Then Shahpesh smiled and said, ’’Tis certain that the magnanimity of monarchs is as the rain that falleth, the sun that shineth:  and in this spot it fertilizeth richness; in that encourageth rankness.  So art thou but a weed, O Khipil! and my grace is thy chastisement.’

Now, the King ceased not persecuting Khipil, under pretence of doing him honour and heaping favours on him.  Three days and three nights was Khipil gasping without water, compelled to drink of the drought of the fountain, as an honour at the hands of the King.  And he was seven days and seven nights made to stand with stretched arms, as they were the branches of a tree, in each hand a pomegranate.  And Shahpesh brought the people of his court to regard the wondrous pomegranate shoot planted by Khipil, very wondrous, and a new sort, worthy the gardens of a King.  So the wisdom of the King was applauded, and men wotted he knew how to punish offences in coin, by the punishment inflicted on Khipil the builder.  Before that time his affairs had languished, and the currents of business instead of flowing had become stagnant pools.  It was the fashion to do as did Khipil, and fancy the tongue a constructor rather than a commentator; and there is a doom upon that people and that man which runneth to seed in gabble, as the poet says in his wisdom: 

     If thou wouldst be famous, and rich in splendid fruits,
     Leave to bloom the flower of things, and dig among the roots.

Truly after Khipil’s punishment there were few in the dominions of Shahpesh who sought to win the honours bestowed by him on gabblers and idlers:  as again the poet: 

          When to loquacious fools with patience rare
          I listen, I have thoughts of Khipil’s chair: 
          His bath, his nosegay, and his fount I see,—­
          Himself stretch’d out as a pomegranate-tree. 
          And that I am not Shahpesh I regret,
          So to inmesh the babbler in his net. 
          Well is that wisdom worthy to be sung,
          Which raised the Palace of the Wagging Tongue!

And whoso is punished after the fashion of Shahpesh, the Persian, on
Khipil the Builder, is said to be one ’in the Palace of the Wagging
Tongue’ to this time.

THE GENIE KARAZ

Now, when the voice of the Vizier had ceased, Shibli Bagarag exclaimed, ’O Vizier, this night, no later, I’ll surprise Shagpat, and shave him while he sleepeth:  and he shall wake shorn beside his spouse.  Wullahy!  I’ll delay no longer, I, Shibli Bagarag.’

Said the Vizier, ‘Thou?’

And he replied, ‘Surely, O Vizier! thou knowest little of my dexterity.’

So the Vizier laughed, and Noorna bin Noorka laughed, and he was at a loss to interpret the cause of their laughter.  Then said Noorna, ’O my betrothed, there’s not a doubt among us of thy dexterity, nor question of thy willingness; but this shaving of Shagpat, wullahy! ’tis longer work than what thou makest of it.’