and friendship, and said to him, ’Why should it not be the case? [200] such a man as you are can perform such an action.’  Then the king, with great respect and attention, made Hatim sit down near him, and he instantly restored to him the lands and property, and the wealth and moveables, he had confiscated; and bestowed on him anew the chieftainship of the tribe of Ta,i, and ordered the five hundred pieces of gold to be given to the old man from the treasury, who, blessing [the king], went away.”

When I had heard the whole of this adventure of Hatim’s, a spirit of rivalry came into my mind; and this idea occurred to me, viz., “Hatim was the only chief of his own tribe [of Arabs].  He, by one act of liberality has gained such renown, that to this day it is celebrated; whilst I am, by the decree of God, the king of all Iran; and it would be a pity if I were to remain excluded from this good fortune.  It is certain that in this world no quality is greater than generosity and liberality; for whatever a man bestows in this world, he receives its return in the next.  If any one sows a single seed, then how much does he reap from its produce!  With these ideas impressed upon my mind, I called for the lord of the buildings, and ordered him to erect, as speedily as possible, a grand palace without the city, with forty high and wide gates. [201] In a short time, even such a grand palace as my heart wished for, was built and got ready, and in that place every day at all times, from morning till night, I used to bestow pieces of silver and gold on the poor and helpless; whoever asked for anything in charity, I granted it to the utmost of his desire.