Page:Tales from the Arabic, Vol 1.djvu/175

153 upon the child and used to rear him on his knees and supplicate God the Most High that he might live, so he might commit the commandment to him. When he came to five years of age, the king mounted him on horseback and the people of the city rejoiced in him and invoked on him length of life, so he might take his father’s leavings and [heal] the heart of his grandfather.

Meanwhile, Belehwan the froward addressed himself to pay court to Cæsar, King of the Greeks, and seek help of him in making war upon his father, and he inclined unto him and gave him a numerous army. His father the king heard of this and sent to Cæsar, saying, ‘O king of illustrious might, succour not an evil-doer. This is my son and he hath done thus and thus and cut his brother’s throat and that of his brother’s son in the cradle.’ But he told not the King of the Greeks that the child [had recovered and] was alive. When Cæsar heard [the truth] of the matter, it was grievous to him and he sent back to Suleiman Shah, saying, ‘If it be thy will, O king, I will cut off his head and send it to thee.’ But he made answer, saying, ‘I reck not of him: the reward of his deed and his crimes shall surely overtake him, if not to-day, then to-morrow.’ And from that day he continued to correspond with Cæsar and to exchange letters and presents with him.