COGTA HASSAN ALHABBAL. 393

I had just sustained of my turban and my money. I was
obliged to buy another, which was a further diminution of the
ten pieces of gold I had taken out of the purse. I had already
laid out part of it in buying hemp, and what remained was
by no means sufficient to realise the fine hopes I had con-
ceived.

Whilst the few pieces of gold which remained with me lasted,
we felt the benefit of it, but I soon returned to my former situa-
tion, as totally unable to lessen the misery of it as ever. I did
not, however, murmur. “Heaven,” said I, “has thought proper
to try me, by giving me wealth at the time I least expected it,
and has taken it from me almost at the same instant.’ My
wife, to whom I could not help communicating the loss I had
just met with, and the way in which it happened, was incon-
solable.

It was about six months after the kite had caused this mis-
fortune, when the two friends passed at a little distance from the
place in which I lived. This naturally brought me to the recol-
lection of Saad. He said to Saadi, “ We are not far from the
street in. which Hassan Alhabbal lives ; let us go there and see
if the two hundred pieces of goldthat you gave him have in any
degree contributed to put him in the way to be at least in a
better situation than that in which we found him.”

The two friends had already turned a corner, and entering the
street, found me at my usual work. Saad having saluted me,
said, “ Well, Hassan, we do not ask you how your affairs have
gone on since we saw you; the two hundred pieces of gold
must have contributed to make them much more prosperous.”
“Gentlemen,” replied I, addressing them both, “I am much
mortified at being obliged to inform you, that your expectations,
as well as mine, have not been attended with the success we
had reason to expect. You will hardly believe the extraordinary
circumstance which has happened to me. I assure you, never-
theless, on the word of a man of honour, that nothing is more
true than what you are going to hear.” I then told them
my adventure, with all the circumstances which I have just
related.

Saadi gave no credit to my story: “Hassan,” said he, “you
make a jest of us ; and you wish to deceive me. Kites do not
attack turbans, they are only in search of what will satisfy their