[Translated by M. Devic and Chauncey C. Starkweather]
Once upon a time lived King Iskender, son of King Darab. He traced his
origin to Roum; Macedonia was his native country, and Dhoul-Garnein his
surname. Now it happened that this prince set out upon his travels to
find the place where the sun rose; and he arrived at the frontier of
India. There reigned in this country a very powerful king, to whom half
of India was in subjection; and his name was King Kida Hindi. As soon
as King Kida Hindi heard of King Iskender's approach, he gave orders to
his prime minister, who gathered together the armies and princes who
were subject to him. When all were met together, he marched forth to
meet King Iskender. The two armies engaged and the conflict was carried
on with extreme activity on both sides, as is related in the history of
King Iskender. Kida Hindi was defeated and taken alive. Iskender
ordered him to embrace the true faith, and Kida Hindi embraced the
faith and became enrolled in the religion of the prophet Abraham, the
friend of God, to whom be the glory! Then King Iskender caused him to
be clothed in a garment like his own, and bade him return to his own
country.
King Kida Hindi was the father of a very beautiful girl, whose equal
was not to be found in her day. Her face had the dazzling lustre of the
sun or the moon; she was modest and discreet. Her name was Chehr-el-
Beria. King Kida Hindi took his prime minister aside and said to him:
"I have summoned you to ask your advice on the subject of my daughter,
whose equal in these days cannot be found. I have formed the project of
presenting her to King Iskender."