There lived once in Baghdad a very wealthy manwho lost all his substance and became so poorthat he could only earn his living by excessive labour. One nighthe lay down to sleep，dejected and sick at heartand saw in a dream one who said to him'Thy fortune is at Cairo；go thither and seek it.' So he set out for Cairo；butwhen he arrived therenight overtook him and he lay down to sleep in a mosque. Presentlyas fate would have ita company of thieves entered the mosque and made their way thence into an adjoining house；but the people of the housebeing aroused by the noiseawoke and cried out；whereupon the chief of the police came to their aid with his officers. The robbers made off；but the police entered the mosque and finding the man from Baghdad asleep therelaid hold of him and beat him with palm rodstill he was well-nigh dead.
Then they cast him into prisonwhere he abode three days，after which the chief of the police sent for him and said to him'Whence art thou？'From Baghdad，' answered he. 'And what brought thee to Cairo？' asked the magistrate. Quoth the Baghdadi'I saw in a dream one who said to me'Thy fortune is at Cairo；go thither to it.' But when I came hitherthe fortune that he promised me proved to be the beating I had of thee.'
The chief of the police laughedtill he showed his jaw-teeth，and said'O man of little witthrice have I seen in a dream one who said to me'There is in Baghdad a house of such a fashion and situate so-and-soin the garden whereof is a fountain and thereunder a great sum of money buried. Go thither and take it.' Yet I went not；but thouof thy little withast journeyed from place to placeon the faith of a dreamwhich was but an illusion of sleep.' Then he gave him moneysaying，'This is to help thee back to thy native land.' Now the house he had described was the man's own house in Baghdad；so the latter returned thitherand digging underneath the fountain in his gardendiscovered a great treasure；and [thus] God gave him abundant fortune.
