There was once a Shepherd, who fed a flock of sheep in the wold and kept over then strait watch. One night, there came to him a Rogue thinking to steal some of his charges and finding him assiduous in guarding them, sleeping not by night nor neglecting them by day, prowled about him all the livelong night, but could plunder nothing from him. So, when he was weary of striving, he betook himself to another part of the waste and trapping a lion, skinned him and stuffed his hide with bruised straw; after which he set it up on a high place in the desert, where the Shepherd might see it and be assured of it. Then he accosted the Shepherd and said to him, "that lion has sent me to demand his supper of these sheep." The Shepherd asked, "Where is the lion?" and the Rogue answered, "Lift yours eyes: there he stands." So the Shepherd raised his eyes and seeing the semblance deemed it a very lion and was much affrighted; —

When it was the Nine Hundred and Twenty second night

Accordingly the Rogue took what he would of the sheep and redoubled in greed by reason of the excess of the Shepherd's fear. Accordingly, every little while, he would hie to him and terrify him, saying, "The lion has need of this and requires that, and his intent is to do thus and thus," and take his sufficiency of the sheep; and he did not stop to do thus with him, till he had wasted the most part of his flock. "This, O King," added the favourite, "I tell you only that you suffer not the Grandees of your realm to be deluded by your mildness

King Wird Khan and his Women and Wazirs. 107 and easiness of temper and presume on you; and, in right counsel, their death were better than that they deal thus with you." the King said,"I accept this your counsel and will not hearken to their admonition neither will I go out unto them." On the morrow the Wazirs and Officers of State and heads of the people assembled; and, taking each with him his weapon, repaired to the palace of the King, so they might break in upon him and slay him and seat another in his stead. When they came to the door, they required the doorkeeper to open to them; but he refused, whereupon they sent to fetch fire, wherewith to burn down the doors and enter. The doorkeeper, hearing what they said went in to the King in haste and told him that the folk were gathered together at the gate, adding, "They required me to open to them, but I refused; and they have sent to fetch fire to burn down the doors as well, so they may come into you and slay you. What do you bid me do?" the King in said himself "truly, I am fallen into uttermost perdition."

Then he sent for the favourite; and, as soon as she came, said to her, "Indeed, Shimas never told me anything but I found it true, and now great and small are coming purposing to slay me and you: and because the doorkeeper would not open to them, they have sent to fetch fire, to burn the doors as well: so will the house be burnt and we within it. What do you counsel me to do?" She replied, "No harm shall happen you, nor let yours affair affright you. This is a time when the simple rise against their Kings." he said, "What do you counsel me to do and how shall I act in this affair?" she said, "my advice is that you fillet your head and feign yourself sick: then send for the Wazir Shimas, who will come and see the plight in which you are; and do you say to him, 'truly I purposed to go forth to the folk this day; but this malady hindered me. So go you out to them and acquaint them with my condition and tell them that to morrow I will fare forth without fail to them and do their need and look into their affairs, so they may be reassured and their rage may subside.'

Then do you summon ten of your father's slaves, stalwart men of strength and prowess, to whom you can entrust yourself, hearing to your hest and complying with your commandment, surely keeping your secret and gladly to your love; and charge them on the morrow to stand at your head and bid them suffer none of the folk to enter, save one by one; and all who enter do you say, 'Seize them and do them die.' If they agree with you upon this, tomorrow set up your throne in the Divan and open your doors. When the folk see that you have opened to them their minds will be set at ease and they will come to you with a whole heart, and seek admission to you. Then do you admit them, one after one, even as I said to you and work with them your will; but it behoves you begin by slaying Shimas, their chief and leader; for he is the Grand Wazier and head of the matter. Therefore do him die first and after put all the rest to death, one after other, and spare none whom you know to have broken with you his covenant; and in like way slaughter all whose violence you fear. If you deal thus with them, there will be left them no power to make head against you; so will you be at rest from them with full repose, and will enjoy your kingship in peace and do whatever you will; and know that there is no device that will profit you more than this." the King "truly, this your counsel is just and that which you bid me is to the point and I will assuredly do as you directest "

So he called for a fillet and bound his head therewith and shammed sickness. Then he sent for the Grand Wazir and said to him, "O Shimas, you know that I love you and hearken to the counsel of you and you are to me as brother and father both in one; also you know that I do all you bid me and indeed you bade me go forth to the subjects and sit to judge between them. Now I was assured that this was right counsel on your part, and purposed to go forth to them yesterday; but this sickness assailed me and I cannot sit up. It has reached me that the folk are incensed at my failure to come forth to them and are minded of their mischief to do with me that which is unmeet for that they know not what ailment ails me. So go you forth to them and acquaint them with my case and the condition I am in; and excuse me to them, for I am obedient to their bidding and will do as they desire, Why order this affair and engage yourself for me herefor, even as you have been a loyal counsellor to me and to my sire before me, and it is of your wont to make peace between the people. To morrow, God willing, I will without fail come forth to them, and perhaps my sickness will cease from me this night, by the blessing of the purest intent and the good I purpose them

King Wird Khan and his Women and Wazirs. 109 in my heart." So Shimas prostrated himself to Allah and called down blessings on the King and kissed his hand, rejoicing at this. Then he went forth to the folk and told them what he had heard from the King and forbade them from that which they had a mind to do, acquainting them with what excused the King for his absence and informing them that he had promised to come forth to them on the morrow and deal with them according to their desires; whereupon they dispersed and went them to their houses.—

