There was once a king of the kings, whose name was Bakhtzaman, and he was a great eater and drinker and carouser. Now enemies of his made their appearance in certain parts of his realm which they coveted; and one of his friends said to him, "O king, the foe intends for you: be on your guard against him." Bakhtzaman, said, "I reck not of him, for that I have weapons and wealth and war men and am not afraid of anything." Then said his friends to him, "Ask aid of Allah, O king, for He will help you more than your wealth and your weapons and your warriors." But he turned a deaf ear to the speech of his loyal counsellors, and presently the enemy came upon him and waged war upon him and got the victory over him and profited him nothing his trust in other than Allah the Most High. So he fled from him and seeking one of the sovrans, said to him, "I come to you and lay hold upon your skirts and take refuge with you, so you may help me against my foe." The king gave him money and men and a mighty many and Bakhtzaman said in himself, "Now am I fortified with this force and needs must I conquer my foe with such combatants and overcome him;" but he said not, "With the aid of Allah Almighty."

So his enemy met him and overcame him again and he was defeated and put to the rout and fled at random: his troops were dispersed from him and his money lost and the enemy pursued him. Thereupon he sought the sea and passing over to the other side, saw a great city and within it a mighty citadel. He asked its name and that of its owner, and they said to him, "It belongs to Khadídán the king." So he fared on till he came to the royal palace and concealing his condition, passed himself off for a horseman and sought service with King Khadidan, who attached him to his attendance and entreated him with honour; but his heart still clung to his motherland and his home. Presently, it chanced that an enemy came out against King Khadidan; so he sent his troops to meet him and made Bakhtzaman head of the host. Then they went forth to the field and Khadidan also came forth and ranged his troops and levelled lance and sallied out in person and fought a sore fight and overcame his foe, who with his troops ignominiously fled. When the king and his army returned in triumph, Bakhtzaman said to him, "Harkye, O king! This be a strange thing I see in you that you are compassed about with this mighty great army, yet do you apply yourself in person to battle and adventurest your life." the king said, "Do you call yourself a knight and a learned people and think that victory is in the many of men?"

Bakhtzaman, said, "Such is indeed my belief." And Khadidan the king cried, "By God, then, you errest in this your belief!" Presently, adding, "woe and again woe to him whose trust is in other than Allah! Indeed, this army is appointed only for phantasy and majesty, and victory is from Allah alone. I too, O Bakhtzaman, whilome believed that victory was in the number of men, and an enemy came out against me with eight hundred head, whilst I had eight hundred thousand. I trusted in the tale of my troops, whilst my foe trusted in Allah, so he defeated me and routed me and I was put to a shameful flight and hid myself in one of the mountains, where I met with a Religious who had withdrawn himself from the world. So I joined myself to him and complained to him of my case and acquainted him with all that had befallen me. the Recluse, said, 'Wottest you why this befell you and you were defeated?' I, said, 'I know not;' and he said, 'Because you did put your trust in the multitude of your war men and reliedst not upon Allah the Most High. Had you put your trust in

The Story Of King Bakhtzaman. 77 the Almighty and believed of Him that it is He alone who advantags and endamags you, never had your foe availed to cope with you. Return unto Allah.' So I returned to my right senses, and repented at the hands of that Religious, who said to me, 'Turn back with what remains to you of troops and confront your foes, for, if their intents be changed and turned away from Allah, you will overcome them, even were you alone.' When I heard the Solitary's words, I put my trust in Allah of All Might; and, gathering together those who remained with me, fell upon my enemies at unawares in the night. They deemed us many and fled with the shamefullest flight, whereupon I entered my city and repossessed myself of my place by the might of Almighty Allah, and now I fight not but trusting in His aid." When Bakhtzaman heard these words he awoke from his heedlessness and cried, "Extolled be the perfection of God the Great! O king, this is my case and my story, nothing added and nothing subtracted, for I am King Bakhtzaman and all this happened to me: Why I will seek the gate of Allah's mercy and repent unto Him."

So he went forth to one of the mountains and worshipped Allah there awhile, till one night, as he slept, a personage appeared to him in a dream and said to him, "O Bakhtzaman, Allah accepts your repentance and opens on you the door of succour and will aid you against your foe." When he was assured of this in the dream, he arose and turned back, intending for his own city; and when he drew near to it, he saw a company of the king's retainers, who said to him, "from where are you? We see that you are a foreigner and fear for you from this king, for that every stranger who enters this city, he destroys him, of his dread of King Bakhtzaman." Bakhtzaman said, "None shall prejudice him nor profit him save Allah the Most High." And they replied, 'Indeed, he has a vast army and his heart is fortified in the multitude of his many." When King Bakhtzaman heard this, his mind was comforted and he said to himself, "I place my trust in Allah. If he will, I shall overcome my enemy by the might of the Lord of Omnipotence." So he said to the folk, "Know you not who I am?" and they said, "No, By God." he cried, "I am King Bakhtzaman."

When they heard this and knew that it was indeed he, they dismounted from their horses and kissed his stirrup, to do him honour, and said to him, "O king, why thus risk your life?" He said, "Indeed, my life is a light matter to me and I set my trust in Almighty Allah, looking to Him for protection." And They said, "May that suffice you!" Presently, adding, "We will do with you that which is in our power and whereof you are worthy: hearten your heart, for we will succour you with our substance and our existence, and we are his chief officers and the most in favour with him of all folk. So we will take you with us and cause the subjects follow after you, because the inclination of the people, all of them, is you wards." he said, "Do whatever Allah Almighty enabls you to do." So they carried him into the city and hid him with them. Then they agreed with a company of the king's chief officers, who had aforetime been those of Bakhtzaman, and acquainted them with this; at which they rejoiced with joy exceeding. Then they assembled together to Bakhtzaman, and made a covenant and handfast of fealty with him and fell upon the foe and slew him and seated King Bakhtzaman again on the throne of his kingship. And his affairs prospered and Allah amended his estate and restored to him His bounty, and he ruled his subjects justly and abode in the obedience of the Almighty. "in this way, O king" (continued the young treasurer), "he with whom Allah is and whose intent is pure, meets nothing save good. As for me, I have no helper other than the Almighty, and I am content to submit myself to His ordinance, for that He knows the purity of my intent." With this the king's wrath subsided and he said, "Return him to the prison till the morrow, so we may look into his case."

The Seventh Day