O king, thou know’st, I have been sick These many days, and heard no thing (For Allah shut my ears and mind), Not even what thou dost, O king! Wherefore, that I may counsel thee, Let Hussein, if thou wilt, make haste To speak in order what hath chanced. THE KING. O vizier, be it as thou say’st! HUSSEIN. Three days since, at the time of prayer, A certain Moollah, with his robe All rent, and dust upon his hair, Watched my lord’s coming forth, and pushed The golden mace-bearers aside, And fell at the king’s feet, and cried,-- “Justice, O king, and on myself! On this great sinner, who did break The law, and by the law must die! Vengeance, O king!” But the king spake: “What fool is this, that hurts our ears With folly? or what drunken slave? My guards, what! prick him with your spears! Prick me the fellow from the path!” As the king said, so was it done, And to the mosque my lord passed on. But on the morrow, when the king Went forth again, the holy book Carried before him, as is right, And through the square his way he took; My man comes running, flecked with blood From yesterday, and falling down Cries out most earnestly, “O king, My lord, O king, do right, I pray! “How canst thou, ere thou hear, discern If I speak folly? but a king, Whether a thing be great or small, Like Allah, hears and judges all. “Wherefore hear thou! Thou know’st, how fierce In these last days the sun hath burned; That the green water in the tanks Is to a putrid puddle turned; And the canal, that from the stream Of Samarcand is brought this way, Wastes and runs thinner every day. ‘Now I at nightfall had gone forth Alone, and in a darksome place Under some mulberry-trees I found A little pool; and in short space With all the water that was there I filled my pitcher, and stole home Unseen; and having drink to spare, I hid the can behind the door, And went up on the roof to sleep. “But in the night, which was with wind And burning dust, again I creep Down, having fever, for a drink. “Now, meanwhile had my brethren found The water-pitcher, where it stood Behind the door upon the ground, And called my mother; and they all, As they were thirsty, and the night Most sultry, drained the pitcher there; That they sate with it, in my sight, Their lips still wet, when I came down. “Now mark! I, being fevered, sick, (Most unblest also), at that sight Brake forth, and cursed them--dost thou hear?-- One was my mother.---- Now do right!” But my lord mused a space, and said,-- “Send him away, sirs, and make on! It is some madman,” the king said. As the king bade, so was it done.