When Ibrahim heard this, he let fetch the thieves and said to them, ’Tell me truly, which of you shot the arrow that wounded me.’  Quoth they, ‘It was this youth that is with us.’  Whereupon the king fell to looking upon him and said to him, ’O youth, acquaint me with thy case and tell me who was thy father and thou shalt have assurance from God.’  ‘O my lord,’ answered the youth, ’I know no father; as for me, my father lodged me in a pit [when I was little], with a nurse to rear me, and one day, there fell in upon us a lion, which tore my shoulder, then left me and occupied himself with the nurse and rent her in pieces; and God vouchsafed me one who brought me forth of the pit.’  Then he related to him all that had befallen him, first and last; which when Ibrahim heard, he cried out and said, ’By Allah, this is my very son!’ And he said to him, ‘Uncover thy shoulder.’  So he uncovered it and behold, it was scarred.

Then the king assembled his nobles and commons and the astrologers and said to them, ’Know that what God hath graven upon the forehead, be it fair fortune or calamity, none may avail to efface, and all that is decreed unto a man he must needs abide.  Indeed, this my caretaking and my endeavour profited me nought, for that which God decreed unto my son, he hath abidden and that which He decreed unto me hath betided me.  Nevertheless, I praise God and thank Him for that this was at my son’s hand and not at the hand of another, and praised be He for that the kingship is come to my son!’ And he strained the youth to his breast and embraced him and kissed him, saying, ’O my son, this matter was on such a wise, and of my care and watchfulness over thee from destiny, I lodged thee in that pit; but caretaking availed not.’  Then he took the crown of the kingship and set it on his son’s head and caused the folk and the people swear fealty to him and commended the subjects to his care and enjoined him to justice and equity.  And he took leave of him that night and died and his son reigned in his stead.

On like wise, O king,” continued the young treasurer, “is it with thee.  If God have written aught on my forehead, needs must it befall me and my speech to the king shall not profit me, no, nor my adducing to him of [illustrative] instances, against the fore-ordinance of God.  So with these viziers, for all their eagerness and endeavour for my destruction, this shall not profit them; for, if God [be minded to] save me, He will give me the victory over them.”

When the king heard these words, he abode in perplexity and said, “Restore him to the prison till the morrow, so we may look into his affair, for the day draweth to an end and I mean to put him to death on exemplary wise, and [to-morrow] we will do with him that which he meriteth.”

The Tenth Day.

Of the appointed term,[FN#128] which, if it be
advanced, may not be deferred and if it be
deferred, may not be advanced.