Now the king wanted that hapless one, and while they were going some of the king’s officers who were seeking met them, and they straightway seized the poor man and brought him to the king. Quoth the king, “Lo, the three years are accomplished; come now, and show me Khizr.” The poor man said, “My king, grace and bounty are the work of kings—forgive my sin.” Quoth the king, “I made a pact; till I have killed thee, I shall not have fulfilled it.” And he looked to his chief vezír and said, “How should this be done?” Quoth the vezír, “This man should be hewn in many pieces and then hung up on butchers’ hooks, that others may see and lie not before the king.” Said that radiant being, “True spake the vezír;—all things return to their origin.” Then the king looked to the second vezír and said, “What sayest thou?” He replied, “This man should be boiled in a cauldron.” Said that radiant being, “True spake the vezír;—all things return to their origin.” The king looked to the third vezír and said, “What sayest thou?” The vezír replied, “This man should be hewn in small pieces and baked in an oven.” Again said that elder, “True spake the vezír;—all things return to their origin.” Then quoth the king to the fourth vezír, “Let us see what sayest thou?” The vezír replied, “O king, the wealth thou gavest this poor creature was for the love of Khizr (peace on him!) He, thinking to find him, accepted it; now that he has not found him he seeks pardon. This were befitting, that thou set free this poor creature for the love of Khizr.” Said that elder, “True spake the vezír;—all things return to their origin.” Then the king said to the elder, “O elder, my vezírs have said different things contrary the one to the other, and thou hast said concerning each of them, ‘True spake the vezír;—all things return to their origin.’ What is the reason thereof?” That elder replied, “O king, thy first vezír is a butcher’s son; therefore did he draw to his origin. Thy second vezír is a cook’s son, and he likewise proposed a punishment as became his origin. Thy third vezír is a baker’s son; he likewise proposed a punishment as became his origin. But thy fourth vezír is of gentle birth; compassion therefore becomes his origin, so he had compassion on that hapless one, and sought to do good and counselled liberation. O king, all things return to their origin.”[506] And he gave the king much counsel, and at last said, “Lo, I am Khizr,” and vanished.[507] * * * * *