is here in person.

Who will take cassia when an eye is to be had, or will writhe under a
blister when a look will relieve him?

Oh! Mirza Ahmak, happiest of men, and most blessed of doctors!

Every one present had kept the strictest silence when this was
repeating, when the king exclaimed, '_Aferin_, this is well; you are
indeed a poet, and worthy of our reign. Who was Ferdousi when compared
to you? As for Mahmoud, the Ghaznevi, _hak bud_ (he was dirt). Go to
him,' said he to the noble of nobles, 'go, kiss him on the mouth, and,
when that is done, fill it with sugar-candy. Every pleasure should
attend such a mouth, from whence such good things proceed.'

Upon which the noble of nobles, who was endowed with a large and bushy
beard, approached the poet, and inflicted a kiss upon his mouth, which
also was protected by an appropriate quantity of hair; and then from a
plate of sugar-candy, which was handed to him, he took as many lumps as
would quite fill his jaws, and inserted them therein with his fingers
with all due form.

Though evidently distressed with his felicity, the poet did his utmost
to appear at the summit of all happiness, and grinned with such rare
contortions, that involuntary tears flowed from his eyes as fast as the
sugar-candy distilled through his lips.

The king then dismissed his courtiers and attendants, and preparations
were made for serving up the royal dinner.

[Illustration: The procession of slaves before the Shah. 17.jpg.]

CHAPTER XXIX

A description of the entertainment, which is followed by an event
destructive to Hajji Baba's happiness.

The only persons, besides servants, admitted into the saloon where the
Shah dined, were the three princes, his sons, who had accompanied him;
and they stood at the farthest end, with their backs against the wall,
attired in dresses of ceremony, with swords by their sides. Mirza Ahmak
remained in attendance without. A cloth, of the finest Cashmerian shawl
fringed with gold, was then spread on the carpet before the king, by
the chief of the valets, and a gold ewer and basin were presented
for washing hands. The dinner was then brought in trays which, as a
precaution against poison, had been sealed with the signet of the head
steward before they left the kitchen, and were broken open by him again
in the presence of the Shah. Here were displayed all the refinements
of cookery. Rice, in various shapes, smoked upon the board; first the
_chilau