Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 8.djvu/274

262 of us, and that, when this is finished, thou shouldst do thine endeavour to get us other and so we be still under thy safeguard and protection. Now hunger is sore upon us, for that we have not eaten these two days; so do thou give us our day’s meat and thou shalt be free to dispose of the rest as thou wilt.” But the wolf returned them no answer and redoubled in his stiffneckedness. So they strove to turn him from his purpose; but he would not be turned. Then said one of the foxes to the rest, “Nothing will serve us but that we go to the lion and cast ourselves on his protection and assign the camel unto him. If he vouchsafe us aught thereof, it will be of his bounty, and if not, he is worthier of it than this filthy fellow.”

So they betook themselves to the lion and acquainted him with that which had betided them with the wolf, saying, “We are thy servants and come to thee, imploring thy protection, so thou mayst deliver us from this wolf, and we will be thy slaves.” When the lion heard their story, he was jealous for God the Most High and went with them in quest of the wolf, who, seeing him making for him, addressed himself to flight; but the lion ran after him and seizing him, rent him in pieces and restored their prey to the foxes. This shows,’ added Shimas, ‘that it behoveth no king to neglect the affairs of his subjects; wherefore do thou hearken to my counsel and give credit to that which I say to thee; for thou knowest that thy father, before his decease, charged thee give ear unto loyal counsel. This is the last of my speech with thee and peace be on thee.’ Quoth the king, ‘I will hearken to thee and to-morrow, God willing, I will go forth to them.’

So Shimas went forth from him and returning to the folk, told them that the king had accepted his counsel