whomsoever he found [abroad] after nightfall, that he should
strike off his head. So he went round one night of the nights and
came upon three youths staggering from side to side, and on them
signs of [intoxication with] wine. So the officers laid hold of
them and the captain of the watch said to them, "Who are ye that
ye transgress the commandment of the [lieutenant of the]
Commander of the Faithful and come abroad at this hour?" Quoth
one of the youths, "I am the son of him to whom [all]
necks[FN#71] abase themselves, alike the nose-pierced[FN#72] of
them and the [bone-]breaker;[FN#73] they come to him in their own
despite, abject and submissive, and he taketh of their
wealth[FN#74] and of their blood."

The master of police held his hand from him, saying, "Belike he
is of the kinsmen of the Commander of the Faithful," and said to
the second, "Who art thou?" Quoth he, "I am the son of him whose
rank[FN#75] time abaseth not, and if it descend[FN#76] one day,
it will assuredly return [to its former height]; thou seest the
folk [crowd] in troops to the light of his fire, some standing
around it and some sitting." So the master of the police
refrained from slaying him and said to the third, "Who art thou?"
Quoth he, "I am the son of him who plungeth through the
ranks[FN#77] with his might and correcteth[FN#78] them with the
sword,[FN#79] so that they stand straight;[FN#80] his feet are
not loosed from the stirrup,[FN#81] whenas the horsemen on the
day of battle are weary." So the master of police held his hand
from him also, saying, "Belike, he is the son of a champion of
the Arabs."

Then he kept them under guard, and when the morning morrowed, he