have reached I me of what befel thee through that which is in thy person; and how the host of physicians have proved themselves unavailing to abate it; and lo! I can cure thee, O King; and yetwill I not make thee drink of draught or anoint thee with ointment." Now when King Yunan heard his words he said in huge surprise, "How wilt thou do this? By Allah, if thou make me whole I will enrich thee even to thy son's son and I will give thee
sumptuous gifts; and whatso thou wishest shall be thine and thou
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shalt be to me a cup companion[FN#80] and a friend." The King then robed him with a dress of honour and entreated him graciously and asked him, "Canst thou indeed cure me of this complaint without drug and unguent?" and he answered, "Yes! I will heal I thee without the pains and penalties of medicine."
The King marvelled with exceeding marvel and said, "O physician, when shall be this whereof thou speakest, and in how many days shall it take place? Haste thee, O my son!" He replied,"I hear
and I obey; the cure shall begin tomorrow." So saying he went forth from the presence, and hired himself a house in the city for the better storage of his books and scrolls, his medicines and his aromatic roots. Then he set to work at choosing the fittest drugs and simples and he fashioned a bat hollow within, and furnished with a handle without, for which he made a ball;
the two being prepared with consummate art. On the next day when both were ready for use and wanted nothing more, he went up to
the King; and, kissing the ground between his hands bade him ride forth on the parade ground[FN#81] there to play at pall and mall. He was accompanied by his suite, Emirs and Chamberlains, Wazirs and Lords of the realm and, ere he was seated, the sage Duban came up to him, and handing him the bat said, "Take this mall and grip it as I do; so! and now push for the plain and leaning well
over thy horse drive the ball with all thy might until thy palm
be moist and thy body perspire: then the medicine will penetrate through thy palm and will permeate thy person. When thou hast done with playing and thou feelest the effects of the medicine, return to thy palace, and make the Ghusl ablation[FN#82] in the Hammam bath, and lay thee down to sleep; so shalt thou be come
whole; and now peace be with thee!" Thereupon King Yunan took the
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bat from the Sage and grasped it firmly; then, mounting steed, he
drove the ball before him and gallopped after it till he reached it, when he struck it with all his might, his palm gripping the bat handle the while; and he ceased not malling the ball till his
hand waxed moist and his skin, perspiring, imbibed the medicine from the wood. Then the sage Duban knew that the drugs had penetrated his person and bade him return to the palace and enter the Hammam without stay or delay; so King Yunan forthright returned and ordered them to clear for him the bath. They did so, the carpet spreaders making all haste, and the slaves all hurry
and got ready a change of raiment for the King. He entered the bath and made the total ablution long and thoroughly; then donned his clothes within the Hammam and rode therefrom to his palace where he lay him down and slept. Such was the case with King Yunan, but as regards the sage Duban, he returned home and slept as usual and when morning dawned he repaired to the palace and craved audience. The King ordered him to be admitted; then,
having kissed the ground between his hands, in allusion to the
King he recited these couplets with solemn intonation:--
Happy is Eloquence when thou art named her sire * But mourns she whenas other man the title claimed.
O Lord of fairest presence, whose illuming rays * Clear off the fogs of doubt aye veiling deeds high famed,
Ne'er cease thy face to shine like Dawn and rise of Morn * And
never show Time's face with heat of ire inflamed!
Thy grace hath favoured us with gifts that worked such wise * As rain clouds raining on the hills by words enframed:
Freely thou lavishedst thy wealth to rise on high * Till won from
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Time the heights whereat thy grandeur aimed.
Now when the Sage ceased reciting, the King rose quickly to his feet and fell on his neck; then, seating him by his side he bade dress him in a sumptuous dress; for it had so happened that when
the King left the Hammam he looked on his body and saw no trace of leprosy: the skin was all clean as virgin silver. He joyed
thereat with exceeding joy, his breast broadened[FN#83] with delight and he felt thoroughly happy. Presently, when it was full day he entered his audience hall and sat upon the throne of his
kingship whereupon his Chamberlains and Grandees flocked to the presence and with them the Sage Duban. Seeing the leach the King rose to him in honour and seated him by his side; then the food trays furnished with the daintiest viands were brought and the physician ate with the King, nor did he cease companying him all that day. Moreover, at nightfall he gave the physician Duban two thousand gold pieces, besides the usual dress of honour and other gifts galore, and sent him home on his own steed. After the Sage had fared forth King Yunan again expressed his amazement at the leach's art, saying, "This man medicined my body from without nor anointed me with aught of ointments: by Allah, surely this is
none other than consummate skill! I am bound to honour such a man with re wards and distinction, and take him to my companion and
my friend during the remainder of my days." So King Yunan passed the night in joy and gladness for that his body had been made
whole and had thrown off so pernicious a malady. On the morrow the King went forth from his Serraglio and sat upon his throne,
and the Lords of Estate stood about him, and the Emirs and Wazirs
sat as was their wont on his right hand and on his left. Then he
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asked for the Sage Duban, who came in and kissed the ground before him, when the King rose to greet him and, seating him by his side, ate with him and wished him long life. Moreover he
robed him and gave him gifts, and ceased not con versing with him until night approached. Then the King ordered him, by way of salary, five dresses of honour and a thousand dinars.[FN#84] The physician returned to his own house full of gratitude to the
King. Now when next morning dawned the King repaired to his audience hall, and his Lords and Nobles surrounded him and his Chamberlains and his Ministers, as the white en closeth the black of the eye.[FN#85] Now the King had a Wazir among his Wazirs, unsightly to look upon, an ill omened spectacle; sor did, ungenerous, full of envy and evil will. When this Minister saw
the King place the physician near him and give him all these gifts, he jaloused him and planned to do him a harm, as in the saying on such subject, "Envy lurks in every body;" and the say ing, "Oppression hideth in every heart: power revealeth it and weakness concealeth it." Then the Minister came before the King and, kissing the ground between his hands, said, "O King of the age and of all time, thou in whose benefits I have grown to manhood, I have weighty advice to offer thee, and if I withhold
it I were a son of adultery and no true born man; wherefore an thou order me to disclose it I will
