INTRODUCTION.

I now commence my tale; pay attention to it, and be just to its
merits. In the "Adventures of the Four Darwesh, [43]" it is thus
written, and the narrator has related, that formerly in the Empire of
_Rum_ [44] there reigned a great king, in whom were innate justice
equal to that of _Naushirwan_, [45] and generosity like that of
_Hatim_. [46] His name was _Azad-Bakht_, and his imperial residence
was at Constantinople, [47] (which they call Istambol.) In his reign
the peasant was happy, the treasury full, the army satisied, and the
poor at ease. They lived in such peace and plenty, that in their
homes the day was a festival, and the night was a _shabi barat_
[48]. Thieves, robbers, pickpockets, swindlers, and all such as
were vicious and dishonest, he utterly exterminated, and no vestige
of them allowed he to remain in his kingdom. [49] The doors of the
houses were unshut all night, and the shops of the _bazar_ remained
open. The travellers and wayfarers chinked gold as they went along,
over plains and through woods; and no one asked them, "How many teeth
have you in your mouth," [50] or "Where are you going?"

There were thousands of cities in that king's dominions, and many
princes paid him tribute. Though he was so great a king, he never for
a moment neglected his duties or his prayers to God. He possessed
all the necessary comforts of this world; but male issue, which is
the fruit of life, was not in the garden of his destiny, for which
reason he was often pensive and sorrowful, and after the five [51]
regulated periods of prayer, he used to address himself to his Creator
and say, "O God! thou hast, through thy infinite goodness blest thy
weak creature with every comfort, but thou hast given no light to
this dark abode. [52] This desire alone is unaccomplished, that I