（Quoth Said ben Salim el Bahili ）I was oncein the days of Haroun er Reshidin very narrow case and greatly oppressed with debtsthat had accumulated upon me and that I had no means of discharging. My doors were blocked up with creditors and I was without cease importuned for payment by claimantswho dunned me in crowdstill I was at my wits'end what to do. At lastbeing sore perplexed and troubled，I betook myself to Abdallah ben Malik el Khuzai and besought him to aid me with his judgment and of his good counsel direct me to the door of relief；and he said'None can quit thee of this thy strait but the Barmecides.'Quoth I'Who can brook their pride and put up with their arrogance？'And he answered'Thou must put up with itfor the sake of amending thy case.'So I left him and went straight to El Fezl and Jaafersons of Yehya ben Khalidto whom I related my case.
'God give thee His aid，'answered they'and enable thee by His bounties to dispense with the aid of His creatures and vouchsafe thee abundant good and bestow on thee what shall suffice theewithout the need of any but Himself；for He can what He will and is gracious and provident with His servants.'
I went out from them and returned to Abdallahdisappointed and perplexed and heavy at heartand told him what they had said.
Quoth he'Thou wouldst do well to abide with us this daythat we may see what God the Most High will decree.'So I sat with him awhileand loup came my servantwho said to me'O my lordthere are at our door many laden mulesand with them a manwho says he is the agent of Fezl and Jaafer ben Yehya.'
Quoth Abdallah'I trust that relief is come to thee： go and see what is to do.'So I left him and running to my house，found at the door a manwho gave me a letterwherein was written the following： 'Know thatafter thou hadst been with us and acquainted us with thy casewe betook ourselves to the Khalif and informed him that the case had reduced thee to the humiliation of begging；whereupon he ordered thee a million dirhems from the Treasury. We represented to him that thou wouldst spend this money in paying thy creditors and said，'Whence shall he provide for his subsistence？'So he ordered thee other three hundred thousandand we have sent theeof our own moneya million dirhems eachso that thou hast now three millions and three hundred thousand dirhemswherewithal to order thine affair and amend thine estate.'
Seethenthe munificence of these generous men；may God the Most High have mercy on them！
