There was once a king named Sulayman Sháh, who was goodly of
policy and rede, and he had a brother who died and left a
daughter; so Sulayman Shah reared her with the best of rearing
and the girl became a model of reason and perfection, nor was
there in her time a more beautiful than she. Now the king had two
sons, one of whom he had appointed in his mind to wed her, while
the other purposed to take her. The elder son's name was
Bahluwán[FN#232] and that of the younger Malik Sháh[FN#233], and
the girl was called Sháh Khátún. Now one day, King Sulayman 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 late father who hath found mercy; wherefore I purpose
espousing thee to one of my sons and appointing him my heir
apparent, so he may be king after me. Look, then, which thou wilt
have of my sons,[FN#234] for that thou hast been reared with them
and knowest them." The maiden arose and kissing his hand, said to
him, "O my lord, I am thine hand-maid and thou art the ruler over
me; so whatever liketh thee do that same, inasmuch as thy wish is
higher and honourabler and holier than mine and if thou wouldst
have me serve thee as a hand-maid for the rest of my life, 'twere
fairer to me than any mate." The king commended her speech and
conferred on her a robe of honour and gave her magnificent gifts;
after which, his choice having fallen upon his younger son, Malik
Shah, he wedded her with him and made him his heir apparent and
bade the folk swear fealty to him. When this reached his brother
Bahluwan and he was ware that his younger brother had by favour
been preferred over him, his breast was straitened and the affair
was sore to him and envy entered into him and hate; but he hid
this in his heart, whilst fire raged therein because of the
damsel and the dominion. Meanwhile Shah Khatun went in bridal
splendour to the king's son and conceived by him and bare a son,
as he were the illuming moon. When Bahluwan saw this betide his
brother, envy and jealousy overcame him; so he went in one night
to his father's palace and coming to his brother's chamber, saw
the nurse sleeping at the door, with the cradle before her and
therein his brother's child asleep. Bahluwan stood by him and
fell to looking upon his face, whose radiance was as that of the
moon, and Satan insinuated himself into his heart, so that he
bethought himself and said, "Why be not this babe mine? Verily, I
am worthier of him than my brother; yea, and of the damsel and
the dominion." Then the idea got the mastery of him and anger
drave 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 Princess by his side, and
thought to slay her, but said to himself, "I will leave the
girl-wife for myself." Then he went up to his brother and cutting
his throat, parted head from body, after which he left him and
went away. But now the world was straitened upon him and his life
was a light matter to him and he sought the lodging of his sire
Sulayman Shah, that he might slay him also, but could not get
admission 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 fortalices and therein fortified himself. On this
wise it was with him; but as regards the nurse, she presently
awoke that she might give the child suck, and seeing the cradle
running with blood, cried out; whereupon the sleepers started up
and the king was aroused and making for the place, found the
child with his throat cut and the bed running over with blood and
his father dead with a slit weasand in his sleeping chamber. They
examined the child and found life in him and his windpipe whole
and they sewed up the place of the wound: then the king sought
his son Bahluwan, but found him not and saw that he had fled; so
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 Khatun. Thereupon the king laid out his son Malik Shah
and buried him and made him a mighty funeral and they mourned
with passing sore mourning; after which he applied himself to
rearing the infant. As for Bahluwan, 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 fondness upon the
child and used to rear him on his knees and supplicate Almighty
Allah that he might live, so he might commit the command 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 prayed
for him length of life, that he might take vengeance for his
father[FN#235] and heal his grandsire's heart. Meanwhile,
Bahluwan the rebel[FN#236] addressed himself to pay court to
Cæsar, king of the Roum[FN#237] and crave aid of him in
debelling his father, and he inclined unto him and gave him a
numerous army. His sire the king hearing of this sent to Cæsar,
saying, "O glorious king of might illustrious, succour not an
evil doer. This is my son and he hath done so and so and cut his
brother's throat and that of his brother's son in the cradle."
