their backs in the chauk by a Jew; he is beating them with a whip, and laughs and says, ’If you do not pay my money, I will beat you even unto the death [and if I lose my money by the act], it will be at least a meritorious deed on my part.’  Such is your brother’s treatment, and you are indifferent; is this right? and what will the world say?’ On hearing these circumstances from the slave, my blood glowed [288] [with fraternal warmth]; I ran towards the chauk with naked feet, and told my slaves to hasten with money.  The instant I arrived there, I saw that all that the slave had said was true; blows continued to fall on my brothers.  I exclaimed to the magistrate’s guards, for God’s sake forbear awhile; let me ask the Jew what great fault [my brothers] have committed, in retaliation for which, he so severely punishes them.

“On saying this, I went up to the Jew and said, to-day is the sabbath day; [289] why dost thou continue to inflict stripes on them?  The Jew replied, ’If you wish to take their part, do it fully, and pay me the money in their stead; or else take the road to your house.’  I said, ’what is the amount? produce the bond, and I will count thee out the money.’  He replied, ’that he had just given the bond to the magistrate.’  At this moment, my slaves brought two bags of money.  I gave a thousand pieces of silver to the Jew, and released my brothers.  Such was their condition, naked, hungry, and thirsty, I brought them with me to my own house, and caused them instantly to be bathed in the bath, and dressed in new clothes, and gave them a hearty meal.  I never asked them what they had done with our father’s great wealth, lest they might feel ashamed.

“O king, they are both present; ask them if I tell truth, or falsify any of the circumstances.  Well, after some space of time, when they had recovered from the bruises of the beating [they had suffered], I said to them one day, ’O brothers, you have now lost your credit in this city, and it is better you should travel for some days.’  On hearing this, they were both silent; but I perceived they were satisfied [with my proposal].  I began to make preparations for their journey, and having procured tents and all necessary conveyance, I purchased for them merchandise to the amount of 20,000 rupees.  A kafila [290] of merchants was going to Bukhara; [291] I sent them along with it.

“After a year, that caravan returned, but I heard no tidings of my brothers; at last, putting a friend on his oath, I asked him [what had become of them].  He replied, ’When they went to Bukhara, one of them lost all his property at the gambling house, and is now a sweeper at the same house, and keeps clean and plastered the place of gambling, and waits on the gamblers who assemble there; they, by way of charity, give him something, and he remains there as a scullion.  The other brother became enamoured of a boza-vendor’s [292] daughter, and squandered all his property [on her], and now he is one of the waiters at the boze-khana. [293] The people of the kafila do not mention these circumstances to you for this reason, that you would become ashamed [at hearing them].