And nowwith thy leaveI will show theefor thy diversion，something of what I can do.'Do what thou wilt，'answered Er Reshid'that we may see.'I hear and obey，'said Abou Mohammed and moving his lipsbeckoned to the battlements of the palace，whereupon they inclined to him；then he made another sign to themand they returned to their place. Then he made a sign with his eyeand there appeared before him cabinets with closed doorsto which he spokeand lothe voices of birds answered him [from within]. The Khalif marvelled exceedingly at this and said to him'How camest thou by all thisseeing that thou art only known as Abou Mohammed the Lazyand they tell me that thy father was a barber-surgeonserving in a public bathand left thee nothing？'O Commander of the Faithful，'answered he，'listen to my storyfor it is an extraordinary one and its particulars are wonderful；were it graven with needles upon the corners of the eyeit would serve as a lesson to him who can profit by admonition.'Let us hear it，'said the Khalif.
'Know thenO Commander of the Faithful，'replied Abou Mohammed，'（may God prolong to thee glory and dominion，）that the report of the folkthat I am known as the Lazy and that my father left me nothingis true；for he wasas thou hast saidbut a barber-surgeon in a bath. In my youth I was the laziest wight on the face of the earth；indeedso great was my sluggishness that，if I lay asleep in the sultry season and the sun came round upon meI was too lazy to rise and remove from the sun to the shade；
and thus I abode till I reached my fifteenth yearwhen my father was admitted to the mercy of God the Most High and left me nothing. Howevermy mother used to go out to service and feed me and give me to drinkwhilst I lay on my side.
One dayshe came in to mewith five silver dirhemsand said to me'O my sonI hear that the Sheikh Aboul Muzeffer is about to go a voyage to China.'（Now this Sheikh was a good and charitable man and loved the poor.）'So comelet us carry him these five dirhems and beg him to buy thee therewith somewhat from the land of Chinaso haply thou mayst make a profit of itby the bounty of God the Most High！'I was too lazy to move；but she swore by Allah thatexcept I rose and went with hershe would neither bring me meat nor drink nor come in to mebut would leave me to die of hunger and thirst. When I heard thisO Commander of the FaithfulI knew she would do as she said；so I said to her，'Help me to sit up.'She did soand I wept the while and said to her'Bring me my shoes.'Accordinglyshe brought them and I said'Put them on my feet.'She put them on my feet and I said，'Lift me up.'So she lifted me up and I said'Support methat I may walk.'So she supported me and I went along thusstill stumbling in my skirtstill we came to the river-bankwhere we saluted the Sheikh and I said to him'O uncleart thou Aboul Muzeffer？'At thy service，'answered heand I said'Take these dirhems and buy me somewhat from the land of China： haplyGod may vouchsafe me a profit of it.'Quoth the Sheikh to his companions'Do ye know this youth？'Yes，'replied they；'he is known as Abou Mohammed the Lazyand we never saw him stir from his house till now.'Then said he to me'O my songive me the dirhems and the blessing of God the Most High go with them！'So he took the moneysaying'In the name of God！'and I returned home with my mother.