There was a water seller named Muhammad who sold water to people while wandering with his jar in the markets. Everyone loved him for his good character and cleanliness. One day, the king heard about this water seller and said to his minister: Go and bring me Muhammad the water seller. The minister went to search for him in the markets until he found him and brought him to the king. The king said to Muhammad: From today onward, you have no work outside this palace. You will work here in my palace, serving water to my guests and sitting beside me telling me people’s amusing stories.
Muhammad said: I hear and obey. Muhammad returned to his wife, announcing the good news to her. The next day, he wore the best he had, washed his jar, headed to the king’s palace, then entered the diwan that was full of guests and began distributing water to them. When he finished, he would sit beside the king, telling him stories and funny anecdotes. At the end of the day, he would receive his wage for his efforts and leave to his home. The situation remained as it was for a period of time until a day came when the minister felt envy of Muhammad due to the status he had occupied in the king’s heart.
The next day, the water seller was returning to his home. The minister followed him and said to him: Oh Muhammad, the king is complaining about your bad mouth odor. The water seller was surprised and asked him: What should I do so I don’t harm with my mouth odor? The minister said: You must put a veil around your mouth when you come to the palace. Muhammad said: Alright, I’ll do it. When morning dawned, the water seller put a veil around his mouth, carried his jar, and headed to the palace as usual. The king was surprised by this but didn’t comment on it. Muhammad continued wearing the veil day after day until a day came when the king asked his minister about the reason for the veil.
The minister said: I fear, oh my lord, if I tell you, you’ll cut off my head. The king said: You have safety from me. He said: Say what you have. The minister said: Muhammad the water seller has complained about your bad mouth odor. The king thundered and went to his wife and told her what the minister had said. She said: Who whispered to his soul to say this? Tomorrow his head will be cut off and he will be a lesson to anyone whose soul whispers to belittle you. He said to her: And good opinion. The next day, the king summoned the executioner and said to him: Whoever you see leaving my palace carrying a bouquet of roses, cut off his head.
The water seller came as usual and distributed the water. When the moment of his departure came, the king gave him a bouquet of roses as a gift. As he was about to leave, the water seller met the minister. The minister said to him: Who gave you these roses? Muhammad said: The king. He said to him: Give them to me, for I’m more deserving of them than you. The water seller gave him the bouquet and departed. When the minister went out, the executioner saw him carrying a bouquet of flowers and cut off his head. The next day, the water seller came as usual, always veiled, carrying his jar, and began distributing water to those present. The king thought he had died, so he called him and asked him: What is your story with this veil? The water seller told him what the minister had said to him. He asked him about the bouquet of roses. He said: The minister took it. He said he was more deserving of it than me. The king said: Truly, he is more deserving of it than you.