affairs prospered and their case was bettered; wherefore they
praised God for their present ease and the village became to them
a home.

[On this wise he abode a pretty while] and the days ceased not
and the nights to transport him from country to country, till he
came to the land of the Greeks and lighted down in a city of the
cities thereof, wherein was Galen the Sage; but the weaver knew
him not, nor was he ware who he was. So he went forth, according
to his wont, in quest of a place where the folk might assemble
together, and hired Galen's courtyard.[FN#20] There he spread his
carpet and setting out thereon his drugs and instruments of
medicine, praised himself and his skill and vaunted himself of
understanding such as none but he might claim.

Galen heard that which he avouched of his understanding and it
was certified unto him and established in his mind that the man
was a skilled physician of the physicians of the Persians and [he
said in himself], 'Except he had confidence in his knowledge and
were minded to confront me and contend with me, he had not sought
the door of my house neither spoken that which he hath spoken.'
And concern gat hold upon Galen and doubt. Then he looked out
upon[FN#21] the weaver and addressed himself to see what he
should do, whilst the folk began to flock to him and set out to
him their ailments, and he would answer them thereof [and
prescribe for them], hitting the mark one while and missing it
another, so that there appeared unto Galen of his fashion nothing
whereby his mind might be assured that he had formed a just
opinion of his skill.