him, 'O our lord, if thou command it, we will strike off his
head.' But the king said, 'Haste in slaying is a vile thing, for
it[FN#107] is a grave matter; the quick we can slay, but the
slain we cannot quicken, and needs must we look to the issue of
affairs. The slaying of this [youth] will not escape us.'[FN#108]
Therewith he bade imprison him, whilst he himself returned [to
the city] and despatching his occasions, went forth to the chase.

Then he returned to the city and forgot the youth; so the
servants went in to him and said to him, 'O king, if thou keep
silence concerning yonder youth, who would have slain thee, all
thy servants will presume upon thee, and indeed the folk talk of
this matter.' With this the king waxed wroth and saying, 'Fetch
him hither,' commanded the headsman to strike off his head. So
they [brought the youth and] bound his eyes; and the headsman
stood at his head and said to the king, 'By thy leave, O my lord,
I will strike off his head.' But the king said, 'Stay, till I
look into his affair. Needs must I put him to death and the
slaying of him will not escape [me].' So he restored him to the
prison and there he abode till it should be the king's will to
put him to death.

Presently, his father and his mother heard of the matter;
whereupon the former arose and going up to the place, wrote a
letter and [presented it to the king, who] read it, and behold,
therein was written, saying, 'Have pity on me, so may God have
pity on thee, and hasten not in the slaughter [of my son]; for
indeed I acted hastily in a certain affair and drowned his
brother in the sea, and to this day I drink the cup of his
anguish. If thou must needs kill him, kill me in his stead.'