"He is gone who when to his gate thou go'st, * Fed thy famisht maw with his boiled and roast."
When he had ended his verse he said, "By Allah, there is no help but that I make trial of them all: perchance there be one amongst them who will stand me in the stead of all the rest." So he went the round of the ten, but not one of them would open his door to him or show himself or even break a bit of bread before him; whereupon he recited,
"Like a tree is he who in wealth doth wone, * And while fruits he the folk to his fruit shall run: But when bared the tree of what fruit it bare, * They leave it to suffer from dust and sun. Perdition to all of this age! I find * Ten rogues for every righteous one."
Then he returned to his slave-girl and his grief had grown more grievous and she said to hi
