There was once a king named Suleiman Shah, who was goodly of
polity and judgment, and he had a brother who died and left a
daughter. So Suleiman Shah reared her on the goodliest wise and
the girl grew up, endowed with reason and perfection, nor was
there in her time a fairer than she. Now the king had two sons,
one of whom he had appointed in himself that he would marry her
withal, and the other purposed in himself that he would take her.
The elder son's name was Belehwan and that of the younger Melik
Shah, and the girl was called Shah Khatoun.
One day, King Suleiman Shah went in to his brother's daughter and
kissing her head, said to her, 'Thou art my daughter and dearer
to me than a child, for the love of thy father deceased;
wherefore I am minded to marry thee to one of my sons and appoint
him my heir apparent, so he may be king after me. Look, then,
which thou wilt have of my sons, for that thou hast been reared
with them and knowest them.' The damsel arose and kissing his
hand, said to him, 'O my lord, I am thine handmaid and thou art
the ruler over me; so whatsoever pleaseth thee, do, for that thy
wish is higher and more honourable and nobler [than mine] and if
thou wouldst have me serve thee, [as a handmaid], the rest of my
life, it were liefer to me than any [husband].'
The king approved her speech and bestowed on her a dress of
honour and gave her magnificent gifts; after which, for that his
choice had fallen upon his younger son, Melik Shah, he married
her with him and made him his heir apparent and caused the folk
swear fealty to him. When this came to the knowledge of his
brother Belehwan and he was ware that his younger brother had
been preferred over him, his breast was straitened and the affair
was grievous to him and envy entered into him and rancour; but he
concealed this in his heart, whilst fire raged therein because of
the damsel and the kingship.
Meanwhile Shah Khatoun went in to the king's son and conceived by
him and bore a son, as he were the resplendent moon. When
Belehwan saw this that had betided his brother, jealousy and envy
overcame him; so he went in one night to his father's house and
coming to his brother's lodging, saw the nurse sleeping at the
chamber-door, with the cradle before her and therein his
brother's child asleep. Belehwan stood by him and fell to looking
upon his face, the radiance whereof was as that of the moon, and
Satan insinuated himself into his heart, so that he bethought
himself and said, 'Why is not this child mine? Indeed, I am
worthier of him than my brother, [yea], and of the damsel and the
kingship.' Then envy got the better of him and anger spurred him,
so that he took out a knife and setting it to the child's gullet,
cut his throat and would have severed his windpipe.
So he left him for dead and entering his brother's chamber, saw
him asleep, with the damsel by his side, and thought to slay her,
but said in himself, 'I will leave the damsel for myself.' Then
he went up to his brother and cutting his throat, severed his
head from his body, after which he left him and went away.
Therewithal the world was straitened upon him and his life was a
light matter to him and he sought his father Suleiman Shah's
lodging, that he might slay him, but could not win to him. So he
went forth from the palace and hid himself in the city till the
morrow, when he repaired to one of his father's strengths and
fortified himself therein.
Meanwhile, the nurse awoke, that she might give the child suck,
and seeing the bed running with blood, cried out; whereupon the
sleepers and the king awoke and making for the place, found the
child with his throat cut and the cradle running over with blood
and his father slain and dead in his sleeping chamber. So they
examined the child and found life in him and his windpipe whole
and sewed up the place of the wound. Then the king sought his son
Belehwan, but found him not and saw that he had fled; whereby he
knew that it was he who had done this deed, and this was grievous
to the king and to the people of his realm and to the lady Shah
Katoun. So the king laid out his son Melik Shah and buried him
and made him a mighty funeral and they mourned passing sore;
after which he addressed himself to the rearing of the infant
As for Belehwan, when he fled and fortified himself, his power
waxed amain and there remained for him but to make war upon his
father, who had cast his affection upon the child and used to
rear him on his knees and supplicate God the Most High that he
might live, so he might commit the commandment to him. When he
came to five years of age, the king mounted him on horseback and
the people of the city rejoiced in him and invoked on him length
of life, so he might take his father's leavings[FN#130] and
[heal] the heart of his grandfather.
