_THE STORY OF ‘ABD-US-SAMED, KING OF CEYLON._
“I, your slave, Sultan of this Ceylon, am son of the late Murtazá Sháh. I was twenty years old when I ascended my ancestral throne on the death of my father, I strove earnestly in the ordinance of the realm, and wrought manfully and skilfully to perform the duties of kingship. One night my father came (in a vision) to my side and addressed me, saying, ‘My son, I have a last request to make of thee; but I will not tell it thee save thou undertake to accomplish it without knowing what it be; but if thou swear by God to accomplish it, I will declare it to thee.’ As it is beyond doubt that fathers or mothers would not urge their children to unbecoming deeds, I without hesitation swore to accomplish it. Then my father took me by the hand and led me to the treasure which thou hast seen. When I beheld it I abode bewildered at the greatness of the riches. On that empty stand was a paper in my father’s handwriting; this I took and read, and these words were inscribed thereon: ‘My son, in that thou hast undertaken to fulfil it, if thou accomplish not this my last request, be my two hands upon thy collar. Thou shalt go hence to Cairo; there in the Roumelia Square, hard by the Erdebíl Fountain, is a revered personage whom they call the Shaykh Mubarak. He is master of the secret sciences, and he it is who hath given me all this treasure. Lay thy face in the dust at his feet, and with uttermost humbleness beg of him this lacking image; for the image which still remains is worth many treasures like to this. If thou sit upon my throne without having procured that image, thou shalt be a rebel against me.’ I marvelled at these words of my father, and seeing he had heaped up such vast riches, he should still even after his death be so driven as to urge upon me the toils of a journey and the many dangers that must attend it, only that that stand might not remain empty. But as no escape was possible, I constrainedly determined to set out, and having appointed my vezir regent, I disguised myself and started for Cairo.
“When I reached Cairo, I went to the aforesaid place, and having enquired for the Shaykh Mubarak, went up to his door, at which I knocked. A slave-girl came and opened the door, and taking me in, led me into the presence of the Shaykh. I saw him to be a man of about five-and-forty years of age, from whose countenance beamed the rays of the light of God. I went forward and kissed his feet reverently, whereon he said, ‘Upon thee be peace, my son ‘Abd-us-Samed; I rejoice for that thou hast fulfilled the last request of thy father, well done!’ And he motioned me to be seated. Straightway they brought food, and after I had eaten and been nobly entreated, he, leaving not to me the need of declaring my want, said, ‘My son, thy desire will not be withheld; but thy father rendered me many services ere he gained that treasure, and until thou likewise have done me a service, thou canst not win to thy wish. I have a service for thee to perform; if thou be able to perform it, I will give thee the image that thou seekest. What sayest thou?’ I replied, ‘Do thou command; whatsoever thy service be, I shall not fail to strive therein so far as in me lies.’ He answered, ‘Good; but if thou act contrary to my pleasure, then thou shalt die.’ When I had likewise undertaken not to act contrary to his pleasure, he continued, ‘Thou shalt abide three days in Cairo, then thou shalt go forth and wander from country to country, and from city to city, and from village to village, until thou find an exceeding fair and pure girl in her fourteenth or fifteenth year, who, besides being a virgin, has never so much as longed for the pleasures of love: and thou shalt bring her to me without ever letting even thy hand touch hers; and I will give thee the image. But if thou purpose treachery, or to obtain delight by returning not to me, know that thy death is certain.’ I made answer, ‘I may seek and find the things visible; but I am not skilled in the secrets of the heart that I should know that no impure thoughts have ever come into the mind; this part of the matter is hard.’ Thereon he gave into my hand a mirror and a purse, and said, ‘When thou hast found a girl answering in beauty and other such particulars to my description, hold this mirror to her face, and if it become clouded, she is not the desired one, for her mind is sullied; but if the mirror remain bright, she is the chaste one we desire. However, the accomplishment of this matter will require much outlay, so spend from this purse; with God’s permission it will not become exhausted.’