Now it was the enemy’s wont, at every year’s end, to bring forth their prisoners and cast them down from the top of the citadel to the bottom.  So they brought them forth, at the end of the year, and cast them down, and Melik Shah with them.  However, he fell upon the [other] men and the earth touched him not, for his term was [God-]guarded.  Now those that were cast down there were slain and their bodies ceased not to lie there till the wild beasts ate them and the winds dispersed them.  Melik Shah abode cast down in his place, aswoon, all that day and night, and when he recovered and found himself whole, he thanked God the Most High for his safety [and rising, fared on at a venture].  He gave not over walking, unknowing whither he went and feeding upon the leaves of the trees; and by day he hid himself whereas he might and fared on all his night at hazard; and thus he did some days, till he came to an inhabited land and seeing folk there, accosted them and acquainted them with his case, giving them to know that he had been imprisoned in the fortress and that they had cast him down, but God the Most High had delivered him and brought him off alive.

The folk took compassion on him and gave him to eat and drink and he abode with them awhile.  Then he questioned them of the way that led to the kingdom of his uncle Belehwan, but told them not that he was his uncle.  So they taught him the way and he ceased not to go barefoot, till he drew near his uncle’s capital, and he naked and hungry, and indeed his body was wasted and his colour changed.  He sat down at the gate of the city, and presently up came a company of King Belehwan’s chief officers, who were out a-hunting and wished to water their horses.  So they lighted down to rest and the youth accosted them, saying, ’I will ask you of somewhat, wherewith do ye acquaint me.’  Quoth they, ’Ask what thou wilt.’  And he said, ‘Is King Belehwan well?’ They laughed at him and answered, ’What a fool art thou, O youth!  Thou art a stranger and a beggar, and what concern hast thou with the king’s health?’ Quoth he, ‘Indeed, he is my uncle;’ whereat they marvelled and said, ’It was one question[FN#135] and now it is become two.’  Then said they to him, ’O youth, it is as thou wert mad.  Whence pretendest thou to kinship with the king?  Indeed, we know not that he hath aught of kinsfolk, except a brother’s son, who was prisoned with him, and he despatched him to wage war upon the infidels, so that they slew him.’  ‘I am he,’ answered Melik Shah, ‘and they slew me not, but there betided me this and that.’

They knew him forthright and rising to him, kissed his hands and rejoiced in him and said to him, ’O our lord, in good sooth, thou art a king and the son of a king, and we desire thee nought but good and beseech [God to grant] thee continuance.  Consider how God hath rescued thee from this thy wicked uncle, who sent thee to a place whence none came ever off alive, purposing not in this but thy destruction; and indeed thou fellest into [peril of] death and God delivered thee therefrom.  So how wilt thou return and cast thyself again into thine enemy’s hand?  By Allah, save thyself and return not to him again.  Belike thou shall abide upon the face of the earth till it please God the Most High [to vouchsafe thee relief]; but, if thou fall again into his hand, he will not suffer thee live a single hour.’