Meanwhile, Belehwan the froward addressed himself to pay court to
Caesar, King of the Greeks,[FN#131] and seek help of him in
making war upon his father, and he inclined unto him and gave him
a numerous army. His father the king heard of this and sent to
Caesar, saying, 'O king of illustrious might, succour not an
evil-doer. This is my son and he hath done thus and thus and cut
his brother's throat and that of his brother's son in the
cradle.' But he told not the King of the Greeks that the child
[had recovered and] was alive. When Caesar heard [the truth] of
the matter, it was grievous to him and he sent back to Suleiman
Shah, saying, 'If it be thy will, O king, I will cut off his head
and send it to thee.' But he made answer, saying, 'I reck not of
him: the reward of his deed and his crimes shall surely overtake
him, if not to-day, then to-morrow.' And from that day he
continued to correspond with Caesar and to exchange letters and
presents with him.
Now the king of the Greeks heard tell of the damsel[FN#132] and
of the beauty and grace wherewith she was gifted, wherefore his
heart clave to her and he sent to seek her in marriage of
Suleiman Shah, who could not refuse him. So he arose and going in
to Shah Khatoun, said to her, 'O my daughter, the king of the
Greeks hath sent to me to seek thee in marriage. What sayst
thou?' She wept and answered, saying, 'O king, how canst thou
find it in thy heart to bespeak me thus? Abideth there husband
for me, after the son of my uncle?' 'O my daughter,' rejoined the
king, 'it is indeed as thou sayest; but let us look to the issues
of affairs. Needs must I take account of death, for that I am an
old man and fear not but for thee and for thy little son; and
indeed I have written to the king of the Greeks and others of the
kings and said, "His uncle slew him," and said not that he [hath
recovered and] is living, but concealed his affair. Now hath the
king of the Greeks sent to demand thee in marriage, and this is
no thing to be refused and fain would we have our back
strengthened with him."[FN#133] And she was silent and spoke not.
So King Suleiman Shah made answer unto Caesar with 'Hearkening
and obedience.' Then he arose and despatched her to him, and
Cassar went in to her and found her overpassing the description
wherewithal they had described her to him; wherefore he loved her
with an exceeding love and preferred her over all his women and
his love for Suleiman Shah was magnified; but Shah Khatoun's
heart still clave to her son and she could say nought. As for
Suleiman Shah's rebellious son, Belehwan, when he saw that Shah
Khatoun had married the king of the Greeks, this was grievous to
him and he despaired of her. Meanwhile, his father Suleiman Shah
kept strait watch over the child and cherished him and named him
Melik Shah, after the name of his father. When he reached the age
of ten, he made the folk swear fealty to him and appointed him
his heir apparent, and after some days, [the hour of] the old
king's admission [to the mercy of God] drew near and he died.
Now a party of the troops had banded themselves together for
Belehwan; so they sent to him and bringing him privily, went in
to the little Melik Shah and seized him and seated his uncle
Belehwan on the throne of the kingship. Then they proclaimed him
king and did homage to him all, saying, 'Verily, we desire thee
and deliver to thee the throne of the kingship; but we wish of
thee that thou slay not thy brother's son, for that on our
consciences are the oaths we swore to his father and grandfather
and the covenants we made with them.' So Belehwan granted them
this and imprisoned the boy in an underground dungeon and
straitened him. Presently, the heavy news reached his mother and
this was grievous to her; but she could not speak and committed
her affair to God the Most High, daring not name this to King
Caesar her husband, lest she should make her uncle King Suleiman
Shah a liar.
