’The poor woman obeyed all the injunctions and advice of the Emaum Jaffur Saadick punctually; acquired, by her diligence, the words of the prayer; strictly observed the preparation by fast; and, on the fifteenth “day of Rujub”, the prayer was duly performed, with sincere devotion and perfect faith in God’s power, and His infinite mercy.

’In the mean time, it appears, the King having been much troubled in a dream, he was warned to release his prisoner from captivity without delay, at the peril of destruction to himself and all he possessed.  The warning dream presented him with a view of the gulf to which he was condemned, if he delayed the release of Daaood from his confinement.  The person of the youth was so clearly represented to the King in his dream, that there could be no possible mistake in the particular captive to be freed, out of the many he held in bondage.  The King awakening from his troubled sleep, demanded of his attendants where the young man was confined; and learning from the chief officer of his court that Daaood was sent to a distant place, to be the offering buried under the foundation of a house, erecting by his command:  the swiftest camels were ordered immediately, to convey messengers with two bags of gold, and the King’s mandate, peremptorily ordering the release of the youth, if happily he yet existed; and if the building was proceeding with, the superintendent was cautioned to pull it down with the utmost care and dispatch, so that nothing should be omitted which could be done to preserve that life now so dear to the hopes of the King.

’The messengers reached the place on the third day after Daaood had been immured in the foundation of the building.  Small, indeed, were the hopes that the King’s desires would be gratified.  The builder, however, more humane than his employer, had so raised the work round the person of Daaood, as to leave him unhurt by its pressure, and having left a small aperture for air, his life was preserved;—­the masonry being removed promptly, and with caution, the youth was discovered not only alive, but even uninjured by the confinement.  The courier mounted the boy on the camel, with the present of gold contained in two bags, and conveyed Daaood, without loss of time, to his mother’s abode.

’All the particulars having undergone due investigation, it was clearly proved that it was on that very day when the poor woman was occupied in her fast and prayer, that her son Daaood was released from the foundation of the King’s house and restored to his home.  From this time forward the prayer of “Opening Difficulties” was denominated “Or of Daaood’s Mother".’

Turning over my collection of curiosities for the story of Daaood’s Mother, which the Meer translated for me many years since, I met with an ancient anecdote which.  I received from the same dear revered friend I must often quote as my author when I am detailing the particulars of things which I have heard and not seen,—­Meer Hadjee Shaah,—­who tells me he has found the following anecdote in the ’Commentary on The History of Moses’.—­It is translated by my husband.