In the Name of Allah,
            the Compassionating,
         the Compassionate!

   PRAISE BE TO ALLAH - THE BENEFICENT KING - THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE
   - LORD OF THE THREE WORLDS - WHO SET UP THE FIRMAMENT WITHOUT
   PILLARS IN ITS STEAD - AND WHO STRETCHED OUT THE EARTH EVEN AS A BED -
   AND GRACE, AND PRAYER-BLESSING BE UPON OUR LORD MOHAMMED - LORD OF
   APOSTOLIC MEN - AND UPON HIS FAMILY AND COMPANION TRAIN -PRAYER AND
   BLESSINGS ENDURING AND GRACE WHICH UNTO THE DAY OF DOOM SHALL REMAIN -
   AMEN! - O THOU OF THE THREE WORLDS SOVEREIGN!

    AND AFTERWARD.

    Verily the works
           and words of those gone
         before us have
             become instances and examples
                   to men
                       of our modern day,
           that folk may view
             what admonishing chances
                befell other folk
                   and may therefrom take warning;
        and that
             they may peruse the annals
                   of antique peoples
                 and all
             that hath betided them,
           and be thereby
              ruled and restrained.

    Praise,
           therefore,
         be to Him
             who hath
                  made the histories of the
                       past an admonition
                     unto the present!

    Now of such instances
        are the tales called
         "A Thousand Nights
               and a Night,"
            together with
               their far-famed legends and wonders.

    Therein it is related
         (but Allah it
            is All-knowing of His
                  hidden things
                       and All-ruling
                     and All-honored
                           and All-giving
                         and All-gracious and All-merciful!)
 

    that in tide
           of yore and
         in time long gone before,
           there was a King
               of the Kings
             of the Banu Sasan
               in the islands of India
                   and China,
         a Lord of armies
               and guards
             and servants and dependents.

    He left only two sons,
           one in the prime
               of manhood
             and the
                   other yet a youth,
         while both
            were knights and braves,
           albeit the elder
            was a doughtier horseman
                   than the younger.

    So he succeeded
           to the empire,
         when he ruled
               the land and lorded it
            is over his lieges
                   with justice so exemplary
             that he
                was beloved
                       by all the peoples
                           of his capital
                         and of his kingdom.

    His name was King Shahryar,
           and he made
               his younger brother,
         Shah Zaman hight,
           King of Samarkand
               in Barbarian land.

    These two ceased not
          to abide in their
              several realms and the law
        was ever
              carried out in their dominions.

    And each
          ruled his own kingdom
               with equity and fair
             dealing to his subjects,
           in extreme solace and enjoyment,
         and this condition continually
              endured for
                   a score of years.

    But at the end
           of the twentieth twelvemonth
               the elder King
          yearned for a sight
               of his younger brother
             and felt
         that he
            must look
                   upon him once more.

    So he took
         counsel with his Wazir
               about visiting him,
           but the Minister,
         finding the project unadvisable,
           recommended that a letter
              be written and a present
                  be sent
                       under his charge
                           to the younger brother,
         with an invitation
              to visit the elder.

    Having accepted this advice,
           the King forthwith bade
             prepare handsome gifts,
         such as horses
               with saddles of gem-encrusted gold;
        Mamelukes,
           or white slaves;
        beautiful handmaids,
           high-breasted virgins,
         and splendid stuffs and costly.

    He then
        wrote a letter
               to Shah Zaman
             expressing his warm
                   love and great wish
              to see him,
           ending with these words:
         "We therefore
              hope of the favor
                   and affection
                       of the beloved brother
             that he
                will condescend to bestir himself
                      and turn his face usward.

    Furthermore,
           we have
              sent our Wazir
                  to make all ordinance
                       for the march,
         and our one and only
              desire it
            is to see
                   thee ere we die.

    But if
         thou delay or disappoint us,
           we shall not
              survive the blow.

    Wherewith peace be upon thee!"

    Then King Shahryar,
           having sealed the missive and
              given it
            is to the Wazir
                   with the offerings aforementioned,
         commanded him
              to shorten his skirts
                  and strain his strength
                      and make all expedition
                           in going and returning.