So Belehwan the froward abode king in his father's room and his
affairs prospered, what while the young Melik Shah lay in the
underground dungeon four full-told years, till his charms faded
and his favour changed. When God (extolled be His perfection and
exalted be He!) willed to relieve him and bring him forth of the
prison, Belehwan sat one day with his chief officers and the
grandees of his state and discoursed with them of the story of
King Suleiman Shah and what was in his heart. Now there were
present certain viziers, men of worth, and they said to him, 'O
king, verily God hath been bountiful unto thee and hath brought
thee to thy wish, so that thou art become king in thy father's
stead and hast gotten thee that which thou soughtest. But, as for
this boy, there is no guilt in him, for that, from the day of his
coming into the world, he hath seen neither ease nor joyance, and
indeed his favour is faded and his charms changed [with long
prison]. What is his offence that he should merit this
punishment? Indeed, it is others than he who were to blame, and
God hath given thee the victory over them, and there is no fault
in this poor wight.' Quoth Belehwan, 'Indeed, it is as ye say;
but I am fearful of his craft and am not assured from his
mischief; belike the most part of the folk will incline unto
him.' 'O king,' answered they, 'what is this boy and what power
hath he? If thou fear him, send him to one of the frontiers.' And
Belehwan said, 'Ye say sooth: we will send him to be captain over
such an one of the marches.'
Now over against the place in question was a host of enemies,
hard of heart, and in this he purposed the youth's slaughter. So
he bade bring him forth of the underground dungeon and caused him
draw near to him and saw his case. Then he bestowed on him a
dress of honour and the folk rejoiced in this. Moreover, he tied
him an ensign[FN#134] and giving him a numerous army, despatched
him to the region aforesaid, whither all who went were still
slain or made prisoners. So Melik Shah betook himself thither
with his army and when it was one of the days, behold, the enemy
fell in upon them in the night; whereupon some of his men fled
and the rest the enemy took; and they took Melik Shah also and
cast him into an underground dungeon, with a company of his men.
There he abode a whole year in evil plight, whilst his fellows
mourned over his beauty and grace.
Now it was the enemy's wont, at every year's end, to bring forth
their prisoners and cast them down from the top of the citadel to
the bottom. So they brought them forth, at the end of the year,
and cast them down, and Melik Shah with them. However, he fell
upon the [other] men and the earth touched him not, for his term
was [God-]guarded. Now those that were cast down there were slain
and their bodies ceased not to lie there till the wild beasts ate
them and the winds dispersed them. Melik Shah abode cast down in
his place, aswoon, all that day and night, and when he recovered
and found himself whole, he thanked God the Most High for his
safety [and rising, fared on at a venture]. He gave not over
walking, unknowing whither he went and feeding upon the leaves of
the trees; and by day he hid himself whereas he might and fared
on all his night at hazard; and thus he did some days, till he
came to an inhabited land and seeing folk there, accosted them
and acquainted them with his case, giving them to know that he
had been imprisoned in the fortress and that they had cast him
down, but God the Most High had delivered him and brought him off
alive.
The folk took compassion on him and gave him to eat and drink and
he abode with them awhile. Then he questioned them of the way
that led to the kingdom of his uncle Belehwan, but told them not
that he was his uncle. So they taught him the way and he ceased
not to go barefoot, till he drew near his uncle's capital, and he
naked and hungry, and indeed his body was wasted and his colour
changed. He sat down at the gate of the city, and presently up
came a company of King Belehwan's chief officers, who were out
a-hunting and wished to water their horses. So they lighted down
to rest and the youth accosted them, saying, 'I will ask you of
somewhat, wherewith do ye acquaint me.' Quoth they, 'Ask what
thou wilt.' And he said, 'Is King Belehwan well?' They laughed at
him and answered, 'What a fool art thou, O youth! Thou art a
stranger and a beggar, and what concern hast thou with the king's
health?' Quoth he, 'Indeed, he is my uncle;' whereat they
marvelled and said, 'It was one question[FN#135] and now it is
become two.' Then said they to him, 'O youth, it is as thou wert
mad. Whence pretendest thou to kinship with the king? Indeed, we
know not that he hath aught of kinsfolk, except a brother's son,
who was prisoned with him, and he despatched him to wage war upon
the infidels, so that they slew him.' 'I am he,' answered Melik
Shah, 'and they slew me not, but there betided me this and that.'
