cried, "O Thou who answerest the necessitous when he calleth upon Thee and dispellest his distress; O my God ! grant me victory over my foe and turn him from me, for Thou over all things art Almighty." The Ghulah, hearing his prayer, turned away from him, and the Prince returned to his father, and told him the tale of the Wazir; whereupon the King summoned the Minister to his presence and then and there slew him. Thou likewise, O King, if thou continue to trust this leach, shalt be made to die the worst of deaths. He verily thou madest much of and whom thou entreatedest as an intimate, will work thy destruction. Seest thou not how he healed the disease from outside thy body by something grasped in thy hand? Be not assured that he will not destroy thee by something held in like manner! Replied King Yunan, "Thou hast spoken sooth, O Wazir, it may well be as thou hintest O my well advising Minister; and belike this Sage hath come as a spy searching to put me to death; for assuredly if he cured me by a something held in my hand, he can kill me by a something given me to smell." Then asked King Yunan, "O Minister, what must be done with him?" and the Wazir answered, "Send after him this very instant and summon him to thy presence; and when he shall come strike him across the neck; and thus shalt thou rid thyself of him and his wickedness, and deceive him ere he can deceive thee." 'Thou hast again spoken sooth, O Wazir," said the King and sent one to call the Sage who came in joyful mood for he knew not what had appointed for him the Compassionate; as a certain poet saith by way of illustration:— O Thou who fearest Fate, confiding fare * Trust all to Him who built the world and wait: What Fate saith "Be" perforce must be, my lord! * And safe art thou from th’ undecreed of Fate. As Duban the physician entered he addressed the King in these lines:— An fail I of my thanks to thee nor thank thee day by day * For whom composed I prose and verse, for whom my say and lay? Thou lavishedst thy generous gifts ere they were craved by me * Thou lavishedst thy boons unsought sans pretext or delay: How shall I stint my praise of thee, how shall I cease to laud * The grace of thee in secresy and patentest display? Nay; I will thank thy benefits, for aye thy favours lie * Light on my thought and tongue, though heavy on my back they weigh. And he said further on the same theme:— Turn thee from grief nor care a jot! * Commit thy needs to Fate and Lot! Enjoy the Present passing well * And let the Past be clean forgot For whatso haply seemeth worse * Shall work thy weal as Allah wot Allah shall do whate'er He wills * And in His will oppose Him not. And further still.— To th' All wise Subtle One trust worldly things * Rest thee from all whereto the worldling clings: Learn wisely well naught cometh by thy will * But e'en as willeth Allah, King of Kings. And lastly.—