Now King Sasan had heard of Kanmakan"s going out and sending for an Amir of the Medes， called Jami， and twenty men， had given them money and bidden them slay Kanmakan. So， when they drew near the prince， they rushed at him and he met them in mid-career and killed them all， to the last man. Meanwhile the King took horse and riding out to meet his men， found them all slain， whereat he wondered and turned back； but the people of the city laid hands on him and bound him straitly. As for Kanmakan， he left that place behind him and rode onward with Subbah. As he went， he saw a youth sitting at the door of a house in his road and saluted him. The youth returned his greeting and going into the house，brought out two platters， one full of milk and the other of brewis swimming in （clarified） butter， which he set before Kanmakan， saying， "Favour me by eating of my victual." But he refused and the young man said to him， "What ails thee， O man，that thou wilt not eat？" "I have a vow upon me，" replied the prince. "What is the cause of thy vow？" asked the youth， and Kanmakan answered， "Know that King Sasan seized upon my kingdom wrongfully and oppressively， albeit it was my father"s and my grandfather"s before me； yet he laid hands upon the throne by force， after my father"s death， and took no count of me， for that I was of tender years. So I have bound myself by a vow to eat no man"s victual， till I have eased my heart of my enemy."
"Rejoice，" rejoined the youth， "for God hath fulfilled thy vow.
Know that he is in prison and methinks he will soon die." "In what house is he imprisoned？" asked Kanmakan. "In yonder high pavilion，" answered the other. The prince looked and saw the folk entering and buffeting Sasan， who was suffering the agonies of death. So he went up to the pavilion and noted what was therein；
after which he returned to his place and sitting down to meat，ate what sufficed him and put the rest in his budget. Then he waited till it was dark night. And the youth， whose guest he was，slept； when he rose and repaired to the pavilion in which Sasan was confined. Now about it were dogs， guarding it， and one of them ran at him； so he took out of his wallet a piece of meat and threw it to him. He ceased not to do thus， till he came to the pavilion and making his way to the place where Sasan was， laid his hand upon his head； whereupon he said in a loud voice， "Who art thou？" "I am Kanmakan，" replied the prince， "whom thou wentest about to kill； but God made thee fall into the evil thyself hadst devised. Did it not suffice thee to take my kingdom and that of my father， but thou must go about to kill me？" And Sasan swore a vain oath that he had not plotted his death and that the report was untrue. So Kanmakan forgave him and said to him， "Follow me." Quoth he， "I cannot walk a single step for weakness." "If the case be thus，" replied Kanmakan， "we will get us two horses and ride forth and seek the open country." So they took horse and rode till daybreak， when they prayed the morning-prayer and fared on till they came to a garden， where they sat down and talked awhile. Then Kanmakan rose and said to Sasan， "Is there aught of bitterness left in thy heart against me？" "No， by Allah！" replied Sasan. So they agreed to return to Baghdad and Subbah the Bedouin said， "I will go on before you， to give the folk notice of your coming." Then he rode on in advance，acquainting men and women with the news； so all the people came out to meet Kanmakan with tabrets and flutes； and Kuzia Fekan also came out， like the full moon shining in all her splendour in the thick darkness of the night. Kanmakan met her， and their hearts yearned each to each and their bodies longed one for the other. There was no talk among the people of the time but of Kanmakan； for the cavaliers bore witness of him that he was the most valiant of the folk of the age and said， "It is not just that other than he should be King over us； but the throne of his grandfather shall revert to him as it was." Meanwhile King Sasan went in to his wife Nuzhet ez Zeman， who said to him， "I hear that the folk talk of nothing but Kanmakan and attribute to him such qualities as beggar description." "Hearing is not like seeing，" replied the King； "I have seen him， but have noted in him not one of the attributes of perfection. Not all that is heard is said； but the folk ape one another in extolling and cherishing him， and God makes his praise to run on the lips of men， so that there incline to him the hearts of the people of Baghdad and of the perfidious traitor the Vizier Dendan， who has levied troops from all countries and arrogates to himself the right of naming a king of the country and chooses that it shall be under the hand of a worthless orphan." "What then dost thou purpose to do？" asked Nuzhet ez Zeman. "I mean to kill him，"
replied the King， "that the Vizier may be baulked of his intent and return to his allegiance to me， seeing nothing for it but my service." Quoth she， "Perfidy is a foul thing with strangers， and how much more with kinsfolk？ Thou wouldst do better to marry him to thy daughter Kuzia Fekan and give heed to what was said of old time：
If Fate set over thee a man， though thou than he Be worthier and this be grievous unto thee，Yield him the honour due to his estate； thou"lt find He will advantage thee， though near or far thou be.
Speak not thy thought of him； else wilt thou be of those Who of their own accord the way of weal do flee.
Many in the harem oft are brighter than the bride； But time is on her side， and opportunity."
When Sasan heard this， he rose in anger and said to her， "Were it not that to kill thee would bring disgrace and reproach on me， I would take off thy head with my sword and make an end of thee."