When it was the Nine Hundred and Twenty third night

So they went them to their homes. On such wise fared it with them; but as regards the Monarch, he summoned ten slaves of gigantic stature, men of hard heart and prow of prowess, whom he had chosen from amongst his father's body guard; and said to them, "You know the favour, esteem and high rank you held with my sire and all the bounties, benefits and honours he bestowed on you, and I will advance you to yet higher dignity with me than this. Now I will tell you the reason of it and you are under safeguard of Allah from me. But first I will ask you somewhat, in which if you do my desire, obeying me in that which I shall bid you and conceal my secret from all men, you shall have of me largesse and favour surpassing expectation. But above all things obedience!" The ten thralls answered him with one mouth and in sequent words, saying, "whatever you bid us, O our liege, that we will do, nor will we depart in anything from your commandment, for you are our lord and master." the King "Allah allot you weal! Now will I tell you the reason why I have chosen you out for increase of honour with me. You know how liberally my father dealt with the folk of his realm and the oath he took from them on behalf of me and how they promised him that they would not break faith with me nor gainsay the bidding of me; and you saw how they did yesterday, whenas they gathered all together about me and would have slain me.

Now I am minded to do with them somewhat; and 'tis this, for that I have considered their action of yesterday and see that nothing will restrain them from its like save exemplary chastisement: Why I Of necessity charge you privily to do to death whom I shall point out to you, to the intent that I may ward off mischief and calamity from my realm by slaying their leaders and Chiefs; and the manner of it shall be in this way. Tomorrow I will sit on this seat in this chamber and give them admission to me one by one, coming in at one door and going out at another; and do you, all ten, stand before me and be attentive to my signs: and whoever enters singly, take him and drag him into that chamber and kill him and hide his corpse." The slaves answered, "We hearken to your hest and obey your order." Whereupon he gave them gifts and dismissed them for the night. On the morrow he summoned the thralls and bade set up the royal seat; then he donned his kingly robes and taking the Book of law cases in his hands, posted the ten slaves before him and commanded to open the doors.

So they opened the doors and the herald proclaimed aloud, saying, "whoever has authority, let him come to the King's carpet!" Whereupon up came the Wazirs and Prefects and Chamberlains and stood, each in his rank. Then the King bade admit them, one after one, and the first to enter was Shimas, according to the custom of the Grand Wazir; but no sooner had he presented himself before the King, and before he could beware, the ten slaves gat about him, and dragging him into the adjoining chamber, despatched him. On like wise did they with the rest of the Wazirs and Olema and Notables, slaying them, one after other, till they made a clean finish. Then the King called the headsmen and bade them ply sword upon all who remained of the

King Wird Khan and his Women and Wazirs. 111 headsmen and bade them ply sword upon all who remained of the folk of valour and stowre: so they fell on them and left none whom they knew for a man of mettle but they slew him, sparing only the proletaires and the refuse of the people. These they drove away and they returned each to his folk, whilst the King secluded himself with his pleasures and surrendered his soul to its lusts, working tyranny, oppression and violence, till he outraced all the men of evil who had forerun him. Now this King's dominion was a my of gold and silver and jacinths and jewels and the neighbouring rulers, one and all, envied him this empire and looked for calamity to happen him. Moreover, one of them, the King of Outer Hind, said in himself, "I have gotten my desire of wresting the realm from the hand of that silly lad, by reason of that which has happened of his slaughter of the Chiefs of his State and of all men of valour and mettle that were in his country. This is my occasion to snatch away that which is in his hand, seeing he is young in years and has no knowledge of war nor judgment thereto, nor is there any left to counsel him aright or succour him. Why this very day will I open on him the door of mischief by writing him a writ in which I will flyte him and reproach him with that which he has done and see what he will reply."

So he indited him a letter to the following effect, "In the name of Allah the Compassionating, the Compassionate * And after * I have heard tell of that which you have done with your Wazirs and Olema and men of valiancy * and that where into you have cast yourself of calamity * so that there is neither power nor strength left in you to repel whoever shall assail you, more by token that you transgressest and orderest yourself tyrannously and profligately * Now Allah has assuredly given me the conquering of you and the mastery over you and into my hand has delivered you; Why do you give ear to my word and obey the commandment of me and build me an impregnable castle In the very middle of the sea * If you can not do this, depart your realm and with your life go flee * for I will send unto you, from the farthest ends of Hind, twelve hordes of horse, each twelve thousand fighting men strong, who shall enter your land and spoil your goods and slay your men and carry your women into captivity * Moreover, I will make my Wazir, Badi'a captain over them and bid him lay strait siege to your capital till the master he be; * and I have bidden the bearer of this letter that he tarry with you but days three * So, If you do my demand, you will be saved; else will I send that which I have said unto you."

Then he sealed the scroll and gave it to a messenger, who journeyed with it till he came to the capital of Wird Khan and delivered it to him. When the King read it, his strength failed him, his breast grew strait add he made sure of destruction, having none to whom he might resort for aid or advice. Presently, he rose and went in to his favourite wife who, seeing him changed of colour, said to him, "What matters you, O King?" he said, "This day I am no King, but slave to the King." And he opened the letter and read it to her, whereupon she fell to weeping and wailing and rending her raiment. Then he asked, "Have you anything of counsel or resource in this grievous strait?"; but she answered, "Women have no resource in time of war, nor have women any strength or anything of counsel. 'Tis men alone who in like of this affair have force and discourse and resource." When the King heard her words, there befell him the utmost regret and repentance and remorse for that he had transgressed against his Wazirs and Officers and Lords of his land,—

When it was the Nine Hundred and Twenty fourth night

Asked they, "What was that?"; and he answered, "Men tell this tale of

The Francolin and the Tortoises. 113