was
a potent king; he had seven daughters born in his house. One day, the
king held a festival, and these seven daughters were standing before
him [superbly dressed], with each sixteen jewels, twelve ornaments,
and in every hair an elephant pearl. Something came into the king's
mind, and he looked towards his daughters and said, 'If your father
had not been a king, and you had been born in the house of some poor
man, then who would have called you princesses? Praise God that you
are called princesses; all your good fortune depends on my life.'

"Six of his daughters being of one mind, replied, 'Whatever your
majesty says, is true, and our happiness depends on your welfare
alone.' But the princess now present, though she was younger [than
all her sisters], yet even in sense and judgment, even at that age,
she was superior to them, all. She stood silent, and did not join her
sisters in the reply they made; for this reason, that to say so was
impious. The king looked towards her with anger, and said, 'Well, my
lady, you say nothing; what is the cause of this?' Then the princess,
tying both her hands with a handkerchief, humbly replied, 'If your
majesty will grant me safety [of my life], and pardon my presumption,
then this humble slave will unfold the dictates of her heart.' The
king said, 'Speak what thou hast to say.' Then the princess said,
'Mighty king, you must have heard, that the voice of truth is bitter;
for which reason, disregarding life at this moment, I presume to
address your majesty; whatever the great Writer has written in
[the book of] my destiny, no one can efface, and in no way can it
be evaded. "Whether you bruise your feet [by depending on your own
exertions], or lay your head on the carpet [in prayer], your fate
[written] on the forehead, whatever it be, shall come to pass."

"'That Almighty Ruler, who has made you a king, He indeed also has
made me a princess. In the arsenal of his omnipotence, no one has
power. You are my sovereign and benefactor, and if I should apply the
dust which lies under your auspicious feet, as a colyrium [for my
eyes], then it would become me; but the destinies of every one are
with every one.' The king, on hearing this [speech], became angry;
the reply displeased him highly, and he said with wrath, 'What great
words issue from a little mouth! Now let this be her punishment, that
you strip off whatever jewels she has on her hands and feet, and let
her be placed in a sedan-