The monarch one day made a feast in the vineyards, and went forth into
the fields for a walk, alone. He picked up a young snake, carried it
indoors, placed it in a gold box, sealed this up, and then rejoined his
courtiers.
To those attendants the king exhibited the sealed packet, as
having just then been privately received from the Qaysar[27] of
Constantinople with a message to this effect: “If your religion of
Islām be the true faith, some one of your wise men will be able to
see into this packet without breaking its seals, and to tell what it
contains.”
The king then called upon his ministers to prove their loyalty to him,
and their faithfulness to their religion, by solving this riddle. None
of them was able.
The packet was now sent round in succession to all the eminent teachers
and theologians of the city; but none could unravel the enigma.
At last it was brought to Jelāl, as Sheykh Ferīdūn and he were sitting
together. Jelāl invited Ferīdūn to tell them the contents of the
packet; and he immediately replied: “It is not a dignified act in the
king to imprison a young snake in a gold box, sealing this up as a
packet, and then tempting his courtiers, ministers, and learned men
with a false pretence. A saint, however, knows not only the solution of
so paltry a trick as this, but is also aware of every thought in the
king’s heart, and every secret of earth and heaven.”
When this answer was reported to the king, he came to the college,
and professed himself a disciple, remarking: “If the disciples of
Shemsu-’d-Dīn possess such power, and work such miracles, how great
must have been the sanctity of the murdered martyr.”
Ferīdūn acted for ten years as assistant to Jelāl.
3.
Fātima, the daughter of Sheykh Salāhu-’d-Dīn Ferīdūn, was married to
Sultan Veled, Jelāl’s son. Jelāl used to teach her to read the Qur’ān
and other books.
Jelāl used to call Fātima his _right eye_; her sister Hediyya, his
_left eye_; and their mother, Latīfa Khātūn, _the personification of
God’s grace_.
When Fātima’s marriage was solemnised, all the angels of heaven were
present, and wished the young couple all happiness.
She was a saint, and continually worked miracles. She fasted by day and
watched by night, tasting food only once in three days. She was very
charitable to the poor, the orphans, and the widows, distributing to
them food and raiment.
Sheykh Ferīdūn died on New Year’s Day, A.H. 657 (28th December, A.D.
1258).
CHAPTER VI.
_Chelebī Husāmu-’l-Haqqi-wa-’d-Dīn, Hasan, son of Muhammed, son of
Hasan, son of Akhī-Turk,[28] related to Esh-Sheykhu-’l-Mukerrem._[29]
1.