CHAPTER VI.

Consultation between the King and the Wazir.

WHEN

HEN the King arose from his assembly, he spoke to Bedár, his wazír, in private, saying, "You have heard all the statements and rejoinders of the men and the animals; what advice have you now to offer? How ought the matter to be settled? What course seems best in your opinion?" The wazír was a very wise and prudent man. After making his obeisance, and invoking blessings, he proceeded to say, "It seems to me preferable that the King should call to his presence all the judges, lawyers, and sages of the Jins, and consult with them about the case. The quarrel is a serious one, and it is not clear to which side the right inclines. In such matters consultation is necessary, for in the counsels of three or four some plan is decided upon. Wise men and farseeing men should be careful never to enter upon such difficult matters without advice and counsel."

In accordance with this speech, the King gave orders that all the chiefs and nobles of the Jins should attend. So they all assembled according to the following specification Judges of the race of Jupiter, lawyers of the race of Venus, wise men of the children of Bírán, sages of the race of Lukmán, experienced persons of the children of Hámán, intelligent persons of the children of Kaiwán, and persons of common sense of the children of Bahrám. The king ad dressed them, saying, "These men and beasts have come

complaining to us, and have taken refuge in our country. The animals all complain of the tyranny and violence of men. Now do you advise me what ought to be done with them, and how their business should be decided."

A learned sage of the race of Venus who was present, said, “In my opinion the proper course is for the animals to write out a statement of their circumstances, and of the oppression they have endured at the hands of men, and to take a legal opinion thereon from the learned. If any means of deliverance can be settled for them, the judges and lawyers will give a decree whether the men are to sell them, set them free, or show some kindness and mitigation of their harsh treatment. If the men do not obey this decision of the judges, and the animals flee from their tyranny, then it will be no fault or sin of theirs."

When the King heard this, he asked them what they had to say to it. They all replied that it was an exceedingly good proposition, and suitable for the occasion. But the Sahib-i 'azímat1 did not approve of it, and observed, “If these men agree to sell the animals, who will pay the price of them?" The lawyer said, "The King." Upon this, he asked from whence the King could get so much money. The lawyer

said it would be paid from the public treasury. The Sahib-i 'azímat then said, "Is there so much wealth in the public treasury as to suffice for the price of them? Some men, too, may refuse to sell them. They have great need of the animals, and do not care for the price of them. Thus there are kings and ministers and many gentlemen who cannot move about without an equipage. They will never consent to sell them, and will oppose this decree."

The King then asked him what seemed good in his opinion, 1 A resolute or practical person. I have retained the original title, because it is difficult to find an equivalent word sufficiently definite, without using the word man, while the bearer of the name is a Fin.

and he said, "It seems to me advisable that the King should direct all the animals to act in concert, so that in one and the same night they might flee from captivity, and go far from the dominions of men-just as deer, hog-deer, and many other harmless and rapacious beasts have left their dominions and have fled. In the morning, when the men do not find them, on whom will they lade their goods, and on whom will they ride? Being helpless from their being so far away, they will not be able to go after them, so they will sit down in silence. In this way the deliverance of the animals will be effected."

The King approved of this proposition, and asked them all for their opinion upon it. There was present a wise man of the descendants of Lukmán, and he said-" This proposition is not at all a good one, and this course is very much opposed to sense. It is by no means possible, because many of the animals are fastened up in durance all night, the doors of their prisons are closed, and sentinels are placed on guard: how can they all run away?"

The Sahib-i 'azímat said, "Let the King give his commands for all the Jins to go this night to open the doors of the prisonhouses, to untie the heel-ropes of the animals, to make prisoners of all the guards, and not to release them until all those (animals) are far away from their territory. There will be very great merit to the King in doing this. Feeling pity for the condition of those (animals), I have offered my sentiments by way of advice to his Majesty. If, with benevolent intentions, the King shall resolve upon this work of kindness, the Lord Almighty will render him aid and assistance. Gratitude for the favours of God is shown in giving help and deliverance to the oppressed. People say that it is written in the books of several prophets that God Almighty says—' O king, I have not made thee ruler over the face of the earth in order that thou mayest amass wealth and devote thyself to the greed and lusts of this world, but rather that thou shouldst give redress to the op

pressed, for I indeed avenge them, even though they be infidels."

The King again asked them all what they had to say to it. They all approved, and said it was very proper. But a certain Kaiwání sage was not satisfied with it, and after offering his blessings and reverences, he represented that it was a very difficult matter, and could not in any way be accomplished; must be attended with many evils and dangers which afterwards will in no way be capable of rectification.

The King asked him what he had to fear in the matter, and told him to explain so that he himself also might know. He said, "Your Majesty, he who proposed this way of deliverance for the animals made a great mistake. When the men rise in the morning they will not find the beasts, and will become apprised of their flight. They will then think for a certainty that it is not the work of any man, and that it cannot have been effected by any scheme of the animals, but must rather be attributed to the cunning and trickery of the Jins." The King said, "That is true-there is no doubt about it; they will suspect us."

The sage continued, "Asylum of the world! when the animals have escaped from their hands, and the services rendered are interrupted, then the men will be very sorrowful and anxious, and will become enemies of the Jins. From of old, indeed, they have been our foes, but now more than ever they will show their malice and animosity." The sages observed that he indeed must be a wise man who, making peace between the enemies, would preserve his Majesty from their animosity. All the Jins, when they heard this, said he spoke

the truth.

After that another sage enquired, "Why should we fear their enmity, for it will not avail against us. Our bodies are fiery, and are very subtil and light, so that we fly up to the skybut the bodies of men are of dirt; they remain below, and

cannot ascend. We wander and look about among them without ceremony, but they cannot see us; so what have we to fear?"

The Kaiwání sage answered him saying, “ Alas! thou dost not know anything about it. Although men are earthy, still they have in them celestial souls and angelic spirits, through which they hold the pre-eminence over us; and besides, they are acquainted with many wiles and stratagems. In ages past there have been many battles between men and the Jins, the hearing of which should be a warning to us." The King desired the sage to inform him of those matters, and how the truth stood, so that he also might understand it. The sage replied that a natural hatred and an innate animosity between men and the Jins had come down from of old time, the narration of which would be very prolix. But the King ordered him to recount a little of it from the beginning, so far as could be recounted.