One day, there came a ship and in it a merchant from their own country, who knew them and rejoiced in them with an exceeding joy and clad them in goodly apparel.  Moreover, he acquainted them with the manner of the treachery that had been practised upon them and counselled them to return to their own land, they and he with whom they had made friends,[FN#254] assuring them that God the Most High would restore them to their former estate.  So the king returned and the folk joined themselves to him and he fell upon his brother and his vizier and took them and clapped them in prison.

Then he sat down again upon the throne of his kingship, whilst the vizier stood before him, and they returned to their former estate, but they had nought of the [goods of the world].  So the king said to his vizier, ’How shall we avail to abide in this city, and we in this state of poverty?’ And he answered, ’Be at thine ease and have no concern.’  Then he singled out one of the soldiers[FN#255] and said to him, ’Send us thy service[FN#256] for the year.’  Now there were in the city fifty thousand subjects[FN#257] and in the hamlets and villages a like number; and the vizier sent to each of these, saying, ’Let each of you get an egg and lay it under a hen.’  So they did this and it was neither burden nor grievance to them.

When twenty days had passed by, each [egg] was hatched, and the vizier bade them pair the chickens, male and female, and rear them well.  So they did this and it was found a charge unto no one.  Then they waited for them awhile and after this the vizier enquired of the chickens and was told that they were become fowls.  Moreover, they brought him all their eggs and he bade set them; and after twenty days there were hatched from each [pair] of them thirty or five-and-twenty or fifteen [chickens] at the least.  The vizier let note against each man the number of chickens that pertained to him, and after two months, he took the old hens and the cockerels, and there came to him from each man nigh half a score, and he left the [young] hens with them.  On like wise he sent to the country folk and let the cocks abide with them.  So he got him young ones [galore] and appropriated to himself the sale of the fowls, and on this wise he got him, in the course of a year, that which the regal estate required of the king and his affairs were set right for him by the vizier’s contrivance.  And he peopled[FN#258] the country and dealt justly by his subjects and returned to them all that he took from them and lived a happy and prosperous life.  Thus good judgment and prudence are better than wealth, for that understanding profiteth at all times and seasons.  Nor,” added the vizier, “is this more extraordinary than the story of the man whose caution slew him.”

When the king heard his vizier’s words, he marvelled with the utmost wonderment and bade him retire to his lodging. [So Er Rehwan withdrew to his house and abode there till eventide of the next day, when he again presented himself before the king.]