They knew him forthright and rising to him, kissed his hands and
rejoiced in him and said to him, 'O our lord, in good sooth, thou
art a king and the son of a king, and we desire thee nought but
good and beseech [God to grant] thee continuance. Consider how
God hath rescued thee from this thy wicked uncle, who sent thee
to a place whence none came ever off alive, purposing not in this
but thy destruction; and indeed thou fellest into [peril of]
death and God delivered thee therefrom. So how wilt thou return
and cast thyself again into thine enemy's hand? By Allah, save
thyself and return not to him again. Belike thou shall abide upon
the face of the earth till it please God the Most High [to
vouchsafe thee relief]; but, if thou fall again into his hand, he
will not suffer thee live a single hour.'
The prince thanked them and said to them, 'God requite you with
all good, for indeed ye give me loyal counsel; but whither would
ye have me go?' Quoth they, 'Get thee to the land of the Greeks,
the abiding-place of thy mother.' And he said, 'My grandfather
Suleiman Shah, when the King of the Greeks wrote to him,
demanding my mother in marriage, concealed my affair and hid my
secret; [and she hath done the like,] and I cannot make her a
liar.' 'Thou sayst sooth,' rejoined they; 'but we desire thine
advantage, and even if thou tookest service with the folk, it
were a means of thy continuance [on life].' Then each of them
brought out to him money and gave to him and clad him and fed him
and fared on with him a parasang's distance till they brought him
far from the city, and giving him to know that he was safe,
departed from him, whilst he fared on till he came forth of the
dominions of his uncle and entered those [of the king] of the
Greeks. Then he entered a village and taking up his abode
therein, betook himself to serving one there in ploughing and
sowing and the like.
As for his mother, Shah Khatoun, great was her longing for her
son and she [still] thought of him and news of him was cut off
from her, wherefore her life was troubled and she forswore sleep
and could not make mention of him before King Caesar her husband.
Now she had an eunuch who had come with her from the court of her
uncle King Suleiman Shah, and he was intelligent, quickwitted, a
man of good counsel. So she took him apart one day and said to
him, 'Thou hast been my servant from my childhood to this day;
canst thou not therefore avail to get me news of my son, for that
I cannot speak of his matter?' 'O my lady,' answered he, 'this is
an affair that thou hast concealed from the first, and were thy
son here, it would not be possible for thee to harbour him, lest
thine honour fall into suspicion with the king; for they would
never credit thee, since the news hath been spread abroad that
thy son was slain by his uncle.' Quoth she, 'The case is even as
thou sayst and thou speakest truly; but, provided I know that my
son is alive, let him be in these parts pasturing sheep and let
me not see him nor he me.' And he said to her, 'How shall we
contrive in this affair?' 'Here are my treasures and my wealth,'
answered she. 'Take all thou wilt and bring me my son or else
news of him.'
Then they agreed upon a device between them, to wit, that they
should feign an occasion in their own country, under pretext that
she had there wealth buried from the time of her husband Melik
Shah and that none knew of it but this eunuch who was with her,
wherefore it behoved that he should go and fetch it. So she
acquainted the king her husband with this and sought of him leave
for the eunuch to go: and the king granted him permission for the
journey and charged him cast about for a device, lest any get
wind of him. Accordingly, the eunuch disguised himself as a
merchant and repairing to Belehwan's city, began to enquire
concerning the youth's case; whereupon they told him that he had
been prisoned in an underground dungeon and that his uncle had
released him and dispatched him to such a place, where they had
slain him. When the eunuch heard this, it was grievous to him and
his breast was straitened and he knew not what he should do.
