That there was in times of yore and in ages long gone before a King
called Shahrimán,[FN#220] who was lord of many troops and guards, and
officers, and who reigned over certain islands, known as the Khálidán
Islands,[FN#221] on the borders of the land of the Persians. But he was
stricken in years and his bones were wasted, without having been
blessed with a son, albeit he had four wives, daughters of Kings, and
threescore concubines, with each of whom he was wont to lie one night
in turn.[FN#222] This preyed upon his mind and disquieted him, so that
he complained thereof to one of his Wazirs, saying, "Verily I fear lest
my kingdom be lost when I die, for that I have no son to succeed me."
The Minister answered, "O King, peradventure Allah shall yet bring
something to pass; so rely upon the Almighty and be instant in prayer.
It is also my counsel that thou spread a banquet and invite to it the
poor and needy, and let them eat of thy food; and supplicate the Lord
to vouchsafe thee a son; for perchance there may be among thy guests a
righteous soul whose prayers find acceptance; and thereby thou shalt
win thy wish." So the King rose, made the lesser ablution, and prayed a
two-bow prayer,[FN#223] then he cried upon Allah with pure intention;
after which he called his chief wife to bed and lay with her
forthright. By grace of God she conceived and, when her months were
accomplished, she bore a male child, like the moon on the night of
fulness. The King named him Kamar al-Zamán,[FN#224] and rejoiced in him
with extreme joy and bade the city be dressed out in his honour; so
they decorated the streets seven days, whilst the drums beat and the
messengers bore the glad tidings abroad. Then wet and dry nurses were
provided for the boy and he was reared in splendour and delight, until
he reached the age of fifteen. He grew up of surpassing beauty and
seemlihead and symmetry, and his father loved him so dear that he could
not brook to be parted from him day or night. One day he complained to
a certain of his Ministers anent the excess of his love for his only
child, saying, "O thou the Wazir, of a truth I fear for my son, Kamar
al-Zaman, the shifts and accidents which befal man and fain would I
marry him in my life-time." Answered the Wazir, "O King, know thou that
marriage is one of the most honourable of moral actions, and thou
wouldst indeed do well and right to marry thy son in thy lifetime, ere
thou make him Sultan." On this quoth the King, "Hither with my son
Kamar al-Zaman;" so he came and bowed his head to the ground in modesty
before his sire. "O Kamar al Zaman," said King Shahriman, "of a truth I
desire to marry thee and rejoice in thee during my lifetime." Replied
he, "O my father, know that I have no lust to marry nor cloth my soul
incline to women; for that concerning their craft and perfidy I have
read many books and heard much talk, even as saith the poet,
'Now, an of women ask ye, I reply:—*
In their affairs I'm versed a doctor rare!
When man's head grizzles and his money dwindles, *
In their affections he hath naught for share.'