CHAPTER VIII.

On the next morning, the Eighth Vizier, having paid his compliments to

the King, addressed him on the subject of Bakhtyār, and said:

“Government resembles a tree, the root of which is legal punishment.

Now, if the root of a tree become dry, the leaves will wither: why then

should the punishment of Bakhtyār be any longer deferred?”

In consequence of this discourse, the King ordered the executioner to

prepare himself, and Bakhtyār was brought from prison. When the

unfortunate young man came before the King, he addressed him, and said:

“If your Majesty will consider the consequences of haste and

precipitancy, it will appear that they are invariably sorrow and

repentance; as we find confirmed in the Story of the Jewel-Merchant.”

The King expressed his desire of hearing the story to which he alluded;

and Bakhtyār began it accordingly, in the following manner:

STORY OF THE JEWEL-MERCHANT.

There was a certain jewel-merchant, a very wealthy man, and eminently

skilled in the knowledge of precious stones. His wife, a very prudent

and amiable woman, was in a state of pregnancy when it happened that the

King sent a messenger to her husband, desiring his attendance at court,

that he might consult him in the choice of jewels. The merchant received

the King’s messenger with all due respect, and immediately prepared to

set out on his journey to the capital. When taking leave of his wife, he

desired her to remember him in her prayers; and, in case she should

bring forth a boy, to call his name Bihrūz.

After this injunction he departed from his house, and at length arrived

in the capital, where he waited on the King, and having paid his

respects, was employed in selecting from a box of pearls those that were

most valuable. The King was so much pleased with his skill and

ingenuity, that he kept him constantly near his own person, and

entrusted to him the making of various royal ornaments, crowns, and

girdles studded with jewels.

At length the wife of this jewel-merchant was delivered of two boys; one

of whom, in compliance with her husband’s desire, she called Bihrūz, the

other Rūzbih; and she sent intelligence of this event to the father, who

solicited permission from the King that he might return home for a while

and visit his family; but the King would not grant him this indulgence.

The next year he made the same request, and with the same success. Thus

during eight years he as often solicited leave to visit his wife and

sons, but could not obtain it.

In the course of this time the boys had learned to read the Qur’ān, and

were instructed in the art of penmanship and other accomplishments; and

they wrote a letter to their father, expressing their sorrow and anxiety

on account of his absence. The jewel-merchant, no longer able to resist

his desire of seeing his family, represented his situation to the King

in such strong colours that he desired him to send for his wife and

children, and allowed him an ample sum of money to defray the expenses

of their journey.

A trusty messenger was immediately despatched to the jewel-merchant’s

wife, who, on receipt of her husband’s letter, set out with her two sons

on their way to the capital. One evening, after a journey of a month,

they arrived at the sea-side. Here they resolved to wait until morning;

and, being refreshed with a slight repast, the boys amused themselves in

wandering along the shore.

It happened that the jewel-merchant, in expectation of meeting his wife

and children, had come thus far on the way; and having left his clothes

and money concealed in different places, he bathed himself in the sea,

and on returning to the shore put on his clothes, but forgot his gold.

Having taken some refreshment, he was proceeding on his journey, when he

thought of his money, and went back to seek it, but could not find it.

At this moment he perceived the two boys, who had wandered thus far,

amusing themselves playing along the shore. He immediately suspected

that these boys had discovered and taken the gold, and accused them

accordingly. They declared their ignorance of the matter, which so

enraged the jewel-merchant, that he seized them both, and cast them

headlong into the sea.

After this he proceeded on his way; whilst the wife was so unhappy at

the long absence of her sons, that the world became dark in her eyes,

and she raised her voice and called upon the boys. When the

jewel-merchant heard the voice of his wife, he hastened to meet her, and

inquired after his two sons, expressing his eager desire of seeing them.

The wife told him that they had left her some time before, and had

wandered along the sea-side. At this intelligence the jewel-merchant

began to lament, and tore his clothes, and exclaimed: “Alas, alas, I

have drowned my sons!” He then related what had happened, and proceeded

with his wife along the shore in search of the boys, but they sought in

vain. Then they smote their breasts and wept. And when the next morning

came, they said: “From this time forth, whatsoever happens must be to us

a matter of indifference;” and they set out on their journey towards the

city, with afflicted bosoms and bleeding hearts, being persuaded that

their sons had perished in the water.

But they were ignorant of the wonderful kindness of Providence, which

rescued the two boys from destruction; for it happened that the King of

that country, being on a hunting excursion, passed along the shore on

that side where Bihrūz had fallen. When he perceived the boy, he ordered

his attendants to take him up, and finding him of a pleasing

countenance, although pale from the terror of the water and the danger

he had escaped, he inquired into the circumstances which had befallen

him. The boy informed him, that with his brother he had been walking on

the shore, when a stranger seized upon them, and flung them into the

water. The King, not having any child, inquired the name of the boy; and

when he answered, that his name was Bihrūz, he exclaimed: “I accept it

as a favourable omen,[26] and adopt you as my own son.” After this,

Bihrūz, mounted on a horse, accompanied the King to his capital, and all

the subjects were enjoined to obey him as heir to the crown. After some

time the King died, and Bihrūz reigned in his place, with such wisdom,

liberality, and uprightness, that his fame resounded through all

quarters of the world.

