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I brought thee into my nest and trusted myself to thee: but he speaks sooth who says, ‘He who relies on his enemy’s promise desireth not salvation for himself.’ And again, ‘Whoso trusts himself to his enemy merits his own destruction.’ Yet do I put my trust in my Creator, for He will deliver me from thee.” The cat was about to pounce on him and devour him, when up came a huntsman, with hunting dogs trained to the chase. One of the dogs passed by the mouth of the nest and hearing a great scuffling within, thought there was a fox there, tearing somewhat; so he thrust into the hole, to get at him, and coming upon the cat, seized on her. When she found herself in the dog’s clutches, she was forced to take thought to herself and loosed the mouse alive and whole of wound. Then the dog broke her neck and dragging her forth of the hole, threw her down dead: and thus was exemplified the truth of the saying, “He who hath compassion, compassion shall be shown him at the last; and he who oppresseth shall presently be oppressed.”
This, then, O king,’ added the interpreter, ‘is what befell the cat and the mouse and teaches that none should break faith with those who put trust in him; for whoso doth perfidy and treason, there shall befall him the like of that which befell the cat. As a man meteth, so shall it be meted unto him, and he who betaketh himself unto good shall gain his reward [in the world to come]. But grieve thou not, neither let this trouble thee, O king, for that most like thy son, after his tyranny and oppression, will return to the goodliness of thy policy. And I would that learned man, thy Vizier Shimas, had concealed from thee nought in that which he expounded unto thee; and this had been well-advised of him, for it is said, “Those of the folk who most abound in fear are the amplest of them in knowledge and the most emulous of good.”’
The king received the interpreter’s speech with sub-
