air speedily to the presence, and if any one
should delay in coming, he should be punished, and brought as captive;
and that whoever possessed any persons of the human species, male or
female, he must bring them along with him; that if [a _jinn_] having
concealed any one, should detain the same, and it be known hereafter,
the concealer and his wife and family shall be exterminated, and no
vestige of them will remain.

Receiving these written orders, the _divs_ were dispatched in all
directions. A great warmth of friendship arose between the two kings,
and they passed their time in amicable conversation, amidst which
_Malik Shah Bal_, turning round to the _Darweshes_, said, "I had a
great wish to have children, and had resolved, if God gave me a son
or a daughter, to marry it to the offspring of some king of the human
race. After this resolve, I learned that my wife was pregnant; at last,
after counting with anxiety each day and hour, the full period arrived,
and this girl was born. According to my determination, I ordered the
_jinns_ to search the four corners of the world, and that whatever king
had a prince born to him, to bring the child quickly to me with care;
agreeably to my orders, the _jinns_ flew instantly to the four corners
of the earth, and after some delay, brought this young prince to me.

"I thanked God, and took the child in my lap, and loved it dearer than
my own daughter; I could not bring myself to separate him from my sight
for a moment, but used to send him back for this reason, that if his
parents did not see him, they would be greatly afflicted. For this
reason I sent for him once every month, and after keeping him with me
a few days, I sent him back. If it please God the Most High, now that
we have met, I will marry them to each other; all are liable to death,
then let us, whilst we are alive, see their marriage performed."

The king _Azad Bakht_, on hearing this proposal of _Shah Bal's_,
and seeing his amiable qualities, was greatly pleased and said,
"At first the prince's disappearance and re-appearance raised
very strange aprehensions in my breast, but I am now, from your
conversation, easy in my mind, and perfectly satisfied; this son is
now yours; do with him whatever you please." In short, the intercourse
between the two kings was like that of sugar and milk, and they fully
enjoyed themselves. In the space of less than ten days, mighty kings
of the race of the _jinns_, from the rose garde