It chanced one day that one of the horsemen, who had fallen in
with the young Melik Shah by the water and clad him and given him
spending-money, saw the eunuch in the city, disguised as a
merchant, and recognizing him, questioned him of his case and of
[the reason of] his coming. Quoth he, 'I come to sell
merchandise.' And the horseman said, 'I will tell thee somewhat,
if thou canst keep it secret.' 'It is well,' answered the eunuch;
'what is it?' And the other said, 'We met the king's son Melik
Shah, I and certain of the Arabs who were with me, and saw him by
such a water and gave him spending-money and sent him towards the
land of the Greeks, near his mother, for that we feared for him,
lest his uncle Belehwan should kill him.' Then he told him all
that had passed between them, whereupon the eunuch's countenance
changed and he said to the cavalier, 'Assurance!' 'Thou shalt
have assurance,' answered the other, 'though thou come in quest
of him.' And the eunuch rejoined, saying, 'Truly, that is my
errand, for there abideth no repose for his mother, lying down or
rising up, and she hath sent me to seek news of him.' Quoth the
cavalier, 'Go in safety, for he is in a [certain] part of the
land of the Greeks, even as I said to thee.'
The eunuch thanked him and blessed him and mounting, returned
upon his way, following the trace, whilst the cavalier rode with
him to a certain road, when he said to him, 'This is where we
left him.' Then he took leave of him and returned to his own
city, whilst the eunuch fared on along the road, enquiring of the
youth in every village he entered by the description which the
cavalier had given him, and he ceased not to do thus till he came
to the village where the young Melik Shah was. So he entered and
lighting down therein, made enquiry after the prince, but none
gave him news of him; whereat he abode perplexed concerning his
affair and addressed himself to depart. Accordingly he mounted
his horse [and set out homeward]; but, as he passed through the
village, he saw a cow bound with a rope and a youth asleep by her
side, with the end of the halter in his hand; so he looked at him
and passed on and took no heed of him in his heart; but presently
he stopped and said in himself; 'If he of whom I am in quest be
come to the like [of the condition] of yonder sleeping youth, by
whom I passed but now, how shall I know him? Alas, the length of
my travail and weariness! How shall I go about in quest of a
wight whom I know not and whom, if I saw him face to face, I
should not know?'
Then he turned back, pondering upon that sleeping youth, and
coming to him, as he slept, lighted down from his horse and sat
down by him. He fixed his eyes upon his face and considered him
awhile and said in himself, 'For aught I know, this youth may be
Melik Shah.' And he fell a-hemming and saying, 'Harkye, O youth!'
Whereupon the sleeper awoke and sat up; and the eunuch said to
him, 'Who is thy father in this village and where is thy
dwelling?' The youth sighed and answered, 'I am a stranger;' and
the eunuch said, 'From what land art thou and who is thy father?'
Quoth the other, 'I am from such a land,' and the eunuch ceased
not to question him and he to answer him, till he was certified
of him and knew him. So he rose and embraced him and kissed him
and wept over his case. Moreover, he told him that he was going
about in quest of him and informed him that he was come privily
from the king his mother's husband and that his mother would be
content [to know] that he was alive and well, though she saw him
not.
Then he re-entered the village and buying the prince a horse,
mounted him thereon and they ceased not going, till they came to
the frontier of their own country, where there fell robbers upon
them by the way and took all that was with them and pinioned
them; after which they cast them into a pit hard by the road and
went away and left them to die there, and indeed they had cast
many folk into that pit and they had died.
The eunuch fell a-weeping in the pit and the youth said to him,
'What is this weeping and what shall it profit here?' Quoth the
eunuch, 'I weep not for fear of death, but of pity for thee and
the sorriness of thy case and because of thy mother's heart and
for that which thou hast suffered of horrors and that thy death
should be this abject death, after the endurance of all manner
stresses.' But the youth said, 'That which hath betided me was
forewrit to me and that which is written none hath power to
efface; and if my term be advanced, none may avail to defer
it.'[FN#136] Then they passed that night and the following day
and the next night and the next day [in the pit], till they were
weak with hunger and came near upon death and could but groan
feebly.
Now it befell, by the ordinance of God the Most High and His
providence, that Caesar, king of the Greeks, the husband of Melik
Shah's mother Shah Khatoun, [went forth to the chase that day].
