once he bought a shabuta while he was in baghdad and he took it very very very high and he paid a high price for it and he had not eaten fish for a long time. he was from basra and could not be patient without it. he had become very proud of this fish because of its high price its fatness its size and his intense desire for it. when he thought to himself that he had been alone with it and had enjoyed its delicacies alone and had rolled up his sleeves and held out his strength it attacked him with the sidri. when he saw it he saw the red death and the sweeping plague and he saw the inevitable fate and he saw the backbreaker and he was certain of evil and he knew that he had been afflicted with the dragon.
واشترى مرة شبوطة وهو ببغداد وأخذها فائقة عظيمة، وغالى بها ٣ وارتفع في ثمنها، وكان قد بعد عهده بأكل السمك. وهو بصري لا يصبر عنه. فكان قد أكبر أمر هذه السمكة، لكثرة ثمنها ولسمنها وعظمها ولشدة شهوته لها. فحين ظن عند نفسه أنه قد خلا بها، وتفرد بأطايبها، وحسر عن ذراعيه وصمد صمدها، هجمت عليه ومعي السدري ٤ فلما رآه رأى الموت الأحمر والطاعون الجارف، ورأى الحتم المقضي ٥ ، ورأى قاصمة الظهر ٦ ، وأيقن بالشر، وعلم أنه قد ابتلي بالتنين.