All this came of the old woman Dhat ed Dewahi， for it was she who slew the Sultan in his kingdom and carried off his wife， the Princess Sufiyeh； nor did this suffice her， but she must put another cheat on us and slay my brother Sherkan： and indeed I have bound myself and sworn by the most solemn oaths to avenge them of her. What say ye？ Ponder my words and answer me." With this， they bowed their heads and answered， "It is for the Vizier Dendan to decide." So the Vizier came forward and said， "O King of the age， it avails us nothing to tarry here， and it is my counsel that we strike camp and return to our own country， there to abide awhile and after return and fall upon the worshippers of idols." "This is a good counsel，" replied the King； "for indeed the folk weary for a sight of their families， and I also am troubled with yearning after my son Kanmakan and my brother"s daughter Kuzia Fekan， for she is in Damascus and I know not how it is with her." So he bade the herald call the retreat after three days， whereupon the troops rejoiced and blessed the Vizier Dendan. Then they fell to preparing for the homeward march and on the fourth day， they beat the drums and unfurled the banners and the army set forth， the Vizier in the van and the King riding in the mid-battle， with the Great Chamberlain by his side， and journeyed night and day， till they reached Baghdad. The folk rejoiced in their return， and care and hardship ceased from them，whilst those who had stayed at home came forth to meet those who had been so long absent and each amir betook him to his own house. As for Zoulmekan， he went up to the palace and went into his son Kanmakan， who had now reached the age of seven and used to go down [into the tilting-ground] and ride. As soon as the King was rested of his journey， he entered the bath with his son，and returning， seated himself on his chair of estate， whilst the Vizier Dendan took up his station before him and the amirs and grandees of the realm entered and stood in attendance upon him.
Then he called for his comrade the stoker， who had befriended him in his strangerhood； and when he came， the King rose to do him honour and made him sit by his own side. Now he had acquainted the Vizier with all the kindness and fair service that the stoker had done him； so the Vizier and all the amirs made much of him.
The stoker had waxed fat and burly with rest and good living， so that his neck was like an elephant"s neck and his face like a porpoise"s belly. Moreover， he was grown dull of wit， for that he had never stirred from his place； so at the first he knew not the King by his aspect. But Zoulmekan came up to him smilingly and saluted him after the friendliest fashion， saying， "How hast thou made haste to forget me！" So the stoker roused himself and looking steadfastly on Zoulmekan knew him： whereupon he sprang to his feet and exclaimed. "O my friend， who hath made thee Sultan？"
Zoulmekan laughed at him and the Vizier， coming up to him，expounded the whole story to him and said， "He was thy brother and thy friend； and now he is King of the land and needs must thou get great good of him. So I counsel thee， if he say to thee，"Ask a boon of me，" ask not but for some great thing； for thou art very dear to him." Quoth the stoker， "I fear lest， if I ask of him aught， he may not choose to grant it or may not be able thereto." "Have no care，" answered the Vizier； "whatsoever thou asketh， he will give thee." "By Allah，" rejoined the stoker， "I must ask of him a thing that is in my thought！ Every night I dream of it and implore God to vouchsafe it to me." "Take heart，"
said the Vizier. "By Allah， if thou askedst of him the government of Damascus， in the room of his brother he would surely give it thee." With this， the stoker rose to his feet and Zoulmekan signed to him to sit； but he refused， saying， "God forfend！ The days are gone by of my sitting in thy presence." "Not so，"
answered the Sultan； "they endure even now. Thou wert the cause that I am now alive， and by Allah， what thing soever thou askest of me， I will give it to thee！ But ask thou first of God， and then of me." "O my lord，" said the stoker， "I fear…，" "Fear not，" quoth the Sultan. "I fear，" continued he， "to ask aught and that thou shouldst refuse it to me." At this the King laughed and replied， "If thou askedst of me the half of my kingdom， I would share it with thee： so ask what thou wilt and leave talking." "I fear…，" repeated the stoker. "Do not fear，" said the King. "I fear，" went on the stoker， "lest I ask a thing and thou be not able thereto." With this， the Sultan waxed wroth and said， "Ask what thou wilt." Then said the stoker， "I ask， first of God and then of thee， that thou write me a patent of mastership over all the stokers in Jerusalem." The Sultan and all who were present laughed and Zoulmekan said， "Ask somewhat other than this." "O my lord，" replied the stoker， "said I not I feared thou wouldst not choose to grant me what I should ask or be not able thereto？"
