tell me your story. he said and will you cover it up for me? i said yes as long as you are in basra. he said he buys us rice with its husk and carries it with him. he does not have anything that god created except that rice. when we arrive at his land he orders his tenant to scoop it in his scoop then winnow it then sift it. then he scoops the grain from it. when he finishes buying and carrying it then scooping then winnowing then threshing and sifting then scooping the grain then winnowing it then threshing and sifting it he orders the tenant to grind it on his ox and in his mill. when he has ground it he orders him to boil water for him and to gather firewood for him then he orders him to knead it because hot water is more pleasant.
إحك لي أمركم . قال وتستر علي ؟ قلت نعم ما دمت بالبصرة . قال يشتري لنا أرزا بقشره ويحمله معه، ليس معه شيء مما خلق الله إلا ذلك الأرز. فإذا صرنا إلى أرضه، كلف أكاره أن يجشه في مجشة ٢ له، ثم ذراه ٣ ، ثم غربله. ثم جش الواش ٤ منه. فإذا فرغ من الشراء والحمل، ثم من الجش، ثم من التذرية، ثم من الإدارة والغربلة، ثم من جش الواش، ثم من تذريته، ثم إدارته وغربلته، كلف الأكار أن يطحنه على ثوره وفي رحاه ٥ . فإذا طحنه كلفه أن يغلي له الماء، وأن يحتطب له، ثم يكلفه العجن، لأنه بالماء الحار أكثر نزلا.