There was once a king of the kings, by name Ibrahim, to whom the
kings abased themselves and did obedience; but he had no son and
was straitened of breast because of this, fearing lest the
kingship go forth of his hand. He ceased not vehemently to desire
a son and to buy slave-girls and lie with them, till one of them
conceived, whereat he rejoiced with an exceeding joy and gave
gifts and largesse galore. When the girl's months were
accomplished and the season of her delivery drew near, the king
summoned the astrologers and they watched for the hour of her
child-bearing and raised astrolabes [towards the sun] and took
strait note of the time. The damsel gave birth to a male child,
whereat the king rejoiced with an exceeding joy, and the people
heartened each other with the glad news of this.
Then the astrologers made their calculations and looked into his
nativity and his ascendant, whereupon their colour changed and
they were confounded. Quoth the king to them, 'Acquaint me with
his horoscope and ye shall have assurance and fear ye not of
aught' 'O king,' answered they, 'this child's nativity denotes
that, in the seventh year of his age, there is to be feared for
him from a lion, which will attack him; and if he be saved from
the lion, there will betide an affair yet sorer and more
grievous.' 'What is that?' asked the king; and they said, 'We
will not speak, except the king command us thereto and give us
assurance from [that which we] fear.' Quoth the king, 'God assure
you!' And they said, 'If he be saved from the lion, the king's
destruction will be at his hand.' When the king heard this, his
colour changed and his breast was straitened; but he said in
himself, 'I will be watchful and do my endeavour and suffer not
the lion to eat him. It cannot be that he will kill me, and
indeed the astrologers lied.'
Then he caused rear him among the nurses and matrons; but withal
he ceased not to ponder the saying of the astrologers and indeed
his life was troubled. So he betook himself to the top of a high
mountain and dug there a deep pit and made in it many
dwelling-places and closets and filled it with all that was
needful of victual and raiment and what not else and made in it
conduits of water from the mountain and lodged the boy therein,
with a nurse who should rear him. Moreover, at the first of each
month he used to go to the mountain and stand at the mouth of the
pit and let down a rope he had with him and draw up the boy to
him and strain him to his bosom and kiss him and play with him
awhile, after which he would let him down again into the pit to
his place and return; and he used to count the days till the
seven years should pass by.
When came the time [of the accomplishment] of the foreordered
fate and the fortune graven on the forehead and there abode for
the boy but ten days till the seven years should be complete,
there came to the mountain hunters hunting wild beasts and seeing
a lion, gave chase to him. He fled from them and seeking refuge
in the mountain, fell into the pit in its midst. The nurse saw
him forthright and fled from him into one of the closets;
whereupon the lion made for the boy and seizing upon him, tore
his shoulder, after which he sought the closet wherein was the
nurse and falling upon her, devoured her, whilst the boy abode
cast down in a swoon. Meanwhile, when the hunters saw that the
lion had fallen into the pit, they came to the mouth thereof and
heard the shrieking of the boy and the woman; and after awhile
the cries ceased, whereby they knew that the lion had made an end
of them.
Presently, as they stood by the mouth of the pit, the lion came
scrambling up the sides and would have issued forth; but, as
often as he showed his head, they pelted him with stones, till
they beat him down and he fell; whereupon one of the hunters
descended into the pit and despatched him and saw the boy
wounded; after which he went to the cabinet, where he found the
woman dead, and indeed the lion had eaten his fill of her. Then
he noted that which was therein of clothes and what not else, and
advising his fellows thereof, fell to passing the stuff up to
them. Moreover, he took up the boy and bringing him forth of the
pit, carried him to their dwelling-place, where they dressed his
wounds and he grew up with them, but acquainted them not with his
affair; and indeed, when they questioned him, he knew not what he
should say, for that he was little, when they let him down into
the pit. The hunters marvelled at his speech and loved him with
an exceeding love and one of them took him to son and abode
rearing him with him [and instructing him] in hunting and riding
on horseback, till he attained the age of twelve and became a
champion, going forth with the folk to the chase and to the
stopping of the way.
It chanced one day that they sallied forth to stop the way and
fell in upon a caravan in the night; but the people of the
caravan were on their guard; so they joined battle with the
robbers and overcame them and slew them and the boy fell wounded
and abode cast down in that place till the morrow, when he opened
his eyes and finding his comrades slain, lifted himself up and
rose to walk in the way. Presently, there met him a man, a
treasure-seeker, and said to him, 'Whither goest thou, O youth?'
So he told him what had betided him and the other said, 'Be of
good heart, for that [the season of] thy fair fortune is come and
God bringeth thee joy and solace. I am one who am in quest of a
hidden treasure, wherein is vast wealth. So come with me, that
thou mayst help me, and I will give thee wealth, wherewith thou
shalt provide thyself thy life long.' Then he carried the youth
to his dwelling and dressed his wound, and he abode with him some
days, till he was rested; when he took him and two beasts and all
that he needed, and they fared on till they came to a precipitous
mountain.