But he told not the king of the Roum that the child had recovered
and was alive. When Cæsar heard the truth of the matter, it was
grievous to him as grievous could be, and he sent back to
Sulayman Shah, saying, "An it be thy wish, O king, I will cut off
his head and send it to thee." But he made answer, saying, "I
care naught for him: soon and surely the reward of his deed and
his crimes shall overtake him, if not to-day, then tomorrow." And
from that date he continued to exchange letters and presents with
Cæsar. Now the king of the Roum heard tell of the widowed
Princess[FN#238] and of the beauty and loveliness wherewith she
was endowed, wherefore his heart clave to her and he sent to seek
her in wedlock of Sulayman Shah, who could not refuse him. So he
arose and going in to Shah Khatun, said to her, "O my daughter,
the king of the Roum hath sent to me to seek thee in marriage.
What sayst thou?" She wept and replied, "O king, how canst thou
find it in thy heart to address me thus? As for me, abideth there
husband for me, after the son of my uncle?" Rejoined the king, "O
my daughter, 'tis indeed as thou sayest; but here let us look to
the issues of affairs. I must now take compt of death, for that I
am a man shot in years and fear not save for thee and for thy
little son; and indeed I have written to the king of the Roum and
others of the kings and said, His uncle slew him, and said not
that he had recovered and is living, but concealed his affair.
Now the king of the Roum hath 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#239] And she was silent and spake
not. So King Sulayman Shah made answer to Cæsar with "Hearing
and obeying." Then he arose and despatched her to him, and Cæsar
went in to her and found her passing the description wherewith
they had described her; wherefore he loved her every day more and
more and preferred her over all his women and his affection for
Sulayman Shah was increased; but Shah Khatun's heart still clave
to her child and she could say naught. As for Sulayman Shah's
son, the rebel Bahluwan, when he saw that Shah Khatun had married
the king of the Roum, this was grievous to him and he despaired
of her. Meanwhile, his father Sulayman Shah watched over the
child and cherished him and named him Malik Shah, after the name
of his sire. When he reached the age of ten, he made the folk do
homage to him and appointed him his heir apparent, and after some
days, the old king's time for paying the debt of nature drew near
and he died. Now a party of the troops had banded themselves
together for Bahluwan; so they sent to him, and bringing him
privily, went in to the little Malik Shah and seized him and
seated his uncle Bahluwan on the throne of kingship. Then they
proclaimed him king and did homage to him all, saying, "Verily,
we desire thee and deliver to thee the throne of kingship; but we
wish of thee that thou slay not thy brother's son, because we are
still bounden by the oaths we sware to his sire and his grandsire
and the covenants we made with them." So Bahluwan granted this to
them and imprisoned the boy in an underground dungeon and
straitened him. Presently, the grievous news reached his mother
and this was to her a fresh grief; but she could not speak and
committed her affair to Allah Almighty, for that she durst not
name this to King Cæsar her spouse, lest she should make her
uncle King Sulayman Shah a liar. But as regards Bahluwan the
Rebel, he abode king in his father's place and his affairs
prospered, while young Malik Shah lay in the souterrain four
full-told years, till his favour faded and his charms changed.
When He (extolled and exalted be He!) willed to relieve him and
to bring him forth of the prison, Bahluwan sat one day with his
chief Officers and the Lords of his land and discoursed with them
of the story of his sire, King Sulayman Shah and what was in his
heart. Now there were present certain Wazirs, men of worth, and
they said to him, "O king, verily Allah hath been bountiful to
thee and hath brought thee to thy wish, so that thou art become
king in thy father's place and hast won whatso thou wishedst.