He started a head of game, he and his company, and chased it,
till they came up with it by that pit, whereupon one of them
lighted down from his horse, to slaughter it, hard by the mouth
of the pit. He heard a sound of low moaning from the bottom of
the pit} so he arose and mounting his horse, waited till the
troops were assembled. Then he acquainted the king with this and
he bade one of his servants [descend into the pit]. So the man
descended and brought out the youth [and the eunuch], aswoon.
They cut their bonds and poured wine into their gullets, till
they came to themselves, when the king looked at the eunuch and
recognizing him, said, 'Harkye, such an one!' 'Yes, O my lord the
king,' replied the man and prostrated himself to him; whereat the
king marvelled with an exceeding wonder and said to him, 'How
earnest thou to this place and what hath befallen thee?" Quoth
the eunuch, 'I went and took out the treasure and brought it
hither; but the [evil] eye was behind me and I unknowing. So the
thieves took us alone here and seized the money and cast us into
this pit, so we might die of hunger, even as they had done with
other than we; but God the Most High sent thee, in pity to us.'
The king marvelled, he and his company, and praised God the Most
High for that he had come thither; after which he turned to the
eunuch and said to him, 'What is this youth thou hast with thee?'
'O king,' answered he, 'this is the son of a nurse who belonged
to us and we left him little. I saw him to-day and his mother
said to me, 'Take him with thee.' So I brought him with me, that
he might be a servant to the king, for that he is an adroit and
quickwitted youth.' Then the king fared on, he and his company,
and the eunuch and the youth with them, what while he questioned
the former of Belehwan and his dealing with his subjects, and he
answered, saying, 'As thy head liveth, O king, the folk with him
are in sore straits and not one of them desireth to look on him,
gentle or simple.'
[When the king returned to his palace,] he went in to his wife
Shah Khatoun and said to her, 'I give thee the glad news of thine
eunuch's return.' And he told her what had betided and of the
youth whom he had brought with him. When she heard this, her wits
fled and she would have cried out, but her reason restrained her,
and the king said to her, 'What is this? Art thou overcome with
grief for [the loss of] the treasure or [for that which hath
befallen] the eunuch?' 'Nay, as thy head liveth, O king!'
answered she. 'But women are fainthearted.' Then came the servant
and going in to her, told her all that had befallen him and
acquainted her with her son's case also and with that which he
had suffered of stresses and how his uncle had exposed him to
slaughter and he had been taken prisoner and they had cast him
into the pit and hurled him from the top of the citadel and how
God had delivered him from these perils, all of them; and he went
on to tell her [all that had betided him], whilst she wept.
Then said she to him, 'When the king saw him and questioned thee
of him, what saidst thou to him?' And he answered, 'I said to
him, "This is the son of a nurse who belonged to us. We left him
little and he grew up; so I brought him, that he might be servant
to the king,"' Quoth she, 'Thou didst well.' And she charged him
to be instant in the service of the prince. As for the king, he
redoubled in kindness to the eunuch and appointed the youth a
liberal allowance and he abode going in to the king's house and
coming out therefrom and standing in his service, and every day
he grew in favour with him; whilst, as for Shah Khatoun, she used
to stand a-watch for him at the windows and balconies and gaze
upon him, and she on coals of fire on his account, yet could she
not speak.
On this wise she abode a great while and indeed yearning for him
came nigh to slay her; so she stood and watched for him one day
at the door of her chamber and straining him to her bosom, kissed
him on the cheek and breast. At this moment, out came the master
of the king's household and seeing her embracing the youth, abode
amazed. Then he asked to whom that chamber belonged and was
answered, 'To Shah Khatoun, wife of the king,' whereupon he
turned back, trembling as [one smitten by] a thunderbolt. The
king saw him quaking and said to him, 'Out on thee! what is the
matter?' 'O king,' answered he, 'what matter is graver than that
which I see?' 'What seest thou?' asked the king and the officer
said, 'I see that yonder youth, who came with the eunuch, he
brought not with him but on account of Shah Khatoun; for that I
passed but now by her chamber door, and she was standing,
watching; [and when the youth came up,] she rose to him and
clipped him and kissed him on his cheek.'
