“According to the king’s commands, at that midnight hour, when it was the very essence of darkness, the princess (who had been reared with such delicacy and tenderness), and had seen no other place except her own apartments, was carried by the porters in a litter, and set down in a place where not even a bird ever flapped its wing, much less did human creatures there exist; they left her there and returned.  The princess’s heart was all at once in such a state [as cannot be conceived]; reduced to what she was, from what she had been!  Then in the threshold of God, she offered up her prayers, and said, “Thou art so mighty [O Lord], that what thou hast wished, Thou hast done; and whatever Thou willest, Thou dost; and whatever Thou mayest wish, that Thou wilt do:  whilst life remains in my nostrils, I shall not be hopeless of [thy protection’].  Impressed with these thoughts, she fell asleep.  When the morn appeared, the eyes of the princess opened; she called for water to perform her ablutions.  Then, all at once, the occurrences of last night came to her recollection; she said to herself, ‘Where art thou, and where this speech?’ [222] Saying this to herself, she got up, and performed the tayammum, [223] said her prayers, and poured forth the praises of her Maker!  O youth, the heart is torn with anguish to reflect on the princess’s sad condition at that time.  Ask that innocent and inexperienced heart what it felt.

“In short, she sat in the litter, and putting her trust in God, she repeated to herself at that moment these verses:—­

    “When I had no teeth, then thou gavest milk;
    When thou hast given teeth, wilt thou not grant food! 
    He who takes care of the fowls of the air,
    And of all the animals of the earth,
    He will also take care of thee. 
    Why art thou sad, simple-minded one! 
    By being sorrowful thou’lt get nothing;
    He who provides for the fool, for the wise, and for the whole world,
    Will likewise provide for thee.’

“It is true, that when no resource remains, then God is remembered, or else every one in his own plans, thinks himself a Lukman, and a Bu’ Ali Sina. [224] Now listen to the surprising ways of God.  In this manner three days clear passed away, during which a grain of food did not enter the princess’s mouth; her flower-like frame became quite withered as a [dry] thorn; and her colour, which hitherto shone like gold, became yellow as turmeric; her mouth became rigid, and her eyes were petrified, but still a faint respiration remained passing and re-passing.  Whilst there is life, there is hope.  In the morning of the fourth day, a hermit appeared of bright countenance, in appearance like Khizr, [225] and of an enlightened heart.  Seeing the princess in that state, he said, ’O daughter, though your father is a king, yet these [sorrows] were decreed in thy destiny.  Now, conceive this old hermit your servant, and think day and night of