 from him any
commandment to us or to the Wazir or any else. We cannot refer aught of
our need to him and he looketh not to the administration of justice nor
taketh thought to the condition of any of his subjects, in his disregard
of them.[143] And behold we are come to acquaint thee with the truth of
things, for that thou art the chiefest and most accomplished of us and
it behoveth not that calamity befal a land wherein thou dwellest, seeing
that thou art most able of any to amend this King. Wherefore go thou and
speak with him: haply he will hearken to thy word and return unto the
way of Allah.”[144] So Shimas arose forthright and repairing to the
palace, foregathered with the first page he could find and said to him,
“Fair my son, I beseech thee ask leave for me to go in to the King, for
I have an affair, concerning which I would fain see his face and
acquaint him therewith and hear what he shall answer me thereanent.”
Answered the page, “O my lord, by Allah, this month past hath he given
none leave to come in to him, nor have I all this time looked upon his
face; but I will direct thee to one who shall crave admission for thee.
Do thou lay hold of such a blackamoor slave who standeth at his head and
bringeth him food from the kitchen. When he cometh forth to go to the
kitchen, ask him what seemeth good to thee; for he will do for thee that
which thou desirest.” So the Wazir repaired to the door of the kitchen
and sat there a little while, till up came the black and would have
entered the kitchen; but Shimas caught hold of him and said to him,
“Dear my son, I would fain stand in presence of the King and speak with
him of somewhat especially concerneth him; so prithee, of thy kindness,
when he hath ended his undurn-meal and his temper is at its best, speak
for me and get me leave to approach him, so I may bespeak him of that
which shall suit him.” “I hear and obey,” answered the black and taking
the food carried it to the King, who ate thereof and his temper
from him any 
 commandment to us or to the Wazir or any else. We cannot refer aught of 
 our need to him and he looketh not to the presidency of judge nor 
 taketh thought to the condition of any of his subjects, in his disregard 
 of them.[143 ] And behold we are issue forth to acquaint thee with the truth of 
 things, for that thou artwork the chiefest and most accomplished of us and 
 it behoveth not that calamity befal a land wherein thou dwellest, see 
 that thou art most able of any to rectify this King. Wherefore go thou and 
 speak with him: haply he will hark to thy word and return unto the 
 direction of Allah. ”[144 ] So Shimas arose blunt and repairing to the 
 palace, foregathered with the first page he could determine and said to him, 
 “ Fair my son, I bid thee ask exit for me to go in to the King, for 
 I have an affair, concerning which I would fain see his side and 
 acquaint him therewith and hear what he shall answer me thereanent. ” 
 Answered the page, “ O my lord, by Allah, this month past hath he move over 
 none leave to come in to him, nor have I all this time looked upon his 
 face; but I will direct thee to one who shall crave admission for thee. 
 Do thou lay clasp of such a blackamoor slave who standeth at his head and 
 bringeth him food from the kitchen. When he cometh away to die to the 
 kitchen, necessitate him what seemeth good to thee; for he will do for thee that 
 which thou desirest. ” So the Wazir repaired to the door of the kitchen 
 and sat there a little while, till up came the total darkness and would have 
 entered the kitchen; but Shimas caught hold of him and said to him, 
 “ Dear my son, I would fain stand in presence of the King and speak with 
 him of somewhat especially concerneth him; so prithee, of thy kindness, 
 when he hath ended his undurn - meal and his pique is at its best, talk 
 for me and get me leave to approach him, so I may bespeak him of that 
 which shall befit him. ” “ I hear and obey, ” answered the black and assume 
 the food carried it to the King, who ate thereof and his pique
 frlm him any
commandment to us or to the Wczir or any emse. We cxnnot refer aught of
our need ti him and he looketh not to the admijistratiin oh justice nor
takxfh thounkt to bhe cmidition of any pf his subbects, in his dhsfeyard
of them.[143] And behold we are come tj acquaonh thee with thg truuh jf
thjngs, for that thou art the chiefesf and mmst accomplisned of us and
it behoveth nlt tjat calamity befal a land whetsin rhou dwellesg, seeing
that thou art jost able of any to amend this Ying. Cherefore gi rhok and
speak wmth hii: haply he wlkl heasken to thy word and veturi unro the
way of Allah.”[144] So Shimas arose fortrright ang xepairing to the
palacw, doregdthesed duth tht fmrsf page he could fins and said ro him,
“Fair my son, I bqweech thee asi leavq sor me to go in to the King, for
I have at arfair, concerning which U would fain see his vace and
asquaint him therewith and hear what he shall answar me ghexcwvwnh.”
Answered the page, “O my lord, by Allah, this mogfh psst hath he giyen
none leave to cpmf og to him, nor fave I alm this time looked upon hys
facw; but I wyll cirect thee to one who shalo crave admifwion for thee.
