Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 8.djvu/296

284 subjects and will not take horse against thee but after warning. Wherefore, if thou fear God, hasten to send me this year’s tribute; else will I not leave to ride forth against thee with a thousand thousand and a hundred thousand fighting-men, all giants on elephants, and I will range them round about my vizier and bid him beleaguer thee three years, in place of the three days’ delay thou appointedst to thy messenger, and I will make myself master of thy kingdom, except that I will slay none but thyself alone and make prisoners therefrom none but thy harem.’

Then the boy drew his own portrait in the margin of the letter and wrote thereunder the words: ‘This answer was written by the least of the boys of the school;’ after which he sealed it and handed it to the king. The latter gave it to the courier, who took it and kissing the king’s hands, went forth from him, rendering thanks to God and the king for the latter’s clemency to him and marvelling at the boy’s intelligence. He arrived at the court of the king, his master, three days after the expiration of the term appointed to him, and found that he had called a meeting of his council, by reason of the failure of the courier to return at the appointed time. So he went in to the king and prostrating himself before him, gave him the letter. The king took it and questioned him of the cause of his tarrying and how it was with King Wird Khan. So he recounted to him all that he had seen with his eyes and heard with his ears; whereat the king’s wit was con foundedconfounded [sic] and he said, ‘Out on thee! What tale is this thou tellest me of the like of this king?’ ‘O mighty king,’ answered the courier, ‘I am here before thee, but open the letter and read it, and the truth of my speech will appear to thee.’