Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 8.djvu/216

204 THE UNJUST KING AND THE PILGRIM PRINCE.

There was once, in the land of the West, a king who was unjust in his rule, tyrannous, violent and capricious, having no regard to the welfare or protection of his subjects nor of those who entered his kingdom; and from every one who came within his realm his officers took four-fifths of his good and left him one-fifth, and no more. God the Most High decreed that he should have a son, who was fortunate and favoured and seeing the things of the world to be unrighteous, renounced them in his youth and put away from him the world and that which is therein and went forth, a pilgrim, serving God the Most High, wandering over deserts and wastes and [bytimes] entering cities.

One day, he came to his father’s capital and the guards laid hands on him and searched him, but found nothing upon him but two gowns, one old and the other new. So they stripped the new one from him and left him the old, after they had passing scurvily entreated him; whereat he complained and said, “Out on you, O oppressors! I am a poor man and a pilgrim, and what shall this gown profit you? Except ye restore it to me, I will go to the king and complain to him of you.” “We do this by the king’s commandment,” answered they. “So do what seemeth good to thee.”

So he betook himself to the king’s palace; but the chamberlains denied him admittance, and he turned away,