But, as for this youth, there is no guilt in him, because he,
from the day of his coming into the world, hath seen neither ease
nor pleasure, and indeed his favour is faded and his charms
changed. What is his crime that he should merit such pains and
penalties? Indeed, others than he were to blame, and hereto Allah
hath given thee the victory over them, and there is no fault in
this poor lad." Quoth Bahluwan, "Verily, 'tis as ye say; but I
fear his machinations and am not safe from his mischief; haply
the most part of the folk will incline unto him." They replied,
"O king, what is this boy and what power hath he? An thou fear
him, send him to one of the frontiers." And Bahluwan said, "Ye
speak sooth; so we will send him as captain of war to reduce one
of the outlying stations." Now over against the place in question
was a host of enemies, hard of heart, and in this he designed the
slaughter of the youth; so he bade bring him forth of the
underground dungeon and caused him draw near to him and saw his
case. Then he robed him, whereat the folk rejoiced, and bound for
him the banners[FN#240] and, giving him a mighty many, despatched
him to the quarter aforesaid, whither all who went or were slain
or were taken. Accordingly Malik Shah fared thither with his
force and when it was one of the days, behold, the enemy attacked
them in the night; whereupon some of his men fled and the rest
the enemy captured; and they seized Malik Shah also and cast him
into a pit with a company of his men. His fellows mourned over
his beauty and loveliness and there he abode a whole twelvemonth
in evillest plight. Now at the beginning of every year it was the
enemy's wont to bring forth their prisoners and cast them down
from the top of the citadel to the bottom; so at the customed
time they brought them forth and cast them down, and Malik Shah
with them. However, he fell upon the other men and the ground
touched him not, for his term was God-guarded. But those who were
cast down there were slain upon the spot and their bodies ceased
not to lie there till the wild beasts ate them and the winds
scattered their bones. Malik Shah abode strown in his place and
aswoon, all that day and that night, and when he revived and
found himself safe and sound, he thanked Allah the Most High for
his safety and rising, left the place. He gave not over walking,
unknowing whither he went and dieting upon the leaves of the
trees; and by day he hid himself where he might and fared on at
hazard all his night; and thus he did for some days, till he came
to a populous part and seeing folk there, accosted them. He
acquainted them with his case, giving them to know that he had
been prisoned in the fortress and that they had thrown him down,
but Almighty Allah had saved him and brought him off alive. The
people had ruth on him and gave him to eat and drink and he abode
with them several days; then he questioned them of the way that
led to the kingdom of his uncle Bahluwan, but told them not that
he was his father's brother. So they showed him the road and he
ceased not to go barefoot, till he drew near his uncle's capital,
naked, anhungered, and indeed his limbs were lean and his colour
changed. He sat down at the city gate, when behold, up came a
company of King Bahluwan's chief officers, who were out a-hunting
and wished to water their horses. They lighted down to rest and
the youth accosted them, saying, "I would ask you of somewhat
that ye may acquaint me therewith." Quoth they, "Ask what thou
wilt;" and quoth he, "Is King Bahluwan well?" They derided him
and replied, "What a fool art thou, O youth! Thou art a stranger
and a beggar, and whence art thou that thou should'st question
concerning the king?"[FN#241] Cried he, "In very sooth, he is my
uncle;" whereat they marvelled and said, "'Twas one
catch-question[FN#242] and now 'tis become two." Then said they
to him, "O youth, it is as if thou wert Jinn-mad. Whence comest
thou to claim kinship with the king? Indeed, we know not that he
hath any kith and kin save a nephew, a brother's son, who was
prisoned with him, and he despatched him to wage war upon the
infidels, so that they slew him." Said Malik Shah, "I am he and
they slew me not, but there befel me this and that." They knew
him forthwith and rising to him, kissed his hands and rejoiced in
him and said to him, "O our lord, thou art indeed a king and the
son of a king, and we desire thee naught but good and we pray for
thy continuance. Look how Allah hath rescued thee from this
wicked uncle, who sent thee to a place whence none ever came off
safe and sound, purposing not in this but thy destruction; and
indeed thou fellest upon death from which Allah delivered thee.
How, then, wilt thou return and cast thyself again into thine
foeman's hand? By Allah, save thyself and return not to him this
second time. Haply thou shalt abide upon the face of the earth
till it please Almighty Allah to receive thee; but, an thou fall
again into his hand, he will not suffer thee to live a single
hour." The Prince thanked them and said to them, "Allah reward
you with all weal, for indeed ye give me loyal counsel; but
whither would ye have me wend?" Quoth they, "To the land of the
Roum, the abiding place of thy mother." "But," quoth he, "My
grandfather Sulayman Shah, when the king of the Roum wrote to him
demanding my mother in marriage, hid my affair and secreted my
secret; and she hath done the same, and I cannot make her a
liar." Rejoined they, "Thou sayst sooth, but we desire thine
advantage, and even wert thou to take service with the folk,
'twere a means of thy continuance." Then each and every of them
brought out to him money and gave him a modicum and clad him and
fed him and fared on with him the length of a parasang, till they
brought him far from the city, and letting him know that he was
safe, departed from him, whilst he journeyed till he came forth
of his uncle's reign and entered the dominion of the Roum. Then
he made a village and taking up his abode therein, applied
himself to serving one there in earing and seeding and the like.
