There lived once in Baghdad a very wealthy man, who lost all his substance and became so poor, that he could only earn his living by excessive labour. One night, he lay down to sleep, dejected and sick at heart, and saw in a dream one who said to him, ‘Thy fortune is at Cairo; … Read more
A king had two sons. The first helped the people by working for them in a manner they understood. The second was called ‘Lazy’ because he was a dreamer, as far as anyone could see. The first son gained great honours in his land. The second obtained from a humble carpenter a wooden horse and … Read more
There was a very ancient fisherman, so poor that he could scarcely earn enough to maintain himself, his wife, and his three children. He went every day to fish betimes in the morning, and imposed it as a law upon himself not to cast his nets more than four times a day. He went one … Read more
Once, there lived a poor tailor, who had a son called Aladdin, a careless boy who would play all day long. One day, when Aladdin was playing, an old man came up to him, and said “Are you Aladdin? I can see you look very much like your father. You don’t know me, but I … Read more
In a town in Persia there dwelt two brothers, one named Cassim, the other Ali Baba. Cassim was married to a rich wife and lived in plenty, while Ali Baba had to maintain his wife and children by cutting wood in a neighbouring forest and selling it in the town. One day, when Ali Baba … Read more