Chapter I: Story on Practising Delay in Punishment

From the sea of Uman, once a traveller came,Who had crossed seas and deserts, too num'rous to name.Turk, Arab, and Persian and Greek he had seen ;Ev'ry science was known to his intellect keen.He had walked round the world and enlightenment gained;He had wandered a deal and refinement obtained.Like the trunk of a tree, his appearance was strong;But, feeble from want, he could scarce crawl along.Two hundred charr'd patches, together, are sewn,And he being burned in betwixt them is shown.From the side of the sea to a city he came,In a land where the king bore an excellent name;With a nature desirous of good he was graced,And his head at the feet of the Dervish he placed.The royal attendants got ready a bath;From his body and head washed the dust of the path.When upon the king's threshold his forehead he pressed ;According him praise, with his hands on his breast ;He entered the emperor's palace and gave :—"May your fortune be youthful! may wealth be your slave!At each stage in the realm, where I happened to rest,Not a heart did I see from affliction distressed.Not a person I saw, with head heavy from wine,But the taverns, I saw in a state of decline.To a realm such a king is an ornament rare,For he likes not that any should suffering bear."He discoursed and the gemmed skirt of Wisdom let loose;Such his speech that the king uttered praises profuse.At the man's pleasant speaking much pleasure he showed ;He called him beside him and honour bestowed.For his coming gave money and jewels of worth ;Asked concerning his tribe and the place of his birth.Regarding his life, he disclosed what was asked;In the king's estimation, all others he passedTo the mind of the monarch the thought became clear:—" A person like this ought to be my vizier.And yet, by degrees, lest the chiefs of the Court,In ignorance, over my wisdom should sport.To begin with, his skill must be tested, at least,And befitting his merit, his rank be increased."—By oppression, he bears loads of grief on his heart,Who engages in schemes without knowing each part.When a judge writes with care ev'ry case that he tries,He feels not ashamed before men who are wise.While the arrow is held in the thumb-stall, aim right!Not after you've sent the winged shaft on its flight.A person like Joseph, discreet and sincere,In the space of a year should become a vizier.Should the strife with adversity prove to be brief,It is needless to fret about any one's grief.—His habits he opened completely to view ;Found the man to be wise and his faith to be true.He found him good-natured; sagacious, as well ;That he measured his words and a man's worth could tell.When in wisdom he saw not a courtier his peer,He placed him in office above his vizier.Such science and knowledge he brought into play,That a heart was not grieved by his absolute sway.He brought under rule of the king a domain,In a way that no person experienced a pain.On the tongues of all critics he fastened a band;For a letter corrupt did not come from his hand.The envier who saw not one grain of deceit,Without benefit toiled, like the fluttering wheat.The king from his luminous heart took a ray,Which caused in the ousted vizier fresh dismay.Not a flaw could he see in that sensible man,In order to fasten upon him a ban.The trusty and vile, are the basin and ant;The ant tries its utmost to crack it, but can't!Two sunny-faced striplings the monarch possessed,Who were always at hand to obey each behest.Like Houri and Fairy, two faces so fair ;Like the sun and the moon, not a third could compare.Two such figures, that neither could preference claim ;In a mirror, appearing exactly the same.The words of the sage of mellifluous speech,In the hearts of the two charming youths made a breach.When they saw in his nature good qualities rise,In their hearts they became his well-wishing allies.The love of mankind, too, on him had effect;Not the love the shortsighted with vileness connect ;For whenever their faces attracted his sight,He was conscious, at once, of a tranquil delight.If you wish that your worth may not be on the wane,From loving smooth faces, oh master, refrain !And although you are free from a lustful design,Take care, lest your dignity suffer decline !The vizier got an inkling regarding the thing,And wickedly carried this tale to the king :—" What they call him, I know not, nor who he may be;In this country he lives not as suits his degree.I have heard that to slaves his affections incline;That he favours foul treason and worships lust's shrine.All those who have travelled live fearless of fate ;For they have not been nurtured by monarch or State.It is wrong that so shameless and ruined a wretch,Disgrace to the halls of the monarch should fetch.Of the king's gracious acts I'd forgetful remain,Did I look on dishonour and silence maintain.Do not think that I could not have told you before!Not a word have I said till convinced, more and more.One among my attendants beheld what took place,That he clasped two, as one, in his wanton embrace.I have told, and the monarch can judge for the best;Such as I have examined, do you also test !"In a nastier manner he argued like this :—"May a wicked man's end have no odour of bliss !When the evil disposed o'er a spark get command,The hearts of the noble are burned with their brand.You may kindle a fire with a spark from a torch ;And when it is done, the old tree you can scorch."This news made the monarch so fiery and red,That a burning, as sharp as a scythe, reached his head.Fierce Rage held its hand in the Dervish's gore ;Yet Forbearance extended its hand out before :—" To kill one you've reared is not manly nor bold;And oppression succeeding to justice, is cold.Do not injure the person brought up in your sway;Smite him not with an arrow, since you are his stay!To rear him in favour is wrong, I should think,If you mean, by injustice, his life's blood to drink.Until you were sure that his merits were sound,In the Royal apartments no favour he found.So now, till his vices for certain you know,Desire not his hurt, on the word of a foe !"The king kept this secret concealed in his heart;For he treasured the sayings which sages impart.The prison of secrets, oh sage, is the mindWhen you've spoken, you cannot the words again bind.Ev'ry act of the man the king secretly spied ;In the wary one's mind a defect he descried ;For he suddenly cast on a stripling his eye,And the "fairy face," furtively, smiled in reply.When with soul and with life two, together, are bound,They are telling fine tales, though they utter no sound.The lover, you know, seems, when under love's will,Like the dropsical man whom the Tigris can't fill.The king was convinced of the guilt of the sage.In a frenzy, he wished to give vent to his rage ;But with beauty of counsel and wisdom, the same ;He slowly addressed him :—" Oh man, of good name !I thought you were wise, and was perfectly sureThat the secrets of State in your hands were secure.I fancied you shrewd and intelligent, too ;I thought you not wicked and loathsome to view.You do not deserve a position so fine.The sin is not yours, but the blunder is mine ;For, no doubt, if I foster a villanous wight,In my private affairs he'll think perfidy right."The man of great knowledge erected his head,And thus to the ruler sagacious he said :—"Since my skirt from the staining of guilt is quite clear,From wicked maligners, I harbour no fear.My heart never nurtured a purpose so base ;I know not who told what has not taken place."The monarch, perplexed, said :—" Behold, the vizier!Do not think to evade! "Show no subterfuge here !"His hand caught his lips, as a smile on them played :"Whatever he states does not make me dismayed.The envious man, seeing me in his place,Could not say aught about me but words that disgrace.I thought him my foe at the very same hourThat the monarch appointed him under my pow'r.When the sultan confers on me favour, alack !He is not aware of the foe at my back.Till the great resurrection, me, friend, he won't call,Since in my elevation he sees his own fall.On this subject a suitable tale I'll relate,If you kindly will hear what your slave has to state."