AZADBEKHT AND HIS SON.[FN#94]



There was once, of old days, a king of the kings, whose name was
Azadbekht; his [capital] city was called Kuneim Mudoud and his
kingdom extended to the confines of Seistan and from the
frontiers of Hindustan to the sea He had ten viziers, who ordered
his state and his dominion, and he was possessed of judgment and
exceeding wisdom. One day he went forth with certain of his
guards to the chase and fell in with an eunuch on horseback,
holding in his hand the halter of a mule, which he led along. On
the mule's back was a litter of gold-inwoven brocade, garded
about with an embroidered band set with gold and jewels, and over
against the litter was a company of horsemen. When King Azadbekht
saw this, he separated himself from his companions and making for
the mule and the horsemen, questioned the latter, saying, "To
whom belongeth this litter and what is therein?". The eunuch
answered, (for he knew not that he was King Azadbekht,) saying,
"This litter belongeth to Isfehend, vizier to King Azadbekht, and
therein is his daughter, whom he purposeth to marry to Zad Shah
the King."

As the eunuch was speaking with the king, behold, the damsel
raised a corner of the curtain that shut in the litter, so she
might look upon the speaker, and saw the king. When Azadbekht
beheld her and noted her fashion and her loveliness (and indeed
never set story-teller[FN#95] eyes on her like,) his soul
inclined to her and she took hold upon his heart and he was
ravished by her sight. So he said to the eunuch, "Turn the mule's