A Pack of Jackals went out one day to seek food, and as they prowled about in quest of this, behold, they happened upon a dead camel and said in themselves, "truly we have found wherewithal we may live a great while; but we fear lest one of us oppress the other and the strong bear down the weak with his strength and so the puny of us perish. Why it behoves us seek one who shall judge between us and appoint unto each his part, so the force full may not lord it over the feeble." As they consulted together on such subject, suddenly up came a Wolf, and one of the Jackals said to the others, "Your advice is sound; let us make this Wolf judge between us, for he is the strongest of beasts and his father was Sultan over us aforetime; so we hope in Allah that he will do justice between us." Accordingly they accosted the Wolf and acquainting him with what they had resolved concerning him said, "We make you judge between us, so you may allot unto each of us his day's meat, after the measure of his need, lest the strong of us bear down the weak and some of us destroy other of us."

The Wolf accepted the governance of their affairs and allotted to each of them what sufficed him that day; but on the morrow he said in his mind, "If I divide this camel amongst these weaklings, no part of it will come to me, save the pittance they will assign to me, and if I eat it alone, they can do me no harm, seeing that they are a prey to me and to the people of my house. Who, then, is the one to hinder me from taking it all for myself? Surely, 'tis Allah who has bestowed it on me by way of provision without any obligation to any of them. It were best that I keep it for myself, and henceforth I will give them nothing." Accordingly, next morning when the Jackals came to him, as was their wont, and sought of him their food, saying, "O Abu Sirhán, give us our day's provisions," he answered saying, "I have nothing left to give you." Whereupon they went away in the sorriest plight, saying, "truly, Allah has cast us into grievous trouble with this foul traitor, who regards not Allah nor fears Him; but we have neither stratagem nor strength on our side."

Moreover one of them said, "perhaps 'twas but stress of hunger that moved him to this; so let him eat his fill to day, and tomorrow we will go to him again." Accordingly, on the morrow, they again betook themselves to the Wolf and said to him, "O Father of Foray, we gave you authority over us, that you might apportion unto each of us his day's meat and do the weak justice against the strong of us, and that, when this provisions is finished, you should do yours endeavour to get us other and so we be always under your watch and ward. Now hunger is hard upon us, for that we have not eaten these two days; so do you give us our day's ration and you will be free to dispose of all that remains as you will." But the Wolf returned them no answer and redoubled in his hardness of heart and when they strave to turn him from his purpose he would not be turned. Then said one of the Jackals to the rest, "Nothing will serve us but that we go to the Lion and cast ourselves on his protection and assign unto him the camel. If he vouchsafe us anything of it, 'twill be of his favour, and if not, he is worthier of it than this scurvy rascal." So they betook themselves to the Lion and acquainted him with that which had happened them from the Wolf, saying, "We are your slaves and come to you imploring your protection, so you may deliver us from this Wolf, and we will be your thralls." When the Lion heard their story, he was jealous for Almighty Allah and went with them in quest of the Wolf who, seeing him approach addressed himself to flight;

The Jackals and the Wolf. 105 but the Lion ran after him and seizing him, rent him in pieces and restored their prey to the Jackals. "This shows," added Shimas, "that it fitts no King to neglect the affairs of his subjects; Why do you hearken to my advice and give credit to the words which I say to you." the King "I will hearken to you and to morrow, God willing, I will go forth to them." Accordingly Shimas went from him and returning to the folk, told them that the King had accepted his advice and promised to come out unto them on the morrow. But, when the favourite heard this saying reported of Shimas and was certified that needs must the King go forth to his subjects, she betook herself to him in haste and said to him, "How great is my wonder at your submissiveness and yours obedience to your slaves! Know you not that these Wazirs are your thralls? Why then do you exalt them to this highmost pitch of importance that they imagine them it was they gave you this kingship and advanced you to this rank and that it is they who confer favours on you, albeit they have no power to do you the least damage? Indeed, 'tis not you who owest submission to them; but on the contrary they owe it to you, and it is their duty to carry out yours orders. How comes it then, that you are so mightily affrighted at them? It is said, 'Unless your heart be like iron, you are not fit to be a Sovran.'

But your mildness has deluded these men, so that they presume upon you and cast off their allegiance, although it behoves that they be constrained unto your obedience and enforced to your submission. Therefore If you hasten to accept their words and leave them as they now are and vouchsafe to them the least thing against your will, they will weigh heavily upon you and require other concessions of you, and this will become their habit. But, If you hearken to me, you will not advance any one of them to power neither will you accept his word nor encourage him to presume upon you, else will you fare with them as did the Shepherd with the Rogue." Asked the King, "How was that?" and she answered, "They relate this adventure of