The Wicked and The Honest
In the city of Alexandria lived two friends, Abu Kir and Abu Sir. Abu Kir was a dyer. People of the town brought their clothes to him asked him to color them. Abu Sir was a barber. Also, he worked in a bath. The bath was founded by a rich man. It had a nice pool. There were several servants who massaged with oil those who came there for bathing, on the payment of a certain fee. Abu Kir was lazy and dishonest. Many a time he sold the clothes which his customers gave him for dying. The customers reported this practice to the governor of the city. When Abu Kir understood that he was in danger of being punished, he planned to flee the city. He went to Abu Sir and told him, "My friend, you are a gifted barber. I have heard that the people of your trade prosper well in lands beyond the sea. Let us leave the wretched city in search of fortune."
Abu Sir was soon influenced by Abu Kir. Both boarded a ship that was on its way to a distant land with over a hundred passengers. The voyage was to take a long time. Abu Sir offered to shave the passengers. The passengers as well as the crew were very happy to have a barber among them. For his labor, Abu Sir was given plenty of food. The two friends had agreed on a condition: Whatever one of them earned, the other would have a share in it. Abu Sir shared his food with Abu Kir who did nothing except eating the lion's share of the food and sleeping for the rest of the time. Abu Sir, however, did not mind that. After a month the ship touched a harbor near a prosperous city. Abu Kir and Abu Sir alighted there and hired a small lodge. There too, Abu Kir passed his time sleeping or dozing. But Abu Sir went out every day in the morning, worked as a barber under the roadside trees, and bought food with the money he received. Back at the lodge, it was he who cooked. Then he woke up Abu Kir and both ate. A month passed. Abu Sir took ill and could not go to work. Pang of hunger obliged Abu Kir to go out into the city. He soon saw a dyer's shop. But he was surprised to see that all the clothes were dyed only in blue. "Why don't you use any other color?" he asked the dyer. The dyer looked at him vacantly. In a short time, Abu Kir understood that the dyers of the city knew no color but blue.
He marched to the Sultan's palace, met the Sultan and said, "My lord, I come from the famous city of Alexandria I was the most prominent dyer in the city and I used to dye the clothes of my customers in a variety of colors like green, blue, red, yellow and orange. But here the dyers have never heard of such colors. If you patronize me, I can set up a shop and dye the royal apparels in gorgeous hues!". The Sultan grew curious. He gave him a large house, a number of slaves to serve him, and enough money to buy things he needed. Abu Kir went back to his lodge. Abu Sir was lying unconscious due to a high fever. Abu Kir quietly removed his own things and also whatever money Abu Sir had in his purse. Then he locked the lodge and went to live in his new house. He bought from the market the seeds, fruits, roots, oil, and all other things with which to prepare different colors. He then dyed the first batch of the Sultan's clothes and spread them before his shop. Hundreds of citizens collected to see the marvelous display. When the clothes were carried to the palace, the Sultan sprang up from his throne in joy. The Sultan provided him with more slaves and more money.