THE ANGEL OF DEATH AND THE RICH KING.
A certain King had heaped up coin beyond count and gathered store
of all precious things, which Allah the Most Highest hath
created. So, in order that he might take his pleasure whenas he
should find leisure to enjoy all this abounding wealth he had
collected, he built him a palace wide and lofty such as befitteth
and beseemeth Kings; and set thereto strong doors and appointed,
for its service and its guard, servants and soldiers and
doorkeepers to watch and ward. One day, he bade the cooks dress
him somewhat of the goodliest of food and assembled his household
and retainers and boon-companions and servants to eat with him,
and partake of his bounty. Then he sat down upon the sofa of his
kingship and dominion; and, propping his elbow upon the cushion,
addressed himself, saying, "O soul, thou hast gathered together
all the wealth of the world; so now take thy leisure therein and
eat of this good at thine ease, in long life and prosperity ever
rife!"--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying
her permitted say.
When it was the Four Hundred and Sixty-third Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that hardly had
the King made an end of saying to himself, "Eat of this weal at
thine ease, in long life and prosperity ever rife!" when a man
clad in tattered raiment, with an asker's wallet hanging at his
neck, as he were one who came to beg food, knocked with the
door-ring a knock so loud and terrible that the whole palace
shook as with quake of earth and the King's throne trembled. The
servants were affrighted and rushed to the door, and when they
saw the man who had knocked they cried out at him, saying, "Woe
to thee! what manner of unmannerly fashion be this? Wait till the
King eateth and we will then give thee of what is left." Quoth
he, "Tell your lord to come out and speak with me, for I have of
him a pressing need and a matter to heed." They cried, "Away,
fool! who art thou that we should bid our lord come forth to
thee?" But he said, "Tell him of this." So they went in and told
the King, who said, "Did ye not rebuke him and draw upon him and
threaten him!" Now as he spoke, behold, there came another knock
at the gate, louder than the first knock, whereupon the servants
sprang at the stranger with staves and weapons, to fall upon him
and slay him; but he shouted at them, saying, "Bide in your
steads, for I am the Angel of Death." Hereat their hearts quaked
and their wits forsook them; their understandings were in
confusion, their side-muscles quivered in perturbation and their
limbs lost the power of motion. Then said the King to them, "Tell
him to take a substitute[FN#456] in my place and one to relieve
me in this case." But the Angel answered, saying, "I will take no
substitute, and I come not but on thine account, to cause
separation between thee and the goods thou hast gathered together
and the riches thou hast heaped up and entreasured." When the
King heard this, he wept and groaned, saying, "Allah curse the
treasure which hath deluded and undone me and diverted me from
the service of my Lord! I deemed it would profit me, but to-day
it is a regret for me and a calamity to me, and behold, I go
forth, empty-handed of it, and leave it to my foes." Thereupon
Allah caused the Treasure to speak out and it said, "Wherefore
cursest thou me?[FN#457] Curse thyself, for Allah created both me
and eke thyself of the dust and appointed me to be in thine hand,
that thou mightest provide thee with me a viaticum for the next
world and give alms with me to the poor and the needy and the
sick; and build mosques and hospices and bridges and aqueducts,
so might I be an aidance unto thee in the world to come. But thou
didst garner me and hoard me up and on thine own vanities
bestowedst me, neither gavest thou thanks for me, as was due, but
wast ungrateful to me; and now thou must leave me to thy foes and
thou hast naught save thy regretting and thy repenting. But what
is my sin, that thou shouldest revile me?" Then the Angel of
Death took the King's soul as he sat on his throne before he ate
of the food, and he fell down dead. Quoth Allah Almighty, "While
they were rejoicing for that which had been given them, we
suddenly laid hold on them; and, behold, they were seized with
despair."[FN#458] And they tell another tale of
