k at it]. On seeing it, he smiled,
and praised it by way of flattery; in the same manner it passed from
hand to hand, and every one looked at it, and all said together,
"The preponderance of your majesty's good fortune has procured you
this; for otherwise, even unto this day, no monarch has ever acquired
so inestimable a jewel." At that moment my father's _wazir_, who
was wise, and held the same station under me, and was standing in
his place, made his obeisance and said, "I wish to impart something
[to the royal ear], if my life be granted."

I ordered him to speak; he said, "Mighty sire, you are king, and it
is very unbecoming in kings to laud so highly a stone; though it is
unique in colour, in quality, and in weight, yet it is but a stone;
and at this moment the ambassadors of all countries are present in
the court; when they return to their respective countries, they will
assuredly relate this anecdote, saying, 'What a strange king he is,
who has got a ruby from somewhere, and makes such a rarity of it,
that he sends for it every day, and praising it himself the first,
shows it to every one present.' Then whatever king or _raja_ [261]
hears this anecdote, the same will certainly laugh at it in his own
court. Great sire, there is an insignificant merchant in _Naishapur_,
[262] who has twelve rubies, each weighing seven _miskals_, [263]
which he has sewed on a collar, and put it round his dog's neck." On
hearing this, I became greatly displeased, and said with anger,
put this _wazir_ to death.

The executioners immediately seized hold of his hands, and were
going to lead him out [to execution]. The ambassador of the king
of the Franks, joining his hands [in humble supplication] stood
before me. I asked him what he wanted; he replied, "I hope I may
become informed of the _wazir's_ fault," I answered, what can be
a greater fault than to lie, especially before kings. He replied,
"His falsehood has not yet been confirmed; perhaps what he has said
may be true; now, to put an innocent person to death is not right." I
said to him in reply, "It is not at all consistent with reason, that
a merchant, who, for the sake of gain, wanders disconsolate from city
to city and from country to country, and hoards up every farthing
[he can save], should sew twelve rubies, which weigh seven _miskals_
each, on the collar of a dog." The ambassador in answer said,
"Nothing is surprising before the power of God; perhaps it may be
the case