9- Abou Neeut and Abou Neeuteen

The Story of Abou Neeut and Abou Neeuteen; or, the Well-Intentioned and the Double-Minded.

A person named Abou Neeut, or the well-intentioned, being much
distressed in his own country, resolved to seek a better
livelihood in another. Accordingly he took with him all he
possessed, being only one single sherif, and began his journey.
He had not travelled far when there overtook him a man, who
entertained him with his conversation; in the course of which it
appeared that his name was Abou Neeuteen, or double-minded. Being
upon the same scheme, they agreed to seek their fortunes
together, and it was settled that Abou Neeut should be the purse-
bearer of the common stock. The other possessed ten sherifs.

After some days of toilsome journey they reached a city; on
entering which, a beggar accosted them, crying out, "Worthy
believers, disburse your alms and ye shall be rewarded ten-fold."
Upon this, Abou Neeut gave him a sherif; when his companion,
enraged at what he thought prodigality, demanded back his money,
which was given him, and he marched off leaving his new friend
without any thing. Abou Neeut, resigned to his fate, and relying
on Providence, proceeded to a mosque to pay his devotions, hoping
to meet some charitable person who would relieve his necessities;
but he was mistaken. For a night and day he remained in the
mosque, but no one offered him charity. Pressed by hunger, he in
the dusk of evening stole out, and wandered with fainting steps
through the streets. At length perceiving a servant throwing the
fragments from an eating cloth, he advanced, and gathering them
up, sat down in a corner, and gnawed the bones and half-eaten
morsels with eagerness; after which, lifting up his eyes towards
heaven, he thanked God for his scanty meal. The servant, who had
observed his motions, was surprised and affected at his wretched
condition and devotion, of which he informed his master; who,
being a charitable man, took from his purse ten sherifs, which he
ordered the servant to give to Abou Neeut.

The servant, through avarice, having retained one sherif as a
perquisite, delivered the rest to Abou Neeut; who, having counted
the money, thanked God for his bounty; but said, agreeably to the
scriptural declaration he ought to have had ten-fold for the
sherif he had given to the beggar. The master of the servant
overhearing this, called Abou Neeut up stairs; and having seated
him, inquired his story, which he faithfully related to his host,
who was a capital merchant, and was so much pleased at his pious
simplicity, that he resolved to befriend him, and desired him to
abide for the present in his house.

Abou Neeut had resided some days with his friendly host, when the