win to escape, and in this way shall I make merry for a time.” so he went to the king and spake these words to him.[FN#504] the king said, “An thou show him not, then I will kill thee,” and that poor man consented.  Then the king let give him much wealth and money, and the poor man took that wealth and money and went to his house.  Three years he spent in merriment and delight, and he rested at ease till the term was accomplished.  At the end of that time he fled and hid himself in a trackless place and he began to quake for fear.  Of a sudden he saw a personage with white raiment and shining face, who saluted him.  The poor man returned the salutation, and the radiant being asked, “Why art thou thus sad?” but he gave no answer.  Again the radiant being asked him and sware to him, saying, “Do indeed tell to me thy plight, that I may find thee some remedy.”  So that hapless one narrated his story from its beginning to its end, and the radiant being said, “Come, I will go with thee to the king, and I will answer for thee.”  So they arose.

Now the king wanted that hapless one, and while they were going some of the king’s officers who were seeking met them, and they straightway seized the poor man and brought him to the king.  Quoth the king, “Lo, the three years are accomplished; come now, and show me Khizr.”  The poor man said, “My king, grace and bounty are the work of kings—­forgive my sin.”  Quoth the king, “I made a pact; till I have killed thee, I shall not have fulfilled it.”  And he looked to his chief vezir and said, “How should this be done?” quoth the vezir, “This man should be hewn in many pieces and then hung up on butchers’ hooks, that others may see and lie not before the king.”  Said that radiant being, “True spake the vezir;—­all things return to their origin.”  Then the king looked to the second vezir and said, “What sayest thou?” he replied, “This man should be boiled in a cauldron.”  Said that radiant being, “True spake the vezir;—­all things return to their origin.”  The king looked to the third vezir and said, “What sayest though?” the vezir replied, “This man should be hewn in small pieces and baked in an oven.”  Again said that elder, “True spake the vezir;—­all things return to their origin.”  Then quoth the king to the fourth vezir, “Let us see what sayest thou?” The vezir replied, “O king, the wealth thou gavest this poor creature was for the love of Khizr (peace on him!). he, thinking to find him, accepted it; now that he has not found him he seeks pardon.  This were befitting, that thou set free this poor creature for love of Khizr.”  Said that elder, “True spake the vezir;—­all things return to their origin.”  Then the king said to the elder, “O elder, my vezirs have said different things contrary the one to the other, and thou hast said concerning each of them, ’True spake the vezir; — all things return to their origin.’  What is the reason thereof?” that elder replied, “O king, thy first vezir