The angel and Ben Adhem

There once lived a man named Abou Ben Adhem. He was a very kind and loving person. He used to help everyone in need and did it out of compassion. People of his kind should increase. He lived alone and had a house which was not too luxurious but fulfilled his needs. 

One night he awoke from a deep dream of peace. The moon was on its fullest. The beam of the moonlight enriched the figure of the vision sitting in the window sill. Abou wanted to check what it was and went near the window and saw that it was an angel. 

The angel was writing something in a Golden Book. Abou was curious and asked the angel, "What are you writing in this Golden Book?". The vision raised its head and replied, " I am writing the names of the people who love the Lord." 

Abou asked, "Is my name there?" The angel replied, " Nay, not so." Abou spoke more low but cheerily, "I pray thee (you), then, write my name in that list too." 

The angel wrote and vanished. The next night it came again with a great wakening light and showed the names whom love of God had blest. And lo! Ben Adhem's name led the rest.