"Chirine answered: 'Put this question to the fisherman, "Is this a fresh-water or a
salt-water fish?"
"'If he answers, "It is a fresh-water fish," say, "I want a salt-water one," and the
contrary. Then he will go away and you will be released from your foolish
promise.'"
"Khrosrou, who by love of Chirine could not help hearing her advice and
following it, put the question to the fisherman. But the latter, suspecting a trap,
said, 'It is both.' King Khrosrou began to laugh, and gave him 4,000 dirhems in
addition.
"The fisherman, having received his 8,000 dirhems, put them in a sack and went
away. On the journey, a dirhem fell to the ground, and the fisherman, lowering
his sack, began to search for the dirhem that had fallen. When he found it, he
placed it with the others and took up his march again.
"Khrosrou and Chirine had both been witnesses of his action. Chirine said to
Khrosrou: 'Behold the baseness and the lack of judgment of the fisherman. He
wearied himself to hunt for one dirhem when he had a sack full of them. Recall
him and do him shame.'
"Khrosrou, who from his love for Chirine was incapable of resisting her words,
and always obeyed them, recalled the fisherman and said to him: 'Of a truth, you
have a low soul, and possess neither judgment nor dignity. What! One of your
8,000 dirhems was lost and you deferred your journey until you had found it?
That shows the baseness of your soul and your lack of judgment.'
"The fisherman made obeisance and answered: 'May the prosperity of the king
of the world increase! I sought not the dirhem on account of its money value, but
only on account of the greatness and importance of the words engraved upon the
coin. On one of its sides is written the name of God most high. On the other side
is written the name of the King. Had I not found the dirhem, and had left it on
the ground, then people passing would have trodden upon it, and the two names
inscribed upon it, and which ought to be glorified by all men, would have been
despised and disgraced, and I would have been the accomplice of all the passers-
by who trod upon it. That is why I took the trouble to find the dirhem.'
"Khrosrou was pleased with this answer and gave him still another 4,000
dirhems. The fisherman, filled with joy, took his 12,000 dirhems and returned to