the astrologers and they watched for the hour of child-bearing and raised their astrolabes and carefully noted the time.  The hand-maid gave birth to a man-child, whereat the king rejoiced exceedingly, and the people congratulated one another with this glad news.  Then the astrophils made their calculations and looked into his nativity and his ascendant, whereupon their colour changed and they were confounded.  Quoth the king to them, “Acquaint me with his horoscope and ye shall have assurance of pardon and have naught to fear."[FN#223] They replied, “O king, this princely child’s nativity denoteth that, in the seventh year of his age, there is fearful danger for him from a lion, which shall attempt to rend him:  and if he be saved from the lion, there will betide a matter yet sorer and more grievous even than that.”  Asked the king, “What is it?” and they answered, “We will not speak, except the king command us and give us assurance from fear.”  Quoth the king, “Allah assure you!” and quoth they, “An he be saved from the lion, the king’s destruction shall be at his hand.”  When the king heard this, his complexion changed and his breast was straitened; but he said to himself, “I will be watchful and do my endeavour and suffer not the lion to eat him.  It cannot be that he will kill me, and indeed ’The astrologers lied.’"[FN#224] Then he caused rear him among the wet-nurses and the noble matrons;[FN#225] but withal he ceased not to ponder the prediction of the astrophils and verily his life was troubled.  So he betook himself to the top of a high mountain and hollowed there a deep excavation[FN#226] and made in it many dwelling-places and rooms and filled it with all that was needful of rations and raiment and what not else and laid in it pipe-conduits of water from the mountain and lodged the boy therein, with a nurse who should rear him.  Moreover, at the first of each month he used to go to the mountain and stand at the mouth of the hollow and let down a rope he had with him and draw up the boy to him and strain him to his bosom and kiss him and play with him awhile, after which he would let him down again to his place and return; and he was wont to count the days till the seven years should pass by.  Now when arrived the time of the Fate foreordered and the Fortune graven on the forehead and there remained for the boy but ten days till the seven years should be complete, there came to that mountain hunters chasing wild beasts and, seeing a lion, they attacked him.  He fled from them and seeking refuge in the mountain, fell into the hollow in its midst.  The nurse saw him forthwith and escaped from him into one of the chambers; upon which the lion made for the lad and seizing upon him, tare his shoulder, after which he sought the room wherein was the nurse and falling upon her, devoured her, whilst the boy lay in a swoon.  Meanwhile, when the huntsmen saw that the lion had fallen into the pit, they came to the mouth and heard the shrieking of the boy and the woman; and after awhile