Once upon a time a wealthy merchant known for his good deeds was taken ill and became weak hence decreasing his commercial activity and his profits. On his death bed he summoned his two only sons and told them: "I have not left you a lot of money but I want one of you to take the shop and the other to take this bag containing a hundred golden Dinars." The older son took the Dinars and the younger one accepted the shop. The father added:" Work is better than laziness and whoever fails let him search for luck and upon finding it let him not say No to it." The younger took over the shop and became rich in a few years. The older son spent the money his father gave him until he became penniless. One night he sneaked into his brother's house to steal some money and before opening the safe a ghost surprised him standing guard. The brother asked: "who are you and what do you want?" The ghost answered:" I am your brother's luck guarding his money." The brother asked:" but where is my luck then?" The ghost answered:" your luck is fast asleep go search for it and if you find it don't say No."

The older brother ran out of his younger brother's house and spent his night envying his brother for his luck and woke up determined to search for his own luck. He left the city to the desert and passing by an oasis found an old lion sleeping. He woke him up and asked:" Are you my luck?" The lion looked at him and could tell he was half-witted and answered:" No I am not your luck and I don't even know where my own luck is if you find out please tell me because I am old now." Walking away from the lion the young man soon came upon a farmer plowing his land. He walked up to him and asked him:" Are you my luck?" The farmer answered:" No brother I looked for my luck but never found it this is why I work hard all day. Should you find it please tell me." Walking away the young man saw a flock of pigeons flying over a dry pool he greeted them and asked:" Are you my luck?" "No we're not" they answered "and we are thirsty. Would you know anything about our luck?" He promised them to look and walked until he felt e hausted. He found a cave and walked in to take rest only to find a man sleeping. He woke him up and the latter offered him food and drink. After eating he said to the man:" I think you are my luck!" The man answered: " Your luck is in your way you will meet it and in the third time either you will kill it or it will kill you." The man asked him about the luck of the Lion and the pigeons and the farmer and he answered him. Thanking him he walked back the same route he came until he reached the dried up pool. When the pigeons saw him they flew in his direction and the queen landed on his shoulders. He told them:" you will have great luck if the queen becomes loyal to the king and stops betraying him." The queen promised to become loyal and then the rain came down and the pool was filled with water. In the pool there appeared a great city and the queen offered him to visit it and marry her daughter but he refused and said: "No."

He continued on his path until he reached the farmer who offered him food. He told him that his luck is buried in his land beneath a tree - as the wise man told him. They dug the place together and found a jar full of golden coins. The farmer offered to share the treasure with him and live in his home and marry his daughter but he refused and said: "No." Saying goodbye he continued walking until he reached the lion's den. He saluted the lion and told him:" The wise man told me that your luck lies in eating a stupid man." The Lion answered:" I don't think I can find anyone more stupid than you" and got up to attack him. At this moment the man's younger brother showed up and killed the lion with his sword. The two brothers hugged each other and the younger one offered his brother to share his business with him because that's where real luck lies and they lived happily ever after.

Rushdi al Ashhab, opular Stories from alestine, Jerusalem 1987.