Here the treasure-seeker brought out a book and reading therein,
dug in the crest of the mountain five cubits deep, whereupon
there appeared to him a stone. He pulled it up and behold, it was
a trap-door covering the mouth of a pit. So he waited till the
[foul] air was come forth from the midst of the pit, when he
bound a rope about the boy's middle and let him down to the
bottom, and with him a lighted flambeau. The boy looked and
beheld, at the upper end of the pit, wealth galore; so the
treasure-seeker let down a rope and a basket and the boy fell to
filling and the man to drawing up, till the latter had gotten his
sufficiency, when he loaded his beasts and did his occasion,
whilst the boy looked for him to let down to him the rope and
draw him up; but he rolled a great stone to the mouth of the pit
and went away.
When the boy saw what the treasure-seeker had done with him he
committed his affair to God (extolled be His perfection and
exalted be He!) and abode perplexed concerning his case and said,
'How bitter is this death!' For that indeed the world was
darkened on him and the pit was blinded to him. So he fell
a-weeping and saying, 'I was delivered from the lion and the
thieves and now is my death [appointed to be] in this pit, where
I shall die lingeringly.' And he abode confounded and looked for
nothing but death. As he pondered [his affair], behold, he heard
a sound of water running with a mighty noise; so he arose and
walked in the pit, following after the sound, till he came to a
corner and heard the mighty running of water. So he laid his ear
to the sound of the current and hearing it a great strength, said
in himself, 'This is the running of a mighty water and needs must
I die in this place, be it to-day or to-morrow; so I will cast
myself into the water and not die a lingering death in this pit.'
Then he braced up his courage and gathering his skirts about him,
threw himself into the water, and it bore him along with an
exceeding might and carrying him under the earth, stayed not till
it brought him out into a deep valley, wherethrough ran a great
river, that welled up from under the earth. When he found himself
on the surface of the earth, he abode perplexed and dazed all
that day; after which he came to himself and rising, fared on
along the valley, till he came to an inhabited land and a great
village in the dominions of the king his father. So he entered
the village and foregathered with its inhabitants, who questioned
him of his case; whereupon he related to them his history and
they marvelled at him, how God had delivered him from all this.
Then he took up his abode with them and they loved him
exceedingly.
To return to the king his father. When he went to the pit, as of
his wont, and called the nurse, she returned him no answer,
whereat his breast was straitened and he let down a man who
[found the nurse dead and the boy gone and] acquainted the king
therewith; which when he heard, he buffeted his head and wept
passing sore and descended into the midst of the pit, so he might
see how the case stood. There he found the nurse slain and the
lion dead, but saw not the boy; so he [returned and] acquainted
the astrologers with the verification of their words, and they
said, 'O king, the lion hath eaten him; destiny hath been
accomplished upon him and thou art delivered from his hand; for,
had he been saved from the lion, by Allah, we had feared for thee
from him, for that the king's destruction should have been at his
hand.' So the king left [sorrowing for] this and the days passed
by and the affair was forgotten.
Meanwhile, the boy [grew up and] abode with the people of the
village, and when God willed the accomplishment of His ordinance,
the which endeavour availeth not to avert, he went forth with a
company of the villagers, to stop the way. The folk complained of
them to the king, who sallied out with a company of his men and
surrounded the highwaymen and the boy with them, whereupon the
latter drew forth an arrow and launched it at them, and it smote
the king in his vitals and wounded him. So they carried him to
his house, after they had laid hands upon the youth and his
companions and brought them before the king, saying, 'What
biddest thou that we do with them?' Quoth he, 'I am presently in
concern for myself; so bring me the astrologers.' Accordingly,
they brought them before him and He said to them, 'Ye told me
that my death should be by slaying at the hand of my son: how,
then, befalleth it that I have gotten my death-wound on this wise
of yonder thieves?' The astrologers marvelled and said to him, 'O
king, it is not impossible to the lore of the stars, together
with the fore-ordinance of God, that he who hath smitten thee
should be thy son.'
When Ibrahim heard this, he let fetch the thieves and said to
them, 'Tell me truly, which of you shot the arrow that wounded
me.' Quoth they, 'It was this youth that is with us.' Whereupon
the king fell to looking upon him and said to him, 'O youth,
acquaint me with thy case and tell me who was thy father and thou
shalt have assurance from God.' 'O my lord,' answered the youth,
'I know no father; as for me, my father lodged me in a pit [when
I was little], with a nurse to rear me, and one day, there fell
in upon us a lion, which tore my shoulder, then left me and
occupied himself with the nurse and rent her in pieces; and God
vouchsafed me one who brought me forth of the pit.' Then he
related to him all that had befallen him, first and last; which
when Ibrahim heard, he cried out and said, 'By Allah, this is my
very son!' And he said to him, 'Uncover thy shoulder.' So he
uncovered it and behold, it was scarred.
