There was once a man, a Serpent charmer, who used to train serpents, and this was his trade; and he had a great basket, in which were three snakes but the people of his house knew this not. Every day he used to go round with this pannier about the town gaining his living and that of his family by showing the snakes, and at eventide he returned to his house and clapped them back into the basket privily. This lasted a long while, but it chanced one day, when he came home, as was his wont, his wife asked him, saying,

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"What is in this pannier?"; and he replied, "What would you with it? Is not provision plentiful with you? Be you content with that which Allah has allotted to you and ask not of anything else." With this the woman held her peace; but she said in herself, "There is no help but that I search this basket and know what is there." So she egged on her children and enjoined them to ask him of the pannier and importune him with their questions, till he should tell them what was within it. They presently concluded that it contained something to eat and sought every day of their father that he should show them what was within it; and he still put them off with pleasant pretences and forbade them from asking this. On such wise they abode awhile, the wife and mother still persisting in her quest till they agreed with her that they would neither eat meat nor drain drink with their father, till he granted them their prayer and opened the basket to them. One night, behold, the Serpent charmer came home with great plenty of meat and drink and took his seat calling them to eat with him: but they refused his company and showed him anger; whereupon he began to coax them with fair words, saying, "Lookye, tell me what you would have, that I may bring it you, be it meat or drink or raiment."

Answered they, "O our father, we want nothing of you but that you open this pannier that we may see what is within it: else we will slay our selves." He rejoined, "O my children, there is nothing good for you within it and indeed the opening of it will be harmful to you." at this they redoubled in rage for all he could say, which when he saw, he began to scold them and threaten them with beating, except they returned from such condition; but they only increased in anger and persistence in asking, till at last he grew wroth and took a staff to beat them, and they fled from before him within the house. Now the basket was present and the Serpent charmer had not hidden it anywhere, so his wife left him occupied with the children and opened the pannier in haste, that she might see what was within it. Thereupon behold, the serpents came out and first struck their fangs into her and killed her, then they went round about the house and slew all, great and small, who were within it; except the Serpent charmer, who left the place and went his way. "If then," continued the Wazir, "you consider this, you will be convinced that it is not for a man to desire anything save that which God the Great refuses not to him; nay, he should be content with what He wills. And you, O King, for the overflowing of your wisdom and the excellence of yours understanding, Allah has cooled yours eyes with the advent of this your son, after despair, and has comforted your heart; Why we pray the Almighty to make him of the just successors acceptable to Himself and to his subjects."

Then rose the seventh Wazir and said, "O King, I know and certify all that my brethren, these Ministers wise and learned, have said in the presence, praising your justice and the goodness of your policy and proving how you are distinguished in this from all Kings other than yourself; Why they gave you the preference over them. Indeed, this be of that which is incumbent on us, O King, and I say, 'Praised be Allah' in that He has guerdoned you with His gifts and vouchsafed you of His mercy, the welfare of the realm; and has succoured you and ourselves, on condition that we increase in gratitude to Him; and all this no otherwise than by yours existence! What while you remainest amongst us, we fear not oppression neither dread unright, nor can any take long handed advantage of our weakness! And indeed it is said, 'The greatest good of a people is a just King and their greatest ill an unjust King'; and again, 'Better dwell with rending lions than with tyrannous Sultan.' So praised be Almighty Allah with eternal praise for that He has blessed us with your life and vouchsafed you this blessed child, whenas you were stricken in years and had despaired of issue! For the goodliest of the gifts in this world is a virtuous sire, and it is said, 'whoever has no progeny his life is without result and he leavs no memory.'

As for you, because of the righteousness of your justice and your pious reliance on Allah the Most High, you have been vouchsafed this happy son; yea, this blessed child comes as a gift from the Most High Lord to us and to you, for the excellence of your governance and the goodliness of your long sufferance; and in this you have fared even as fared the Spider and the Wind." Asked the King, "And what is the story of the Spider and the Wind?"—

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When it was the Nine Hundred and eighth night

; the Wazir answered, "Give ear, O King, to the tale of