When the king heard this, he bowed [his head] in amazement and
perplexity and sinking into a seat, clutched at his beard and
shook it, till he came nigh to pluck it out. Then he arose
forthright and laid hands on the youth and clapped him in prison.
Moreover, he took the eunuch also and cast them both into an
underground dungeon in his house, after which he went in to Shah
Khatoun and said to her, 'Thou hast done well, by Allah, O
daughter of nobles, O thou whom kings sought in marriage, for the
excellence of thy repute and the goodliness of the reports of
thee! How fair is thy semblance! May God curse her whose inward
is the contrary of her outward, after the likeness of thy base
favour, whose outward is comely and its inward foul, fair face
and foul deeds! Verily, I mean to make of thee and of yonder
good-for-nought an example among the folk, for that thou sentest
not thine eunuch but of intent on his account, so that he took
him and brought him into my house and thou hast trampled my head
with him; and this is none other than exceeding hardihood; but
thou shall see what I will do with you.'
So saying, he spat in her face and went out from her; whilst Shah
Khatoun made him no answer, knowing that, if she spoke at that
time, he would not credit her speech. Then she humbled herself in
supplication to God the Most High and said, 'O God the Great,
Thou knowest the hidden things and the outward parts and the
inward' If an advanced term[FN#137] be [appointed] to me, let it
not be deferred, and if a deferred one, let it not be advanced!'
On this wise she passed some days, whilst the king fell into
perplexity and forswore meat and drink and sleep and abode
knowing not what he should do and saying [in himself], 'If I kill
the eunuch and the youth, my soul will not be solaced, for they
are not to blame, seeing that she sent to fetch him, and my heart
will not suffer me to slay them all three. But I will not be
hasty in putting them to death, for that I fear repentance.' Then
he left them, so he might look into the affair.
Now he had a nurse, a foster-mother, on whose knees he had been
reared, and she was a woman of understanding and misdoubted of
him, but dared not accost him [with questions]. So she went in to
Shah Khatoun and finding her in yet sorrier plight than he, asked
her what was to do; but she refused to answer. However, the nurse
gave not over coaxing and questioning her, till she exacted of
her an oath of secrecy. So the old woman swore to her that she
would keep secret all that she should say to her, whereupon the
queen related to her her history from first to last and told her
that the youth was her son. With this the old woman prostrated
herself before her and said to her, 'This is an easy matter.' But
the queen answered, saying, 'By Allah, O my mother, I choose my
destruction and that of my son rather than defend myself by
avouching a thing whereof they will not credit me; for they will
say, "She avoucheth this, but that she may fend off reproach from
herself" And nought will avail me but patience.' The old woman
was moved by her speech and her intelligence and said to her,
'Indeed, O my daughter, it is as thou sayst, and I hope in God
that He will show forth the truth. Have patience and I will
presently go in to the king and hear what he saith and contrive
somewhat in this matter, if it be the will of God the Most High.'
Then she arose and going in to the king, found him with his head
between his knees, and he lamenting. So she sat down by him
awhile and bespoke him with soft words and said to him, 'Indeed,
O my son, thou consumest mine entrails, for that these [many]
days thou hast not mounted to horse, and thou lamentest and I
know not what aileth thee.' 'O my mother,' answered he, '[this my
chagrin] is due to yonder accursed woman, of whom I still deemed
well and who hath done thus and thus.' Then he related to her the
whole story from first to last, and she said to him, 'This thy
concern is on account of a worthless woman.' Quoth he, 'I was but
considering by what death I should slay them, so the folk may [be
admonished by their fate and] repent.' And she said, 'O my son,
beware of haste, for it engendereth repentance and the slaying of
them will not escape [thee]. When thou art assured of this
affair, do what thou wilt.' 'O my mother,' rejoined he; 'there
needeth no assurance concerning him for whom she despatched her
eunuch and he fetched him.'
