have dreamt this night a dream which terrified me, and 'twas,
that methought I poured water upon the roots of a tree where
about were many other trees and as I was thus engaged, lo and
behold! fire issued therefrom and burnt up all the growths that
were around it; wherefore I was affrighted and fear took me. Then
I awoke and sent to bid thee to me, because of thy knowledge and
skill in the interpretation of dreams and of that which I know of
the vastness of thy wisdom and the greatness of thine
understanding." At this Shimas the Wazir bowed his head
groundwards awhile and presently raising it, smiled; so the King
said to him, "What deemest thou, O Shimas? Tell me the truth of
the matter and hide naught from me." Answered Shimas, "O King,
verily Allah Almighty granteth thee thy wish and cooleth thine
eyes; for the matter of this dream presageth all good, to wit,
that the Lord will bless thee with a son, who shall inherit the
Kingdom from thee, after thy long life. But there is somewhat
else I desire not to expound at this present, seeing that the
time is not favourable for interpretation." The King rejoiced in
these words with exceeding joy and great was his contentment; his
trouble departed from him, his mind was at rest and he said, "If
the case be thus of the happy presage of my dream, do thou
complete to me its exposition when the fitting time betideth: for
that which it behoveth not to expound to me now, it behoveth that
thou expound to me when its time cometh, so my joy may be
fulfilled, because I seek naught in this save the approof of
Allah extolled and exalted be He!" Now when the Wazir Shimas saw
that the King was urgent to have the rest of the exposition, he
put him off with a pretext; but Jali'ad assembled all the
astrologers and interpreters of dreams of his realm and as soon
as they were in the presence related to them his vision, saying,