Kings, and they were a numerous company. Then
Sayf al-Muluk questioned them of the City of Babel
and the Garden of Iram, but none of them returned
him a reply, whereupon he was bewildered and wist not
what to do; but one of the sea-captains said to him,
“O auspicious King, an thou wouldst know of
this city and that garden, up and hie thee to the
Islands of the Indian realm."[FN#397] Thereupon Sayf
al-Muluk bade bring the ships; which being done, they
freighted them with vivers and water and all that
they needed, and the Prince and his Wazir re-embarked,
with all their men, after they had farewelled King
Faghfur Shah. They sailed the seas four months
with a fair wind, in safety and satisfaction till
it chanced tha tone day of the days there came out
upon them a wind and the billows buffeted them from
all quarters. The rain and hail[FN#398] descended
on them and during twenty days the sea was troubled
for the violence of the wind; wherefor the ships drave
one against other and brake up, as did the carracks[FN#399]
and all on board were drowned, except Sayf al-Muluk
and some of his servants, who saved themselves in a
little cock-boat. Then the wind fell by the decree
of Allah Almighty and the sun shone out; whereupon
Sayf al-Muluk opened his eyes and seeing no sign of
the ships nor aught, but sky and sea, said to the
Mamelukes who were with him, “Where are the
carracks and cock-boats and where is my brother Sa’id?”
They replied, “O King of the Age, there remain
nor ships nor boats nor those who were therein; for
they are all drowned and become food for fishes.”
Now when he heard this, he cried aloud and repeated
the saying which whoso saith shall not be confounded,
and it is, “There is no Majesty and there is
no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great!”
Then he fell to buffeting his face and would have
cast himself into the sea, but his Mamelukes withheld
him, saying “O King, what will this profit thee?
Thou hast brought all this on thyself; for, hadst
thou hearkened to thy father’s words, naught
thereof had betided thee. But this was written
from all eternity by the will of the Creator of Souls.”—And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying
her permitted say.
When it was the Seven
Hundred and Sixty-fifth Night,
She resume, It hath reached me, O auspicious King,
that when Sayf al-Muluk would have cast himself into
the main, his Mamelukes withheld him saying, “What
will this profit thee? Thou hast done this deed
by thyself, yet was it written from all eternity by
the will of the Creator of Souls, that the creature
might accomplish that which Allah hath decreed unto
him. And indeed, at the time of thy birth, the
astrologers assured thy sire that all manner troubles
should befal thee. So there is naught for it
but patience till Allah deliver us from this our strait.”
Replied the Prince, “There is no Majesty and
there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the
Great! Neither is there refuge nor fleeing from
that which He decreeth!” And he sighed and recited
these couplets,