But she said, 'There is a thing wherewith we will make her
confess, and all that is in her heart shall be discovered to
thee.' 'What is that?' asked the king, and she answered, 'I will
bring thee a hoopoe's heart,[FN#138] which, when she sleepeth, do
thou lay upon her heart and question her of all thou wilt, and
she will discover this unto thee and show forth the truth to
thee." The king rejoiced in this and said to his nurse, 'Hasten
and let none know of thee.' So she arose and going in to the
queen, said to her, 'I have done thine occasion and it is on this
wise. This night the king will come in to thee and do thou feign
thyself asleep; and if he ask thee of aught, do thou answer him,
as if in thy sleep.' The queen thanked her and the old woman went
away and fetching the hoopoe's heart, gave it to the king.
Hardly was the night come, when he went in to his wife and found
her lying back, [apparently] asleep; so he sat down by her side
and laying the hoopoe's heart on her breast, waited awhile, so he
might be certified that she slept. Then said he to her, 'Shah
Khatoun, Shah Khatoun, is this my recompense from thee?' Quoth
she, 'What offence have I committed?' And he, 'What offence can
be greater than this? Thou sentest after yonder youth and
broughtest him hither, on account of the desire of thy heart, so
thou mightest do with him that for which thou lustedst.' 'I know
not desire,' answered she. 'Verily, among thy servants are those
who are comelier and handsomer than he; yet have I never desired
one of them.' 'Why, then,' asked he, 'didst thou lay hold of him
and kiss him!' And she said, 'This is my son and a piece of my
heart; and of my longing and love for him, I could not contain
myself, but sprang upon him and kissed him.' When the king heard
this, he was perplexed and amazed and said to her, 'Hast thou a
proof that this youth is thy son? Indeed, I have a letter from
thine uncle King Suleiman Shah, [wherein he giveth me to know]
that his unck Belehwan cut his throat.' 'Yes,' answered she, 'he
did indeed cut his throat, but severed not the windpipe; so my
uncle sewed up the wound and reared him, [and he lived,] for that
his hour was not come.'
When the king heard this, he said, 'This proof sufficeth me,' and
rising forthright in the night, let bring the youth and the
eunuch. Then he examined the former's throat with a candle and
saw [the scar where] it [had been] cut from ear to ear, and
indeed the place had healed up and it was like unto a
stretched-out thread. Therewithal the king fell down prostrate to
God, [in thanksgiving to Him] for that He had delivered the
prince from all these perils and from the stresses that he had
undergone, and rejoiced with an exceeding joy for that he had
wrought deliberately and had not made haste to slay him, in which
case sore repentance had betided him. As for the youth,"
continued the young treasurer, "he was not saved but because his
term was deferred, and on like wise, O king, is it with me; I too
have a deferred term, which I shall attain, and a period which I
shall accomplish, and I trust in God the Most High that He will
give me the victory over these wicked viziers."
When the youth had made an end of his speech, the king said,
"Carry him back to the prison;" and when they had done this, he
turned to the viziers and said to them, "Yonder youth looseth his
tongue upon you, but I know your affectionate solicitude for the
welfare of my empire and your loyal counsel to me; so be of good
heart, for all that ye counsel me I will do." When they heard
tnese words, they rejoiced and each of them said his say Then
said the king, "I have not deferred his slaughter but to the
intent that the talk might be prolonged and that words might
abound, and I desire [now] that ye sit up for him a gibbet
without the town and make proclamation among the folk that they
assemble and take him and carry him in procession to the gibbet,
with the crier crying before him and saying, 'This is the
recompense of him whom the king delighted to favour and who hath
betrayed him!'" The viziers rejoiced, when they heard this, and
slept not that night, of their joy; and they made proclamation in
the city and set up the gibbet.
The Eleventh Day.