Chapter I: Story of the King afflicted with Tapeworm

Of one of the monarchs, a tale they relate,Who by worms was reduced to a spindle-like state.His weakness of body had lowered him, so,That he envied the meanest of those who are low.Though the king has a name that is famous in chess,When weakness arrives, than the pawn he is less.A courtier salaamed to the monarch, and said:—"May the life of the sov'reign for ever be sped!There lives in this city a man of blest life—Among men who are pious, his peers are not rife,—Not a person his burden before him has brought,Who, at once, has not gained the intention he sought.Bid him come ! that a suitable pray'r he may try;For mercy descends to the earth. from the sky."He so ordered, that servants exalted in place,Went and summoned the Elder of fortunate pace."Oh sage," said the monarch, "a prayer repeat !With the tapeworm I'm, needle-like, bound by the feet."The crook-backed philosopher heard this remark;With harshness he uttered a shout, saying, "Hark !God favours the man who from justice won't swerve,Grant pardon and God's own forgiveness observe !In my praying for you, when would profit be found?You hold captives oppressed, and in dark dungeons bound.No act of forgiveness to men your life shows ;By riches, when will you experience repose?Ask pardon, you must, for the laws you've transgressed,And then, from Sheikh-Salih a prayer request !How can his beseeching be useful to you,While the pray'rs of the wretched your footsteps pursue?"The Monarch of Persia heard all this discourse,And from anger and shame felt an ireful remorse ;He was vexed, and then turned the affair in his head—"Why grieve I? 'tis true what the Dervish has said!"He commanded, and all whom in bonds they could see,By his order were quickly allowed to go free.The sage, after two inclinations in pray'r,The hands of beseeching, to God, thus laid bare :—"Oh Thou who supportest the sky in Thy hand!Thou hast seized him in war, now in peace let him stand!"He was still in this attitude, praying profound,When the fallen sick man jumped erect on the ground.You'd have said that from gladness he wished to take wing—Like the Peacock, who saw not his leg in a string.He commanded; and treasure and jewels they spreadOn the ground at his feet, also under his head.The true for the sake of the false, do not hide !He emptied his skirt of the whole, and then cried:—"Do not travel, hereafter, in Tyranny's train,That you may not be seized by the tapeworm again!"When once you have fallen, look after your feet!That you may not again tumble down from your seat.To Sadi give ear ! in this saying truth lies—"The man who falls down, does not always arise."