It Happened Once, That
One Of These Artists Painted An Ear Of Corn, With A Bird Perched Upon It,
And His Performance Was Very Much Admired.
This piece, stood exposed to
public view as usual, and one day a crooked fellow going past, found fault
with the picture, and was immediately conducted to the prince or governor,
who sent for the painter that he might hear his piece criticized.
Being
asked what fault he had to find, he answered, that every one knew that a
bird never settles on an ear of corn, but it must bend under the weight;
whereas this painter had represented the ear of corn bolt upright, though
loaded with a bird. The objection was held just, and the painter was
dismissed without reward. By such means, they excite their workmen to aim
at perfection, and to be exceedingly nice and circumspect in what they
undertake, and to apply their whole genius to any thing that has to go
through their hands.
There dwelt at Basra one Ebn Wahab, of the tribe of Koreish, descended from
Hebar, the son of Al Asud, who quitted Basra when it was sacked, and came
to Siraff, where he saw a ship preparing to sail for China[3]. The humour
took him to embark in this ship for China, and he had the curiosity to
visit the emperor's court. Leaving Canfu, he went to Cumdan, after a
journey of two months, and remained a long while at the court, where he
presented several petitions to the emperor, setting forth, that he was of
the family of the prophet of the Arabs.
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