His sons made their obeisances and said, “May such thoughts never enter our minds. We both desire to sacrifice our lives at your Majesty's feet.” The king commended them and bade them to sit down, which they did, but they soon afterwards departed. he then (says Abú Nasr) called me to him, and making me sit down, he stretched his legs towards my lap, and I shampooed them for a short time. He asked me what I thought of his sons, I kissed the ground and answered, “What can I say, how can tongue describe the excellencies of those two suns of grandeur, and those two moons of the heaven of prosperity! Thank God, they possess such qualities as are beyond all expression.” He said, “The excellence you ascribe to them does not mean much.”* (I said) “Fathers know best the character of their sons.” He then enquired whether I had a son. I replied, “Yes, I have one, his Majesty's slave.” He said, “Tell me by my soul and head, is he like you, and as worthy as you?” I anwered, “My lord, you know all, but my son is young, and not old enough to have shown what his real disposition is.” On this the king observed, “Let him grow up and then you will see that he will not be worth your finger; if he is he will be one of the marvels and wonders of the time. Mas'úd,” he continued, “is a proud fellow and thinks there is nobody better than himself. Muhammad is stout of heart, generous, and fearless, and if Mas'úd indulges in pleasure, wine, and the like, Muhammad outdoes him. He has no control over himself, has no apprehension of Mas'úd, and is heedless of the important concerns of life. I fear I find but little satisfaction in the thought of Muhammad succeeding me; for woe to him at the hands of Mas'úd, who will devour him, and woe also to the generals of my army, for Mas'úd is a very covetous man and has great love of money. If he should hear of any officer possessing a little property, he will be sure to destroy him in a few days, and appoint some worthless fellow in his place. It will thus come to pass that in this great kingdom every one will strive to benefit himself, and you may imagine the pass to which matters will come.” I replied, “My lord, may you ever enjoy sovereignty! dominion in this kingdom will for ever remain in this family!” The conversation was continued for some time in this strain, and when the Sultan went to sleep, I returned. Eventually what the king had said came to pass in every particular. The history of Muhammad and Mas'úd is well known, and will be related in this book in its proper place.
A stratagem similar to that narrated in the last story* was employed when Sultán Yamínu-d daula was returning from Somnát. Two Hindús came to him and offered themselves as guides. They led the way for three days and conducted him into a desert where there was neither water nor grass. The Sultán asked them what kind of road they called that by which they had come, and whether there were any habitations in the neighbourhood? They replied that they had been commissioned by the Ráí, their chief, and had fearlessly devoted themselves to the work of bringing him thither. “Now you have,” continued they, “the sea (daryá 'azím) before you, and the army of Hind behind. We have done our business, now do you do with us what you like, for not one single man of your army will escape.” In the midst of this conversation, a water-fowl was suddenly seen flying in the air. The sultán said, where there are water-fowl there must be sweet water, and proceeded after it. At length he reached the banks of a great river, the water of which was very brackish and quite unfit to drink. He was in this plight when he perceived another water-fowl, he followed it up and came to a village in which they discovered sweet water. He then ordered a suitable punishment to be inflicted on the two guides. Upon searching the village they found an 'Alawí (descendant of 'Alí) who was dwelling there with his family. They asked him if he knew the road, but he declared his ignorance, adding that there was an old man in another village who knew all the intricacies of the roads.
The Sultán then had the 'Alawí and his sons mounted on camels, and went with them to the village mentioned. He called the old man before him and inquired where the ford was. The old man said he had never seen any one cross the river excepting on one occasion when it was crossed by a body of men, but the place where they passed he could not tell. Had he strength to walk, perhaps he might find it out. On this the Sultán ordered him to be placed on horseback, and the old man led them to a certain spot on the bank of the river, when he said, I think this was the place where the passage was made. The Sultán sent some men into the river, but nowhere did they find it fordable. The Sultan, casting himself upon the protection of Providence, regardless of himself and fearless of the consequences, with the name of God upon his tongue, urged his horse into the stream. His whole army and all his attendants followed his example, and, with the assistance of God, crossed the water in safety. This was one of the many marvellous deeds of the Sultán, in which also the treachery of the infidels became evident to all men.
When Sultán Mahmúd sent costly presents to the ruler of Kirmán, the ambassador who took them proceeded viâ Tabbas. In the desert of Khabís* there was a body of Kafaj* and Bulúchís who robbed on the highway. They were eighty in number, and had built a stronghold upon an eminence, and had sunk a well. They had committed many robberies, but their conduct had never yet reached the ears of the Sultán. When the ambassador came to this place these people came out and carried off all the presents and rarities in his possession. Some of the men attached to the embassy were slain, but others who escaped returned to Tabbas, and there reported the circumstance to the Sultán, who was proceeding from Ghaznín to Khwárizm by way of Bust. When he arrived at Bust, Sultán Mas'úd came from Hirát and met him. On his arrival, the Sultán would not look at him or give him his hand, but appeared evidently displeased with him. Mas'úd was greatly alarmed, and kissing the ground, he asked what fault he had committed? The Sultán replied, “How can I be pleased with you, and why should I look at you. You are my son, and yet robberies are committed under your nose without your knowing anything about them?” He replied, “Oh king, I was staying in Hirát, and if robberies are committed in the desert of Khabís, what fault is it of mine?” The king replied, “I care not what you say, but I will not look at you unless you bring all the thieves to me, either alive or dead.” Sultán Mas'úd, after his interview with the Sultán, returned to Hirát, and there having chosen a party of two hundred men he started in search of the robbers, making continual enquiries about them. On approaching their fort, it occurred to him that they would probably have spies about, and that on hearing of the approach of so large a body of horse, they would take to flight. He therefore ordered fifty horsemen to fasten on their turbans, give their horses their heads, hide their arms under their saddles, so that no one could see them, and to ride forward and keep the enemy engaged until he should come up. He himself slowly followed with 150 horse. The robbers fought strenuously, seeing only a few horsemen before them, but suddenly the Sultan Mas'úd came up in the rear and captured them all. Not one of them escaped, forty were slain, and forty were sent prisoners to the Sultán. Large booty also was taken. The Sultán ordered them to be punished, and they were executed in a most ignominious way. The fame of his vigilance and justice thus spread far and wide.