the race of the Sassanians and the race of 'Adnán from the tyranny of the Greeks and the family of Ardashír. Fortune does not proceed in one uniform way with any one ; like the revolution of the sphere, it turns perpetually over this world of created beings in accordance with the divine commandsonce in a thousand years, or in twelve thousand years, or in thirty-six thousand years, or in three hundred and sixty thousand years, or in one day, which may be equal to fiftyfive thousand years, it changes once. True it is that the magic of this variable fortune never keeps anybody in one state.

CHAPTER VIII.

Consultation of the Men.

HERE the King was consulting in private with his wazír,

ministers, and nobles; there also the men, seventy individuals, inhabitants of different cities, assembled in their own house, and held deliberations together. Each one said what came into his mind. One of them said, "You have all heard the discussion which has passed to-day between us and our slaves, and the dispute is not yet settled. Have you found out at all what the King has decided in our regard?" All said, "How should we know? Still, this much we know, that the King is much perplexed about the matter, and probably will not come out to-morrow." Another said, I have found out that he will hold a consultation in private with his wazír to-morrow about our case." Another said, "He will assemble the doctors and learned men, and will take counsel."

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One of them said, "We do not know what advice the doctors will give about our rights; but this we know, that the opinion of us.”

King is inclined towards us, and has a good

Give the wazír some presents,

Another said, "The minister is to be feared. I hope he will not turn against us, and do injury to our rights." Another said, "This is an easy matter. and bring him over to our side. They all inquired what that was;

Still there is one danger." and he replied that there

was great fear about the opinion of the judges and lawyers.

They said, "This is also an easy matter.

Give them like

wise some bribes, and satisfy them. Then, in accordance with our desires, they will invent some legal quibble, and give their opinion. But the Sahib-i 'azímat is wise and honest. He will not show partiality to any one. In the event of the King consulting him, it is, to be feared lest he should exert himself with the King on behalf of our slaves, and deliver them out of our hands."

Another said, "You speak the truth; but if the King consults with the doctors, their opinions will differ. One will · speak in opposition to another, and nothing will be decided." Another observed, "If the King consults the judges and lawyers, what will they say about our rights?" The other replied, "The opinion of the learned cannot fail of falling under one of these three categories: either they will decide that we must set the animals free, or that we must sell them and accept a price for them, or that we must show some alleviation and kindness to them. These are the only three courses provided for in the law." One said, "If the King consults with the wazír, we do not know what advice he will give." Another replied, "I know. He will say, 'These animals have come and taken refuge in our country; they are oppressed, and it is incumbent on the King to assist them, because kings are called the vicegerents of God, and the Lord Almighty has given them rule over the earth, to dispense justice and equity to their subjects, and to give assistance and succour to the weak; to drive oppressors from their dominions, and to enforce the commands of the law among the people. They will be examined about these matters in the day of judgment.""

One said, "If the King speaks to the judge about deciding our case, then the judge will give one of three decrees. What must then be done?" They all said, "A judge is the deputy of the prophet, and the guardian of religion. In no

way can we disregard his decision." One said, "If the judge decrees that we are to release and set free the animals, what will you do?" Then another one said, "We will reply that we are their hereditary masters, and they have come down to us in bondage from the times of our ancestors. The choice is ours. If we like, we can release and set them free; and if we like, we can refuse to release them."

Another observed, "What if the judge directs us to prove that they are our hereditary slaves by some legal document, or by witnesses ?" One answered him, saying, "We will bring forward our friends, who are just, and tender them as witnesses." He replied, "The judge may say that the testimony of men is not trustworthy, because they are all enemies of the animals, and the evidence of enemies is not attended to in the law. Or he may ask where the deed of sale and contract is, and tell us to produce it if we are honest. What device can then be adopted?"

When they heard this, they were all silent, and gave no reply. At length an Arab said, "We will reply that we had the legal documents, but that they were all lost in the storm. And if the judge directs us to swear that they are our own slaves, then we will object that the oath ought to be taken by the defendants, but we are the plaintiffs." Then one said, "If the judge takes an oath from the animals, and they swear that they are not our slaves, what course must we then pursue?" Another replied, "We will say that the animals have sworn falsely, and that we have many proofs which substantiate our claim."

A person asked, "If the judge decrees that we are to sell them, and accept the price, what will you then do?" Then those who were inhabitants of the settled country said, "We will sell them, and take the money." But those who were dwellers in the woods and wastes, the Arabs, Turks, and the

like, said, "This must not be. If we act upon it we shall perish. Do not mention it.” Those who were disposed to sell asked what harm there was in it.

In answer to this they replied, "If we sell the animals we shall suffer great inconvenience. Drinking their milk, eating their flesh, making garments of their skin and hair, the application of them to other uses besides-all these advantages will be lost. Death is preferable to a life like this. Similar inconvenience will also befall the inhabitants of the settled country; for they also have great need of these animals. Never entertain the proposition of selling them, or setting them free; nay, do not even let the idea of it enter into your minds. If you are content to give them relief, and to show kindness to them, there is no objection to your doing so, for these animals are living beings; they have flesh and skin like you and we have; and by troubling them further, torture will fall upon them. You have not worked so much righteousness as that this reward should accrue to you in consequence, and that God should have made these animals your subjects. Nor have they committed any such great crime as that God should have inflicted this punishment because of it, and that they should have been subjected to this suffering. He is Master. Whatever He wishes He does, and no one can evade His commands."