50
Presently, the king heard of Hassan and sending for him, said to him, ‘O Hassan, this vizier of mine vexeth and thwarteth me concerning the money I give to poets and story-tellers and glee-men, and I would have thee tell me a goodly history and a rare story, such as I have never heard. If it please me, I will give thee lands galore, with their strong places, in free tenure, in addition to thy fiefs; besides which I will make thee my chief vizier and put my whole kingdom in thy hands; so shalt thou sit on my right hand and rule my people. But, if thou bring me not that which I desire, I will take all that is in thy hand and banish thee my kingdom.’ ‘Hearkening and obedience [are due] to our lord the king,’ replied Hassan. ‘But thy slave beseecheth thee to have patience with him a year; then will he tell thee a story, such as thou hast never in thy life heard, neither hath other than thou heard its like nor a better than it.’ Quoth the king, ‘I grant thee a whole year’s delay.’ And he called for a splendid dress of honour, in which he clad Hassan, saying, ‘Keep thy house and mount not to horse, neither go nor come for a year’s time, till thou bring me that I seek of thee. If thou bring it, thou shalt have especial favour and mayst count on that which I have promised thee; but, an thou bring it not, thou art not of us nor we of thee.’ Night dcclvii.And Hassan kissed the ground before the king and went out from the presence.
Then he chose out five of the best of his servants, who could all write and read and were learned, intelligent and accomplished, and gave each of them five thousand dinars, saying, ‘I reared you but against the like of this day: so do ye help me to accomplish the king’s desire and deliver me from his hand.’ ‘What wilt thou [have us] do?’ said they. ‘Our lives be thy ransom!’ Quoth he, ‘I wish you to go each to a different country and seek out diligently the learned and erudite and accomplished and the tellers
