inclinations and apply his mind to rule and commandment, and to
further the policy of his kingdom, lest the lieges repudiate him
and rise up against him and depose him. But he would on no wise
hearken to a single of her words and persisted in his ignorant
folly; whereat the folk murmured, inasmuch as the Lords of the
land had put forth their hands to tyranny and oppression when
they saw the King lacking in regard for his Ryots. And presently
the commons rose up against Zayn al-Asnam and would have dealth
harshly with him had not his mother been a woman of wits and
wisdom and contrivance, dearly loved of the general. So she
directed the malcontents aright and promised them every good:
then she summoned her son Zayn al-Asnam and said to him, "Behold,
O my child, that which I foretold for thee, to wit that thou
wastest thy realm and lavishest thy life to boot by persevering
in what ignorance thou art; for that thou hast placed the
governance of thy Kingdom in the hands of inexperienced youth and
hast neglected the elders and hast dissipated thy moneys and the
moneys of the monarchy, and thou hast lavished all thy treasure
upon wilfulness and carnal pleasuring." Zayn al-Asnam, awaking
from the slumber of negligence, forthright accepted his mother's
counsel and, faring forth at once to the Diwan,[FN#15] he
entrusted the management of the monarchy to certain old officers,
men of intelligence and experience. But he acted on this wise
only after Bassorah-town was ruined, inasmuch as he had not
turned away from his ignorant folly before he had wasted and
spoiled all the wealth of the Sultanate, and he had become
utterly impoverished. Thereupon the Prince fell to repenting and
regretting that which had been done by him, until the repose of
sleep was destroyed for him and he shunned meat and drink; nor
did this cease until one night of the nights which had sped in