It happened in the meantime, that the other boy, whose name was Rūzbih,

had been rescued from the water by some robbers, who agreed to sell him

as a slave, and divide the price amongst them. The jewel-merchant and

his wife had reached the city and purchased a house, where they resolved

to pass the remainder of their lives in prayer and exercises of

devotion. But finding it necessary to procure an attendant, the

jewel-merchant purchased a young boy at the slave-market, whom he did

not know, but whom natural affection prompted him to choose. On bringing

home the young slave, his wife fainted away, and exclaimed: “This is

your son Rūzbih!” The parents as well as the child wept with joy, and

returned thanks to Heaven for such an unexpected blessing.

After this the jewel-merchant instructed Rūzbih in his own profession,

so that in a little time he became perfectly skilled in the value of

precious stones; and having collected a very considerable number, he

expressed a wish of turning them to profit, by selling them to a certain

King in a distant country, one who was celebrated for his generosity and

kindness to strangers.

The father consented that he should visit the court of this monarch, on

condition that he would not afflict his parents by too long an absence.

Rūzbih accordingly set out, and arrived at the capital of that King, who

happened to be his own brother Bihrūz. Him, however, after the lapse of

many years, he did not recognise. The King, having graciously received

the present which Rūzbih offered, purchased of him all the jewels, and

conceived such an affection for him that he kept him constantly in the

palace, day and night.

At this time a foreign enemy invaded the country; but the King thought

the matter of so little importance, that he contented himself with

sending some troops to the field, and remained at home carousing and

drinking with Rūzbih. At length, one night, at a very late hour, all the

servants being absent, the King became intoxicated, and fell asleep.

Rūzbih, not perceiving any of the guards or attendants, resolved that he

would watch the King until morning; and accordingly, taking a sword, he

stationed himself near the King’s pillow.

After some time had elapsed, several of the soldiers who had gone to

oppose the enemy returned, and, entering the palace, discovered Rūzbih

and the King in this situation. They immediately seized Rūzbih; and when

the King awoke, they told him that, by their coming, they had saved his

Majesty from assassination, which the jeweller, with a drawn sword, had

been ready to perpetrate. The King, at first, ordered his immediate

execution; and as day was beginning to dawn, and the approach of the

enemy required his presence at the head of his troops, he sent for the

executioner, who, having bound the eyes of Rūzbih and drawn his sword,

exclaimed: “Say, King of the world, shall I strike or not?”

The King, considering that it would be better to inquire more

particularly into the affair, and, knowing that, although it is easy to

kill, it is impossible to restore a man to life, resolved to defer the

punishment until his return, and sent Rūzbih to prison.

After this he proceeded to join the army, and having subdued his

enemies, returned to the capital; but, during the space of two years,

forgot the unfortunate Rūzbih, who lingered away his life in

confinement. In the meantime his father and mother, grieving on account

of his absence, and, ignorant of what had befallen him, sent a letter of

inquiry by a confidential messenger to the money-changers (or bankers)

of that city. Having read this, they wrote back, in answer, that Rūzbih

had been in prison for two years.

On receiving this information, the jewel-merchant and his wife resolved

to set out and throw themselves at the feet of this King, and endeavour

to obtain from him the pardon and liberty of their son. With heavy

hearts they accordingly proceeded on their journey, and having arrived

at the capital, presented themselves before the King, and said: “Be it

known unto your exalted Majesty, that we are two wretched strangers,

oppressed by the infirmities of age, and overwhelmed by misfortune. We

were blessed with two sons, one named Bihrūz, the other Rūzbih; but it

was the will of Heaven that they should fall into the sea, where one of

them perished, but the other was restored to us. The fame of your

Majesty’s generosity and greatness induced our son to visit this

imperial court; and we are informed that, by your orders, he is now in

prison. The object of our petition is, that your Majesty might take

compassion on our helpless situation, and restore to us our long-lost

son.”

The King on hearing this was astonished, and for a while imagined that

it was all a dream. At length, when convinced that the old man and woman

were his own parents, and that Rūzbih was his own brother, he sent for

him to the prison, embraced them and wept, and placed them beside him on

the throne; and for the sake of Rūzbih, set at liberty all those who had

been confined with him. After this he divided the empire with his

brother, and their time passed away in pleasure and tranquillity.

* * * * *

This story being concluded, Bakhtyār observed, that the jewel-merchant,

by his precipitancy, had nearly occasioned the death of his two sons;

and that Bihrūz, by deferring the execution of his brother, had

prevented an infinity of distress to himself and his parents. This

observation induced the King to grant Bakhtyār another day’s reprieve,

and he was taken back to prison.