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615. "I told P'hridon all that had befallen me. He said to me: ' What have I, mistaken, shamed, said to thee? Thou mighty king of the Indians, wherefore art thou come to me? A royal seat and throne become thee, a whole palace.'[1]
616. "Again he said to me: 'To whom God gives for form a young cypress,[2] from him He withdraws the spear, though at first He lacerate his heart therewith. He will grant us His mercy, He will thunder it from heaven, He will turn our sorrow to joy, He will never grieve us.'
617. "We went back tearful; we sat down alone together in the palace. I said to P'hridon: 'Save thee, none is mine aid. God has not sent thy like to earth, and since I know thee what more do I want?
618. "'Thou hadst no friend[3] until the time when thou didst meet me[4]; use now thy tongue and mind to counsel me in this: What can I do? What is the best thing to bring joy to her and me? If I can do nought I shall not tarry (i.e., survive) a moment.'
619. "He said to me: 'What better fate could I have from God than this? Thou art come to be gracious to me, king, sovereign of India. Needs it that after this I should desire any gratitude? I stand before thee as a slave to obey thee slavishly.
620. "'This city is the highway for ships coming from all parts, an emporium of much foreign news of all kinds. Here shall we hear of the balm to assuage the fire which burns thee. God grant that these woes and pains pass away!
621. "'We will send out sailors who have fared on the sea before[5]; let them find for us that moon for whose sake grief is not lacking to us; until then be patient, so that thy mind torture thee not; grief will not last for aye, shall not joy overcome it!'
622. "That very instant we called men, we settled the business; we commanded them: 'Go with ships,