As for his mother, Shah Khatun, great was her longing for her
child and she thought of him ever and news of him was cut off
from her, so her life was troubled and she foresware sleep and
could not make mention of him before King Cæsar her spouse. Now
she had a Castrato who had come with her from the court of her
uncle King Sulayman Shah, and he was intelligent, quick-witted,
right-reded. So she took him apart one day and said to him,
shedding tears the while, "Thou hast been my Eunuch from my
childhood to this day; canst thou not therefore get me tidings of
my son, seeing that I cannot speak of his matter?" He replied, "O
my lady, this is an affair which thou hast concealed from the
commencement, and were thy son here, 'twould not be possible for
thee to entertain him, lest[FN#243] thine honour be smirched with
the king; for they would never credit thee, since the news hath
been bruited abroad that thy son was slain by his uncle." Quoth
she, "The case is even as thou sayst and thou speaketh sooth;
but, provided I know that my son is alive, let him be in these
parts pasturing sheep and let me not sight him nor he sight me."
He asked, "How shall we manage in this matter?" and she answered,
"Here be my treasures and my wealth: take all thou wilt and bring
me my son or else tidings of him." Then they devised a device
between them, which was that they should feign some business in
their own country, to wit that she had wealth there buried from
the time of her husband, Malik Shah, and that none knew of it but
this Eunuch who was with her, so it behoved him to go fetch it.
Accordingly she acquainted the king her husband with that and
sought his permit for the Eunuch to fare: and the king granted
him leave of absence for the journey and charged him devise a
device, lest he come to grief. The Castrato, therefore, disguised
himself in merchant's habit and repairing to Bahluwan's city,
began to make espial concerning the youth's case; whereupon they
told him that he had been prisoned in a souterrain and that his
uncle had released him and despatched him to such a place, where
they had slain him. When the Eunuch heard this, the mishap was
grievous to him and his breast was straitened and he knew not
what to do. It chanced one day of the days that a certain of the
horsemen, who had fallen in with the young Malik Shah by the
water and clad him and given him spending-money, saw the Eunuch in
the city, habited as a merchant, and recognising him, questioned
him of his case and of the cause of his coming. Quoth he, "I came
to sell merchandise;" and quoth the horseman, "I will tell thee
somewhat, an thou canst keep it secret." Answered the Neutral,
"That I can! What is it?" and the other said, "We met the king's
son Malik Shah, I and sundry 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 Roum, near his mother, for that we feared
for him lest his uncle Bahluwan slay him." Then he told him all
that had passed between them, whereat the Eunuch's countenance
changed and he said to the cavalier "Thou art safe!" The knight
replied, "Thou also art safe though thou come in quest of him."
