will ever bloom, and it will not wither in any circumstance.”  When the king read this admonition in the book, he recollected the advice of Khiradmand the Wazir, and found that they coincided.  He became anxious in his mind to put this in execution; “but to mount on horseback, [said his majesty to himself,] and take a retinue with me, and go like a king, is not becoming; it is better to change my dress, and go at night and alone to visit the graves of the dead, or some godly recluse, and keep awake all night; perhaps by the mediation of these holy men, the desires of this world and salvation in the next, may be obtained.”

Having formed this resolution, the king one night put on coarse and soiled clothes, and taking some money with him, he stole silently out of the fort, and bent his way over the plain; proceeding onwards, he arrived at a cemetery, and was repeating his prayers with a sincere heart.  At that time, a fierce wind continued blowing, and might be called a storm.  Suddenly the king saw a flame at a distance which shone like the morning star; he said to himself, “In this storm and darkness this light cannot shine without art, or it may be a talisman; for if nitre and sulphur be sprinkled in the lamp, around the wick, then let the wind be ever so strong, the flame will not be extinguished—­or may it not be the lamp of some holy man which burns?  Let it be what it may, I ought to go and examine it; perhaps by the light of this lamp, the lamp of my house also may be lighted, [73] and the wish of my heart fulfilled.”  Having formed this resolution, the king advanced in that direction; when he drew near, he saw four erratic fakirs, [74] with kafnis [75] on their bodies, and their head reclined on their knees; sitting in profound silence, and senselessly abstracted.  Their state was such as that of a traveller, who, separated from his country and his sect, friendless and alone, and overwhelmed with grief, is desponding and at a loss.  In the same manner sat these four Fakirs, like statues, [76] and a lamp placed on a stone burnt brightly; the wind touched it not, as if the sky itself had been its shade, [77] so that it burnt without danger [of being extinguished.]

On seeing this sight, Azad Bakht was convinced [and said to himself] that “assuredly thy desires will be fulfilled, by the blessing [resulting from] the footsteps of these men of God; and the withered tree of thy hopes shall revive by their looks, and yield fruit.  Go into their company, and tell thy story, and join their society; perhaps they may feel pity for thee, and offer up for thee such a prayer as may be accepted by the Almighty.”  Having formed this determination, he was about to step forward, when his judgment told him, O fool, do not be hasty!  Look a little [before thee.] What dost thou know as to who they are, from whence they have come, and where they are going?  How can we know but they may be Devs [78] or Ghuls [79] of the wilderness,