Story 15-the Excellence of Contentment- gulistaan-e-sa.adii

Hatim Tai, having been asked whether he had seen in the world anyone of more exalted sentiments than himself, replied: 'Yes, one day I slaughtered forty camels to entertain Arab amirs. I had occasion to go out on some business into a corner of the desert, where I noticed a gatherer of briars, who had accumulated a hillock of thistles, and I asked him why he had not become a guest of Hatim since many people had come round to his banquet but he replied:

Who eats bread by the work of his own hand

Will not bear to be obliged to Hatim Tai.

Then I saw that his sentiments were more exalted than mine.'

Hatim Tai, having been asked whether he had seen in the world anyone of more exalted sentiments than himself, replied: 'Yes, one day I slaughtered forty camels to entertain Arab amirs. I had occasion to go out on some business into a corner of the desert, where I noticed a gatherer of briars, who had accumulated a hillock of thistles, and I asked him why he had not become a guest of Hatim since many people had come round to his banquet but he replied:

Who eats bread by the work of his own hand

Will not bear to be obliged to Hatim Tai.

Then I saw that his sentiments were more exalted than mine.'