And the Eunuch rejoined, saying, "Truly, that is my errand: there
is no rest 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 quarter of the land of the Roum, even as I said to
thee." The Castrato thanked him and blessed him and mounting,
returned upon his road, following the trail, whilst the knight
rode with him to a certain highway, 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 in
every village he entered of the youth, by the description which
the rider had given him, and he ceased not thus to do till he
came to the village wherein was young Malik Shah. So he entered,
and dismounting, made enquiry after the Prince, but none gave him
news of him; whereat he abode perplexed concerning his affair and
made ready to depart. Accordingly he mounted his horse; but, as
he passed through the village, he saw a cow bound with a rope and
a youth asleep by her side, hending the halter in hand; so he
looked at him and passed on and heeded him not in his heart; but
presently he halted and said to himself, "An the youth whom I am
questing have become the like of this sleeping youth whom I
passed but now, how shall I know him? Alas, the length of my
travail and travel! How shall I go about in search of a somebody
I know not, one whom, if I saw him face to face I should not
know?" So saying he turned back, musing anent that sleeping
youth, and coming to him, he still sleeping, dismounted from his
mare and sat down by his side. He fixed his eyes upon his face
and considered him awhile and said in himself, "For aught I wot,
this youth may be Malik Shah;" then he began hemming and saying,
"Harkye, O youth!" Whereupon the sleeper awoke and sat up; and
the Eunuch asked him, "Who be thy father in this village and
where be thy dwelling?" The youth sighed and replied, "I am a
stranger;" and quoth the Castrato, "From what land art thou and
who is thy sire?" Quoth the other, "I am from such a land," and
the Eunuch ceased not to question him and he to answer his
queries, till he was certified of him and knew him. So he rose
and embraced him and kissed him and wept over his case: he also
told him that he was wandering about in search of him and
informed him that he was come privily from the king, his mother's
husband, and that his mother would be satisfied to weet 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 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 threw
them in a pit hard by the road and went their ways and left them
to die there; and indeed they had cast many folk into that pit
and they had perished. 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 Castrato, "I weep not for fear of death,
but of ruth for thee and the cursedness 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 ignoble death, after
the endurance of all manner dire distresses." But the youth said,
"That which hath betided me was writ to me and that which is
written none hath power to efface; and if my life-term be
advanced, none may defer it."[FN#244] Then the twain passed that
night and the following day and the next night and the next day
in the hollow, till they were weak with hunger and came nigh upon
death and could but groan feebly. Now it fortuned by the decree
of Almighty Allah and His destiny, that Cæsar, king of the
Greeks, the spouse of Malik Shah's mother Shah Khatun, went forth
a-hunting that morning. He flushed 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 hollow. He heard a sound of low
moaning from the sole of the pit; whereat 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 hollow: so the man climbed down and brought out
the youth and the Eunuch in fainting condition. They cut their
pinion-bonds and poured wine down their throats, till they came
to themselves, when the king looked at the Eunuch and recognising
him, said, "Harkye, Suchan-one!" The Castrato replied, "Yes, O my
lord the king," and prostrated himself to him; whereat the king
wondered with exceeding wonder and asked him, "How camest thou to
this place and what hath befallen thee?" The Eunuch answered, "I
went and took out the treasure and brought it thus far; 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 that we
might die the slow death of hunger, even as they had done with
others; but Allah the Most High sent thee, in pity to us." The
king marvelled, he and his, and praised the Lord for that he had
come thither; after which he turned to the Castrato and said to
him, "What is this youth thou hast with thee?" He replied, "O
king, this is the son of a nurse who belonged to us and we left
him when he was a little one. I saw him to-day and his mother
said to me, 'Take him with thee;' so this morning I brought him
that he might be a servant to the king, for that he is an adroit
youth and a clever." Then the king fared on, he and his company,
and with them the Eunuch and the youth, who questioned his
companion of Bahluwan and his dealing with his subjects, and he
replied, saying, "As thy head liveth, O my lord the king, the
folk are in sore annoy with him and not one of them wisheth a
sight of him, be they high or low." When the king returned to his
palace, he went in to his wife Shah Khatun and said to her, "I
give thee the glad tidings 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
screamed, but her reason restrained her, and the king said to
her, "What is this? Art thou overcome with grief for the loss of
the monies or for that which hath befallen the Eunuch?" Said she,
"Nay, as thy head liveth, O king, but women are weaklings." Then
came the Castrato and going in to her, told her all that had
happened to him and also acquainted her with her son's case and
with that which he had suffered of distresses 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 highmost
of the citadel and how Allah had delivered him from these perils,
all of them; and whilst he recounted to her all this, she wept.
