In short, the necessitous entered [daily] through the forty gates, and received whatever they wanted.  It happened one day that a fakir came in from the front gate and begged some alms.  I gave him a gold piece; then the same person entered through the next gate, and asked two pieces of gold; though I recollected him [to be the same fakir], I passed over [the circumstance] and gave them.  In this manner he came in through each gate, and increased a piece of gold in his demand each time; and I knowingly appeared ignorant [of the circumstance], and continued supplying him according to his demand.  At last he entered by the fortieth gate, and asked forty pieces of gold—­this sum I likewise ordered to be given him.  After receiving so much, the fakir re-entered from the first gate and again begged alms:  his conduct appeared to me highly impudent, and I said, hear, O avaricious man, what kind of a fakir art thou, that dost not even know the meaning of the three letters which compose the word [Arabic:  faqr] fakr (poverty); a fakir ought to act up to them.  He replied, “Well, generous soul, explain them yourself.”  I answered, “[Arabic:  f] fe means faka (fasting); [Arabic:  q] kaf signifies kina’at (contentment); and [Arabic:  r] re means riyazat (devotion); [202] whoever has not these three qualities, is not a fakir.  All this which you have received, eat and drink with it, and when it is done, return to me, and receive whatever thou requirest.  This charity is bestowed on thee to relieve immediate wants and not for the purpose of accumulation.  O avidious! from the forty gates thou hast received from one piece of gold up to forty; add up the amount, and see by the rule of arithmetical progression how many pieces of gold it comes to; and even after all this, thy avarice hath brought thee back again through the first gate.  What wilt thou do after having accumulated so much money?  A [real] fakir ought only to think [of the wants] of the passing day; the following day the great Provider [of necessaries] will afford thee a new pittance.  Now evince some shame and modesty; have patience, and be content; what sort of mendicity is this that thy spiritual guide hath taught thee?”

On hearing these reproaches of mine, he became displeased and angry, and threw down on the ground all [the money] he had received from me, and said, “Enough, sir, do not be so warm; take back your gifts and keep them, and do not again pronounce the word generosity.  It is very difficult to be generous; you are not able to support the weight of generosity, when will you attain to that station? [203] you are as yet very far from it.  The word [Arabic:  sakhy] Sakhi (generous), is also composed of three letters; first act up to the meaning of those three letters, then you will be called generous.”  On hearing this I became uneasy, and said to the fakir, well, holy pilgrim, explain to me the meaning of those