Then the king assembled his nobles and commons and the
astrologers and said to them, 'Know that what God hath graven
upon the forehead, be it fair fortune or calamity, none may avail
to efface, and all that is decreed unto a man he must needs
abide. Indeed, this my caretaking and my endeavour profited me
nought, for that which God decreed unto my son, he hath abidden
and that which He decreed unto me hath betided me. Nevertheless,
I praise God and thank Him for that this was at my son's hand and
not at the hand of another, and praised be He for that the
kingship is come to my son!' And he strained the youth to his
breast and embraced him and kissed him, saying, 'O my son, this
matter was on such a wise, and of my care and watchfulness over
thee from destiny, I lodged thee in that pit; but caretaking
availed not.' Then he took the crown of the kingship and set it
on his son's head and caused the folk and the people swear fealty
to him and commended the subjects to his care and enjoined him to
justice and equity. And he took leave of him that night and died
and his son reigned in his stead.
On like wise, O king," continued the young treasurer, "is it with
thee. If God have written aught on my forehead, needs must it
befall me and my speech to the king shall not profit me, no, nor
my adducing to him of [illustrative] instances, against the
fore-ordinance of God. So with these viziers, for all their
eagerness and endeavour for my destruction, this shall not profit
them; for, if God [be minded to] save me, He will give me the
victory over them."
When the king heard these words, he abode in perplexity and said,
"Restore him to the prison till the morrow, so we may look into
his affair, for the day draweth to an end and I mean to put him
to death on exemplary wise, and [to-morrow] we will do with him
that which he meriteth."
The Tenth Day.
OF THE APPOINTED TERM,[FN#128] WHICH, IF IT BE
ADVANCED, MAY NOT BE DEFERRED AND IF IT BE
DEFERRED, MAY NOT BE ADVANCED.
When it was the tenth day, (now this day was called El
Mihrjan[FN#129] and it was the day of the coming in of the folk,
gentle and simple, to the king, so they might give him joy and
salute him and go forth), the counsel of the viziers fell of
accord that they should speak with a company of the notables of
the city [and urge them to demand of the king that he should
presently put the youth to death]. So they said to them, "When ye
go in to-day to the king and salute him, do ye say to him, 'O
king, (to God be the praise!) thou art praiseworthy of policy and
governance, just to all thy subjects; but this youth, to whom
thou hast been bountiful, yet hath he reverted to his base origin
and wrought this foul deed, what is thy purpose in his
continuance [on life]? Indeed, thou hast prisoned him in thy
house, and every day thou hearest his speech and thou knowest not
what the folk say.'" And they answered with "Hearkening and
obedience."
So, when they entered with the folk and had prostrated themselves
before the king and given him joy and he had raised their rank,
[they sat down]. Now it was the custom of the folk to salute and
go forth, so, when they sat down, the king knew that they had a
word that they would fain say. So he turned to them and said,
"Ask your need." And the viziers also were present. Accordingly,
they bespoke him with all that these latter had taught them and
the viziers also spoke with them; and Azadbekht said to them, "O
folk, I know that this your speech, there is no doubt of it,
proceedeth from love and loyal counsel to me, and ye know that,
were I minded to slay half these folk, I could avail to put them
to death and this would not be difficult to me; so how shall I
not slay this youth and he in my power and under the grip of my
hand? Indeed, his crime is manifest and he hath incurred pain of
death and I have only deferred his slaughter by reason of the
greatness of the offence; for, if I do this with him and my proof
against him be strengthened, my heart is healed and the heart of
the folk; and if I slay him not to-day, his slaughter shall not
escape me to-morrow."
Then he bade fetch the youth and when he was present before him,
he prostrated himself to him and prayed for him; whereupon quoth
the king to him, "Out on thee! How long shall the folk upbraid me
on thine account and blame me for delaying thy slaughter? Even
the people of my city blame me because of thee, so that I am
grown a talking-stock among them, and indeed they come in to me
and upbraid me [and urge me] to put thee to death. How long shall
I delay this? Indeed, this very day I mean to shed thy blood and
rid the folk of thy prate."
"O king," answered the youth, "if there have betided thee talk
because of me, by Allah, by Allah the Great, those who have
brought on thee this talk from the folk are these wicked viziers,
who devise with the folk and tell them foul things and evil
concerning the king's house; but I trust in God that He will
cause their malice to revert upon their heads. As for the king's
menace of me with slaughter, I am in the grasp of his hand; so
let not the king occupy his mind with my slaughter, for that I am
like unto the sparrow in the hand of the fowler; if he will, he
slaughtereth him, and if he will, he looseth him. As for the
delaying of my slaughter, it [proceedeth] not [from] the king,
but from Him in whose hand is my life; for, by Allah, O king, if
God willed my slaughter, thou couldst not avail to postpone it,
no, not for a single hour. Indeed, man availeth not to fend off
evil from himself, even as it was with the son of King Suleiman
Shah, whose anxiety and carefulness for the accomplishment of his
desire of the new-born child [availed him nothing], for his last
hour was deferred how many a time! and God saved him until he had
accomplished his [foreordained] period and had fulfilled [the
destined term of] his life."
"Out on thee!" exclaimed the king. "How great is thy craft and
thy talk! Tell me, what was their story." And the youth said, "O
king,