Then she asked him, "When the king saw him and questioned thee of
him, what was it thou saidst him?" and he answered, "I said to
him, 'This is the son of a nurse who belonged to us. We left him
a little one and he grew up; so I brought him, that he might be
servant to the king.'" Cried she, "Thou didst well;" and she
charged him to serve the Prince with faithful service. As for the
king, he redoubled in kindness to the Castrato and appointed the
youth a liberal allowance and he abode going in to and coming out
of the king's house and standing in his service, and every day he
waxed better with him. As for Shah Khatun, she used to station
herself at watch for him at the windows and in the balconies and
gaze upon him, and she frying on coals of fire on his account;
yet could she not speak. In such condition she abode a long while
and indeed yearning for him was killing her; so she stood and
watched for him one day at the door of her chamber and straining
him to her bosom, bussed him on the breast and kissed him on
either cheek. At this moment, behold, out came the major-domo of
the king's household and seeing her embracing the youth, started
in amazement. Then he asked to whom that chamber belonged and was
answered, "To Shah Khatun, wife of the king," whereupon he turned
back, quaking as one smitten by a leven-bolt. The king saw him in
a tremor and said to him, "Out on thee! what is the matter?" Said
he, "O king, what matter can be more grievous than that which I
see?" Asked the king, "What seest thou?" and the officer
answered, "I see that the youth, who came with the Eunuch, was
not brought with him save on account of Shah Khatun; for 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 amazed, perplexed, and sinking into a seat, clutched at his
beard and shook it until he came nigh upon plucking it out. Then
he arose forthright and laid hands on the youth and clapped him
in jail. He also took the Eunuch and cast them both into a
souterrain under his palace. After this he went in to Shah Khatun
and said to her, "Brava, by Allah, O daughter of nobles. O thou
whom kings sought to wed, for the purity of thy repute and the
fairness of the fame of thee! How seemly is thy semblance! Now
may Allah curse her whose inward contrarieth her outward, after
the likeness of thy base favour, whose exterior is handsome and
its interior fulsome, face fair and deeds foul! Verily, I mean to
make of thee and of yonder ne'er-do-well an example among the
lieges, for that thou sentest not thine Eunuch but of intent on
his account, so that he took him and brought him into my palace
and thou hast trampled[FN#245] my head with him; and this is none
other than exceeding boldness; but thou shalt see what I will do
with you all." So saying, he spat in her face and went out from
her; whilst Shah Khatun said nothing, well knowing that, an she
spoke at that time, he would not credit her speech. Then she
humbled herself in supplication to Allah Almighty and said, "O
God the Great, Thou knowest the things by secrecy ensealed and
their outwards revealed and their inwards concealed! If an
advanced life-term 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 bewilderment and
forsware meat and drink and sleep, and abode knowing not what he
should do and saying to himself, "An I slay 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 careth not to
kill them all three. But I will not be hasty in doing them die,
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 suspected him, yet dared not question him. So she went in to
Shah Khatun and finding her in yet sadder 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 swore her to
concealment. Accordingly, the old woman made oath that she would
keep secret all that she should say to her, whereupon the Queen
to her related her history, first and 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 a right easy matter." But
the Queen replied, "By Allah, O my mother, I prefer my
destruction and that of my son to defending myself by a plea
which they will not believe; for they will say, 'She pleadeth
this only that she may fend off shame from herself.' And naught
will profit me save long-suffering." The old woman was moved by
her speech and her wisdom and said to her, "Indeed, O my
daughter, 'tis as thou sayest, and I hope in Allah that He will
show forth the truth. Have patience and I will presently go in to
the king and hear his words and machinate somewhat in this
matter, Inshallah!" Thereupon the ancient dame arose and going into the king, found him with his head between his knees in sore
pain of sorrow. She sat down by him awhile and bespake him with
soft words and said to him,[FN#246] "Indeed, O my son, thou
consumest my vitals, for that these many days thou hast not
mounted horse, and thou grievest and I know not what aileth
thee." He replied, "O my mother, all is due to yonder accursed,
of whom I deemed so well and who hath done this and that." Then
he related to her the whole story from beginning to end, and she
cried to him, "This thy chagrin is on account of a
no-better-than-she-should-be!" Quoth he, "I was but considering
by what death I should slay them, so the folk may take warning
and repent." And quoth she, "O my son, 'ware precipitance, for it
gendereth repentance and the slaying of them shall not escape
thee. When thou art assured of this affair, do whatso thou
willest." He rejoined, "O my mother, there needeth no assurance
anent him for whom she despatched her Eunuch and he fetched him."