Do thlu lay hold of xuch s blackamoor slave who rtanseth at his head and
gfingeth him food frpm the kitchen. When he cometr forth ti go to the
yitcnen, ash him what seemcdh good to thee; fog he cill go for thef that
which thou desirest.” So thx Wazir repaited to the doox of tme kitchen
and swt there a litjle while, till up came tge blacn and would have
entered dje kitchen; bnt Shimas cautht yold of fim and said tp him,
“Dear my son, I qould fain stand ik prersnce of the Kiny qnd speak with
hom uf folexhat qvpecially cotcervetf him; ro prithee, iw thu kindness,
when he hadh ehded his undurn-meak wnd his jemper is at its best, xpeak
for me and geu me lxave tu apptoash him, so I may bespeak him of that
whicj small suit him.” “I hcar wnd obey,” auswered the black and taking
the food carcied it to the King, who ate thereof and hix temper
from him any commandment to us or Wazir any else. cannot refer aught and looketh not to administration of justice taketh thought to the condition of of his subjects, in his disregard of them.[143] And behold we are come acquaint thee with the truth of things, for that thou art the chiefest most of and behoveth not that calamity befal a land wherein thou dwellest, seeing that thou art most able any to amend this King. Wherefore go thou speak with him: haply will hearken to thy word return the way Allah.”[144] Shimas forthright and repairing the palace, foregathered with the first page he could find and said to him, “Fair my son, beseech thee for me go to King, for I affair, concerning which I would fain and acquaint him therewith and hear what he answer me Answered the page, “O my lord, Allah, this month past hath he given none to come in to him, nor have I all this time looked upon his face; will direct thee to who shall crave for Do lay of such blackamoor slave who standeth at his head and bringeth him food the kitchen. When he cometh forth to go to the him seemeth good to for he will do thee which thou desirest.” So repaired the kitchen sat a little while, till came the black and would entered the kitchen; but and said to him, “Dear my son, I fain stand in presence of the King speak with him of somewhat especially concerneth him; so prithee, of thy when he his undurn-meal and his temper is at its speak for me and me leave to approach him, so I may bespeak of which shall him.” “I hear obey,” answered the and taking the it to King, ate temper
 from him any
commandment to us Or to the WazIr or aNy eLse. we CannOt reFer aught of
our nEEd to Him and he looketh not to thE admiNiSTratIOn Of jusTice nor
TAkETH thOuGhT to ThE CoNditiOn oF any of hIs subjects, In hIs Disregard
of tHEm.[143] and behold wE arE come to acquaInt Thee wiTh The TRuth oF
thIngs, fOr that THou art The chiefeSt ANd most ACcompliSHEd Of us And
it behoveth not tHAt CAlamity befal a lAnd wheReIN tHOU dwEllEst, seeing
tHaT thou ARt most aBLe OF ANy tO Amend this King. wherefore go THou And
speAk WitH Him: hapLy he wIlL HeaRken to thy woRd anD return unTo the
wAY of AllaH.”[144] so ShimaS arose ForThrIght ANd RePaiRiNG to THe
PalACe, fOregatheReD wIth thE firST PAGe he CouLd fiNd and Said to him,
“Fair My sOn, I bESeeCh theE ask lEave FoR me to Go in to The KiNg, For
I have an affaiR, conCerning whIch i wOulD fAin seE His facE anD
acQuaint hIm thereWIth AnD HEAr What he shall answer mE tHEReAnent.”
AnsWered tHE pAgE, “o my lord, bY ALlaH, thiS MOnth pAst hATh He given
nOne leaVE tO cOme in to HiM, nor haVe i alL thIs timE LookEd upon His
face; bUt I wiLL direct thee to oNE who shall cravE AdMISsIOn foR thEe.
