protection and security and a lightener of their loads in taxes
and tithes. And indeed he was loving to them each and every, high
and low, entreating them with kindness and solicitude and
governing them in such goodly guise as none had done before him.
But, with all this, Almighty Allah had not blessed him with a
child, and this was grievous to him and to the people of his
reign. It chanced, one night, as Jali'ad[FN#59] lay in his bed,
occupied with anxious thought of the issue of the affair of his
Kingdom, that sleep overcame him and he dreamt that he poured
water upon the roots of a tree,--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn
of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Nine Hundredth Night,

She continued: It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the
King saw himself in his vision pouring water upon the roots of a
tree, about which were many other trees; and lo and behold! there
came fire out of this tree and burnt up every growth which
encompassed it; whereupon Jali'ad awoke affrighted and trembling,
and calling one of his pages said to him, "Go fetch the Wazir
Shimas in all haste." So he betook himself to Shimas and said to
him, "The King calleth for thee forthright because he hath awoke
from his sleep in fright and hath sent me to bring thee to him in
haste." When Shimas heard this, he arose without stay or delay
and going to the King, found him seated on his bed. He prostrated
himself before him, wishing him permanence of glory and
prosperity, and said, "May Allah not cause thee grieve, O King!
What hath troubled thee this night, and what is the cause of thy
seeking me thus in haste?" The King bade him be seated; and, as
soon as he sat down, began telling his tale and said to him, "I