The Story of King Bakhtzaman.[FN#201]

There was once a king of the kings whose name was Bakhtzaman, and he was a great eater and drinker and carouser.  Now enemies of his made their appearance in certain parts of his realm which they coveted; and one of his friends said to him, “O king, the foe intendeth for thee:  be on thy guard against him.”  Quoth Bakhtzaman “I reck not of him, for that I have weapons and wealth and warmen and am not afraid of aught.”  Then said his friends to him, “Ask aid of Allah, O king, for He will help thee more than thy wealth and thy weapons and thy warriors.”  But he turned a deaf ear to the speech of his loyal counsellors, and presently the enemy came upon him and waged war upon him and got the victory over him and profited him naught his trust in other than Allah the Most High.  So he fled from him and seeking one of the sovrans, said to him, “I come to thee and lay hold upon thy skirts and take refuge with thee, so thou mayst help me against my foe.”  The king gave him money and men and a mighty many and Bakhtzaman said in himself, “Now am I fortified with this force and needs must I conquer my foe with such combatants and overcome him;” but he said not, “With the aid of Allah Almighty.”  So his enemy met him and overcame him again and he was defeated and put to the rout and fled at random:  his troops were dispersed from him and his money lost and the enemy pursued him.  Thereupon he sought the sea and passing over to the other side, saw a great city and therein a mighty citadel.  He asked its name and that of its owner, and they said to him, “It belongeth to Khadidan[FN#202] the king.”  So he fared on till he came to the royal palace and concealing his condition, passed himself off for a horseman[FN#203] and sought service with King Khadidan, who attached him to his attendance and entreated him with honour; but his heart still clung to his mother-land and his home.  Presently, it chanced that an enemy came out against King Khadidan; so he sent his troops to meet him and made Bakhtzaman head of the host.  Then they went forth to the field and Khadidan also came forth and ranged his troops and levelled lance and sallied out in person and fought a sore fight and overcame his foe, who with his troops ignominiously fled.  When the king and his army returned in triumph, Bakhtzaman said to him, “Harkye, O king!  This be a strange thing I see in thee that thou art compassed about with this mighty great army, yet dost thou apply thyself in person to battle and adventurest thy life.”  Quoth the king, “Dost thou call thyself a knight and a learned wight and deemest that victory is in the many of men?” Quoth Bakhtzaman, “Such is indeed my belief.”  And Khadidan the king cried, “By Allah, then, thou errest in this thy belief!” presently adding, “woe and again woe to him whose trust is in other than Allah!  Indeed, this army is appointed only for phantasy and majesty, and victory is from Allah alone.  I too, O Bakhtzaman, whilome believed that victory