Firuz and his wife[FN#293]

They relate that a certain king sat one day on the terrace-roof of his palace, solacing himself with the view, and presently, his wandering glances espied, on a house-top over against his palace, a woman seer never saw her like.  So he turned to those present and asked them, “To whom belongeth yonder house?” when they answered, “To thy servant Firuz, and that is his spouse.”  So he went down (and indeed passion had made him drunken as with wine, and he was deeply in love of her), and calling Firuz, said to him, “Take this letter and go with it to such a city and bring me the reply.”  Firuz took the letter and going to his house, laid it under his head and passed that night; and when the morning morrowed, he farewelled his wife and fared for that city, unknowing what his sovran purposed against him.  As for the king, he arose in haste after the husband had set out and repairing to the house of Firuz in disguise, knocked at the entrance.  Quoth Firuz’s wife, “Who’s at the door?” and quoth he, saying, “I am the king, thy husband’s master.”  So she opened and he entered and sat down, saying, “We are come to visit thee.”  She cried, “I seek refuge[FN#294] from this visitation, for indeed I deem not well of it;” but the king said, “O desire of hearts, I am thy husband’s master and methinks thou knowest me not.”  She replied, “Nay, I know thee, O my lord and master, and I wot thy purpose and whatso thou wantest and that thou art my husband’s lord.  I understand what thou wishest, and indeed the poet hath forestalled thee in his saying of the verses referring to thy case,

’Now will I leave your water way untrod; * For many treading that
     same way I see: 
When fall the clustering flies upon the food, * I raise my hand
     whate’er my hunger be: 
And lions eke avoid the water way * When dogs to lap at fountain
     side are free.’ "

Then said she, “O king, comest thou to a watering place whereat thy dog hath drunk and wilt thou drink thereof?” The king was abashed at her and at her words and fared forth from her but forgot his sandal in the house.  Such was his case; but as regards Firuz, when he went forth from his house, he sought the letter, but found it not in pouch; so he returned home.  Now his return fell in with the king’s going forth and he came upon the sandal in his house, whereat his wit was wildered and he knew that the king had not sent him away save for a device of his own.  However, he kept silence and spake not a word, but, taking the letter, went on his mission and accomplished it and returned to the king, who gave him an hundred dinars.  So Firuz betook himself to the bazar and bought what beseemeth women of goodly gifts and returning to his wife, saluted her and gave her all he had purchased, and said to her, “Arise and hie thee to thy father’s home.”  Asked she, “Wherefore?” and he answered, “Verily, the king hath been bountiful to me