ning the sultan
commanded them to his presence, and requested a narrative, when
one of them related the following story.

History of the Sultan of Hind.

In ancient days there lived a sultan of Hind, than whom no prince
of the age was greater in extent of territory, riches, or force;
but Heaven had not allotted to him offspring, either male or
female: on which account he was involved in sorrow. One morning,
being even more melancholy than usual, he put on a red habit, and
repaired to his divan; when his vizier, alarmed at the robes of
mourning, said, "What can have occasioned my lord to put on this
gloomy habit?" "Alas!" replied the sultan, "my soul is this
morning overclouded with melancholy." "Repair then to the
treasury," said the vizier, "and view thy wealth; as, perhaps,
the lustre of gold, and the brilliant sparkling of jewels, may
amuse thy senses and disperse thy sorrow." "Vizier," answered the
sultan, "this world to me is all vanity; I regard nothing but the
contemplation of the Deity: yet how can I be relieved from
melancholy, since I have lived to this age and he has not blessed
me with children, either sons or daughters, who are the ornaments
of manhood in this world?"

The sultan had scarcely ceased speaking, when a human figure of a
dusky hue appeared before him, and said, "My sovereign, here is a
confection left me by my ancestors, with an assurance, that
whoever might eat of it would have offspring." The sultan eagerly
took the confection, and by the blessing of Allah, one of the
ladies of his haram conceived that very night. When her pregnancy
was made known to him, the sultan was overjoyed, distributed
large sums in charity to the poor, and every day comforted the
distressed by his bounty.

When the sultana had gone her full time, she was delivered of a
son beautiful in aspect, and of graceful person; at which the
sultan became overjoyed, and on that day set apart one half of
his treasures for the use of the infant prince, who was intrusted
to the charge of experienced nurses. After he had thrived
sufficiently at the breast he was weaned, and at six years of age
put under the care of learned tutors, who taught him to write, to
read the Koran, and instructed him in the other several branches
of literature. When he had completed his twelfth year, he was
accomplished in horsemanship, archery, and throwing the lance,
till at length he became a distinguished cavalier, and e