The Second is Ali Riza, who assists me and writes out The Fruits. One day I was going to teach him about what he had written. Out of laziness, he made an excuse about cooking the food and did not come. He suddenly received a slap: although his saucepan was in good shape, the bottom suddenly fell out together with the food.

Yes, it’s true,

Ali Riza

The Third is Ziya. He wrote out the topics about youth and the obligatory prayers from The Fruits for himself, and began to perform the prayers. But then he became lazy and gave up praying and writing. He suddenly received a slap: for no reason and in extraordinary fashion, his basket and the clothes in it, which were beside him, caught fire. No one among that crowd being aware of this until they had burnt shows that it was an intended ‘compassionate slap.’

Yes, it’s true,

Ziya

The Fourth is Mahmud. I read him the topics about youth and the prayers from The Fruits and I told him not to gamble and to perform the prayers. He agreed. But he was overcome by laziness, and did not pray and did gamble. He suddenly received ‘an angry slap:’ while gambling, he lost three or four times, and despite his poverty, had to hand over forty liras, his sack coat and his trousers to his opponent, and he still has not come to his senses

Yes, it’s true,

Mahmud

The Fifth: A boy of fourteen called Süleyman was always causing trouble and at the same time egging others on. I told him to behave himself and perform the prayers, or his conduct would get him into big trouble and put him into danger. He began to perform the prayers, but then he gave them up and began making trouble again. He suddenly received a slap; he caught scabies and had to remain in bed for three weeks.

Yes, it’s true,

Süleyman