would not wait till death gave him possession of the throne, but
purposed to resign it to him. He had no great difficulty to make
his council consent to it; and the people heard this with so much
the more joy, because they considered Prince Beder worthy to govern
them. They saw that he treated all mankind with that goodness which
invited them to approach him; that he heard favourably all who had
anything to say to him; that he answered everybody with a goodness
that was peculiar to him; and that he refused nobody anything that
had the least appearance of justice.

The day for the ceremony was appointed. In the midst of the whole
assembly, which was larger than usual, the King of Persia, then
sitting on his throne, came down from it, took the crown from off
his head, put it on that of Prince Beder, and having seated him in
his place, kissed his hand, as a token that he resigned his
authority to him. After which he took his place among the crowd of
viziers and emirs below the throne.

Hereupon the viziers, emirs, and other principal officers, came
immediately and threw themselves at the new king's feet, taking
each the oath of fidelity according to their rank. Then the grand
vizier made a report of various important matters, on which the
young king gave judgment with admirable prudence and sagacity that
surprised all the council. He next turned out several governors
convicted of mal-administration, and put others in their place,
with wonderful and just discernment. He at length left the council,
accompanied by the late king his father, and went to see his
mother, Queen Gulnare. The queen no sooner saw him coming with his
crown upon his head, than she ran to him, and embraced him with
tenderness, wishing him a long and prosperous reign.