But she retorted, "There is a thing wherewith we will make her
confess,[FN#247] and all that is in her heart shall be discovered
to thee." Asked the king, "What is that?" and she answered, "I
will bring thee the heart of a hoopoe,[FN#248] which, when she
sleepeth, do thou lay upon her bosom and question her of
everything thou wouldst know, and she will discover the same unto
thee and show forth the truth to thee." The king rejoiced in this
and said to his nurse, "Hasten thou and let none know of thee."
So she arose and going in to the Queen, said to her, "I have done
thy business and 'tis as follows. This night the king will come
in to thee and do thou seem asleep; and if he ask thee of aught,
do thou answer him, as if in thy sleep." The Queen thanked her
and the old dame went away and fetching the bird's heart, gave it
to the king. Hardly was the night come, when he went in to his
wife and found her lying back, a-slumbering; so he sat down by
her side and laying the hoopoe's heart on her breast, waited
awhile, so he might be assured that she slept. Then said he to
her, "Shah Khatun,[FN#249] Shah Khatun, is this my reward from
thee?" Quoth she, "What offence have I committed?" and quoth he,
"What offence can be greater than this? Thou sentest after yonder
youth and broughtest him hither, on account of the lust of thy
heart, so thou mightest do with him that for which thou
lustedst." Said she, "I know not carnal desire. Verily, among thy
pages are those who are comelier and seemlier than he; yet have I
never desired one of them." He asked "Why, then, didst thou lay
hold of him and kiss him?" And she answered, "This youth is my
son and a piece of my liver; and of my longing and affection for
him, I could not contain myself, but sprang upon him and kissed
him." When the king heard this, he was dazed 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 Sulayman Shah, informing me
that his uncle Bahluwan cut his throat." Said she "Yes, he did
indeed cut his throat, but severed not the wind-pipe; so my uncle
sewed up the wound and reared him, for that his life-term was not
come." When the king heard this, he said, "This proof sufficeth
me," and rising forthright in the night, bade bring the youth and
the Eunuch. Then he examined his stepson'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 a thread stretched
out. Thereupon the king fell down prostrate before Allah, who had
delivered the Prince from all these perils and from the
distresses he had suffered, and rejoiced with joy exceeding
because he had delayed and had not made haste to slay him, in
which case mighty sore repentance had betided him.[FN#250] "As
for the youth," continued the young treasurer, "he was not saved
but because his life-term was deferred, and in like manner, O
king, 'tis with me: I too have a deferred term, which I shall
attain, and a period which I shall accomplish, and I trust in
Almighty Allah that He will give me the victory over these
villain Wazirs." When the youth had made an end of his speech,
the king said, "Restore him to the prison;" and when they had
done this, he turned to the Ministers and said to them, "Yonder
youth lengtheneth his tongue upon you, but I know your tenderness
for the weal of mine empire and your loyal counsel to me; so be
of good heart, for all that ye advise me I will do." They
rejoiced when they heard these words, and each of them said his
say. Then quoth the king, "I have not deferred his slaughter but
to the intent that the talk might be prolonged and that words
might abound, yet shall he now be slain without let or stay, and
I desire that forthright ye set up for him a gibbet without the
town and that the crier cry among the folk bidding them assemble
and take him and carry him in procession to the gibbet, with the
crier crying before him and saying, 'This is the reward of him
whom the king delighted to favour and who hath betrayed him!'"
The Wazirs rejoiced when they heard this, and for their joy slept
not that night; and they made proclamation in the city and set up
the gallows.
The Eleventh Day.
Of the Speedy Relief of Allah.
When it was the eleventh day, the Wazirs repaired in early
morning to the king's gate and said to him, "O king, the folk are
assembled from the portals of the palace to the gibbet, to the
end they may see the king's order carried out on the youth." So
Azadbakht bade fetch the prisoner and they brought him; whereupon
the Ministers turned to him and said to him, "O vile of birth,
can any lust for life remain with thee and canst thou hope for
deliverance after this day?" Said he, "O wicked Wazirs, shall a
man of understanding renounce all esperance in Almighty Allah?
Howsoever a man be oppressed, there cometh to him deliverance
from the midst of distress and life from the midst of death, as
in the case of the prisoner and how Allah delivered him." Asked
the king, "What is his story?" and the youth answered, saying, "O
king, they tell