The year after he came home my brother Saladin was born, who was
named Saladin the Lucky, because the day he was born a vessel freighted
with rich merchandise for my father arrived safely in port.
"I will not weary you with a relation of all the little instances of good
fortune by which my brother Saladin was distinguished, even during his
childhood. As he grew up, his success in everything he undertook was as
remarkable as my ill luck in all that I attempted. From the time the
rich vessel arrived, we lived in splendour; and the supposed prosperous
state of my father's affairs was of course attributed to the influence of
my brother Saladin's happy destiny.
"When Saladin was about twenty, my father was taken dangerously ill; and
as he felt that he should not recover, he sent for my brother to the side
of his bed, and, to his great surprise, informed him that the
magnificence in which we had lived had exhausted all his wealth; that his
affairs were in the greatest disorder; for, having trusted to the hope of
continual success, he had embarked in projects beyond his powers.
"The sequel was, he had nothing remaining to leave to his children but
two large china vases, remarkable for their beauty, but still more
valuable on account of certain verses inscribed upon them in an unknown
character, which were supposed to operate as a talisman or charm in
favour of their possessors.
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