The Flea and the Mouse

Once upon a time a mouse dwelt in the house of a merchant who owned much merchandise and great stories of monies.  One night, a flea took shelter in the merchant’s carpet-bed and, finding his body soft, and being thirsty drank of his blood.  The merchant was awakened by the smart of the bite and sitting up called to his slave-girls and serving men.  So they hastened to him and, tucking up their sleeves, fell to searching for the flea; but as soon as the bloodsucker was aware of the search, he turned to flee and coming on the mouse’s home, entered it.  When the mouse saw him, she said to him, “What bringeth thee in to me, thou who art not of my nature nor of my kind, and who canst not be assured of safety from violence or of not being expelled with roughness and ill usage?” Answered the flea, “Of a truth, I took refuge in thy dwelling to save me from slaughter; and I have come to thee seeking thy protection and on nowise coveting thy house; nor shall any mischief betide thee from me to make thee leave thy home.  Nay I hope right soon to repay thy favours to me with all good and then shalt thou see and praise the issue of my words.”  And when the mouse heard the speech of the flea, — And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

       When it was the One Hundred and Fifty-first Night

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the mouse heard the words of the flea, she said, “If the case be as thou dost relate and describe, then be at thine ease here; for naught shall befal thee save the rain of peace and safety; nor shall aught betide thee but what shall joy thee and shall not annoy thee, nor shall it annoy me.  I will lavish on thee my affections without stint; and do not thou regret having lost the merchant’s blood nor lament for thy subsistence from him, but be content with what sustenance thou canst obtain; for indeed that is the safer for thee.  And I have heard, O flea, that one of the gnomic poets saith as follows in these couplets,

’I have fared content in my solitude *
     With wate’er befel, and led life of ease,
On a water-draught and a bite of bread, *
     Coarse salt and a gown of tattered frieze: 
Allah might, an He pleased, give me easiest life, *
     But with whatso pleaseth Him self I please.’”

Now when the flea heard these words of the mouse, he rejoined, “I hearken to thy charge and I submit myself to obey thee, nor have I power to gainsay thee, till life be fulfilled in this righteous intention.”  Replied the mouse, “Pure intention sufficeth to sincere affection.”  So the tie of love arose and was knitted between them twain, and after this, the flea used to visit the merchant’s bed by night and not exceed in his diet, and house him by day in the hole of the mouse.  Now it came to pass one night, the merchant brought home