thou still for the most part to the voice of the common folk; for
the great will deceive thee, seeing they seek that which
befitteth themselves, not that which befitteth the subject."
Then, after a few days, the Sultan's sickness redoubled on him
and he accomplished his term and died; and as for his son Zein ul
Asnam, he arose and donning the raiment of woe, [mourned] for his
father the space of six days. On the seventh day he arose and
going forth to the Divan, sat down on the throne of the sultanate
and held a court, wherein was a great assemblage of the
folk, [FN#34] and the viziers came forward and the grandees of the
realm and condoled with him for his father and called down
blessings upon him and gave him joy of the kingship and the
sultanate, beseeching God to grant him continuance of glory and
prosperity without end.

When [FN#35] Zein ul Asnam saw himself in this great might and
wealth, and he young in years, he inclined unto prodigality and
to the converse of springalds like himself and fell to
squandering vast sums upon his pleasures and left governance and
concern for his subjects. The queen his mother proceeded to
admonish him and to forbid him from his ill fashions, bidding him
leave that manner of life and apply himself governance and
administration and the ordinance of the realm, lest the folk
reject him and rise up against him and expel [FN#36] hira; but he
would hear not a word from her and abode in his ignorance and
folly. At this the people murmured, for that the grandees of the
realm put out their hands unto oppression, whenas they saw the
king's lack of concern for his subjects; so they rose up in
rebellion against Zein ul Asnam and would have laid violent hands
upon him, had not the queen his mother been a woman of wit and