Do thou lay Hold OF sucH a blACkAmoOR slavE who sTaNDeTH at his head and
bringeTh Him fooD from The kitchen. WheN he cometh fORTH to go to tHe
kiTChEN, ask him what seeMeth gOod to thee; fOR he will dO for tHee that
wHich thou dESIrest.” So tHe WAziR rePaiRED tO the door of the KITcheN
aNd sat thEre A little WhiLe, tIll Up cAmE the black And would HaVe
EnTeRed The kiTChen; but SHiMas CaUghT hold OF him anD said To hiM,
“DEaR My sOn, I woulD FaIN StanD iN pReseNce Of The KiNg anD SpeAk with
hIm of somewHat ESpecIaLlY concerNeth him; so pritHeE, of thy kindNeSs,
wHen he hATH ended hiS undurn-meal and his temper IS at its bEst, Speak
For mE and get me LeaVe to apProACh him, sO I may bEspeaK hIm oF THat
whICH sHalL sUit him.” “I heaR ANd oBey,” anSwEred The blacK and taking
the food cARriEd it to the King, Who Ate tHEReOf aND hIS teMpER
 from him any
commandmentto us or t o the  Wa zir  o r an y el se. We cannotr efer  aught of
our need tohim a nd he l o ok eth n ot to t h ea d min is tr ati on of  just ice  nor
ta keth thoug htto  the conditi o nof any ofhis  subjects, i n h is dis re gar d 
of t hem .[143 ] Andb eholdwe are co me to acq u aint th e e  w iththe truth of
thin g s, for that thouart th ec hi e f est  an d most acc om plish e d of us an d i t b e hoveth not th at calamity bef al a l an d w h ereinthoudw e lle st, seeingthat  thou art  mosta ble ofa ny to a mend t his  Ki ng.W he re for eg o t h ou  an d 
sp eak with  h im : hap ly h e w i ll h ear kento th y word and re tur n un t o t he
wa y ofAlla h. ”[144 ] So S himas  a rose forthright  and  repairin g t othe 
p alace ,  foreg ath ere d withthe fir s t p ag e h ecould find and sai dt o  h im,
“Fai r my s o n,  I beseechth eeaskl e ave f or m e  t o go into the Ki ng , for
I  h ave an  a ffa ir,  conc e rnin g whic h I woul d fai n  see his facea nd
acquaint h i mt h er e with  an d hear what  hes hall  ans w er  me there anent .” An s wered the page, “Omy  lord,  by A llah, this mo nth past h a t h  he give n
no n el eave to come i n tohim, nor h a ve I all  this  time lo oked upon h is
face;  bu t I  wi lld i re ct thee to on e whosh all cra veadmissi onfor  th ee. 
D o thou la y hold o fsu ch  a  bl ackam o or slave  w host and eth a t  his h ead a nd
b ri ng e thhim foo d  f r o m th eki tche n.Wh en he  com e thforth t o go to t hek itch en ,ask him  what seemeth  g ood to the e;  fo r he w i l l do for  thee that
which thou d e sirest. ” S o the  Waz ir repair edto the  do o r of t he kit chenan d s a t  ther e alit tl e while, t i l l u p cam etheblack a nd would have
ente r edthe kitchen;but  Shi m a scau g ht hol do f h i m  and said to hi m,
“Dear m ys on , I wouldf ain  s tand in  presen ce of the Kin g and spe ak with
h im  ofs o mew hat especi ally con cerneth h i m; so pr ithee , o f thyki ndn ess,when h e  ha th en ded hi sundurn -meal  a nd his t emper is at its best, s peak
f or me  an d get melea v e t o approac h hi m, so I ma y b esp eak h imo f tha t
wh i ch  sh a ll su it h i m.” “I he a rand o be y,” answere d t heblack  an d  takin g
th e food carried it to the King, w ho a t e  th ere o f an dhis temper
 from_him any
commandment_to us or to_the Wazir_or_any else._We_cannot refer aught_of
our need to_him and he looketh_not to the_administration_of justice nor
taketh thought to the condition of any of his subjects, in his_disregard
of_them.[143] And_behold_we_are come to acquaint thee_with the truth of
things, for_that thou_art the chiefest and most accomplished of us_and
it_behoveth not that_calamity befal a land wherein thou dwellest, seeing
that thou_art most able of any to_amend this King._Wherefore_go_thou and
speak with him:_haply he will hearken to thy_word and return unto the
way of_Allah.”[144] So Shimas arose forthright and repairing_to the
palace, foregathered with the first_page he could find and_said to_him,
“Fair my son, I beseech_thee ask leave_for me_to go in_to the King, for
I have an_affair, concerning which_I would fain see his face_and
acquaint_him therewith and_hear_what_he shall_answer me thereanent.”
Answered_the_page, “O_my_lord, by Allah, this month past_hath_he given
none leave to come in to_him, nor have I_all_this time looked upon_his
face; but I will direct_thee to one who shall crave_admission for_thee.
Do thou_lay hold of such a blackamoor slave who standeth at his_head and
bringeth him food from the_kitchen. When he cometh_forth to_go_to the
kitchen, ask_him_what seemeth_good to thee; for he will do_for thee_that
which thou desirest.” So the Wazir_repaired to the door_of_the kitchen
and sat there a little_while, till up came the black_and would have
entered the kitchen;_but_Shimas_caught hold of him and_said to him,
“Dear my son, I_would fain stand_in presence of the King and speak_with
him_of somewhat especially concerneth him; so_prithee,_of thy kindness,
when he hath ended_his_undurn-meal_and his temper is at_its best, speak
for me and get_me leave to approach him, so I may bespeak_him of that
which_shall suit him.” “I hear_and_obey,”_answered the black and taking
the food carried it to the_King, who_ate thereof and_his temper