When this news reached the wazir’s family, weeping and lamentations took place, and it became a house of mourning.  The wazir had a daughter of the age of fourteen or fifteen years, very handsome and accomplished, perfect in writing and reading.  The wazir loved her greatly, and was extremely fond of her; so much so, that he had erected an elegant apartment for her behind his own diwan khana; and had procured for her the daughters of noblemen as her companions, and handsome female servants waited on her; with these she passed her time in laughter and joy, and playing and romping about.

It happened that on the day the wazir was sent to prison, the girl was sitting with her young companions, and was celebrating with [infantile] pleasure the marriage of her doll; and with a small drum and timbrel she was making preparation for the night vigils; and having put on the frying pan, she was busy making up sweetmeats, when her mother suddenly ran into her apartment, lamenting and beating [her breasts], with dishevelled tresses and naked feet.  She struck a blow on her daughter’s head, and said, “Would that God had given me a blind son instead of thee; then my heart would have been at ease, and he would have been the friend of his father.”  The wazir’s daughter asked, “What use would a blind son have been to you? whatever he could do, I can do likewise.”  The mother replied, “Dust be on thy head! such a calamity hath fallen on thy father, that he is confined in the prison for having used some improper expressions before the king.”  The daughter asked, “What were the expressions? let me hear them.”  Then her mother answered, “Your father said that there is a merchant in Nishapur, who has fixed twelve inestimable rubies on his dog’s collar:  the king would not believe him, but conceived him a liar, and has imprisoned him.  If he had had to-day a son, he would have exerted himself by every means to ascertain the truth of the circumstance; he would have assisted his father, besought the king’s forgiveness, and have got my husband released from prison.”

The wazir’s daughter said [in reply], “O mother, we cannot combat against fate; man under sudden calamity ought to be patient, and place his hopes in the bounty of God.  He is merciful, and does not hold any one’s difficulties to be irremovables; weeping and lamentations are improper.  God forbid that our enemies should misrepresent [the motive of our tears] to the king, and the teller of tales calumniate us, for that would be the cause of farther displeasure.  On the contrary, let us offer up our prayers for the king’s welfare; we are his born slaves, and he is our master; even as he is wroth, so will he be gracious.”  The girl, from her good sense, thus made her mother comprehend these things, so that she became somewhat patient and tranquil, and returned in silence to her palace.  When the night arrived, the wazir-zadi