Thereafter he sent letters to each archmage,
Gave clothing to the mendicants, and asked:—
“In all the realm what folk are free from toil,
And who are mendicants and destitute?
Tell me how things are in the world, and lead
My heart upon the pathway toward the light.”
An answer came from all the archimages,
From all the nobles, and the men of lore:—
“The face of earth appeareth prosperous,
Continuous blessings are in every part,
Save that the poor complain against the ills
Of fortune and the Sháh. ‘The rich,’ they say,
‘Wear wreaths of roses in their drinking-bouts,
And quaff to minstrelsy, but as for us
They do not reckon us as men at all.
The empty-handed drinketh with no rose
Or harp.’ The king of kings should look to it.”
The Sháh laughed heartily at this report,
And sent a camel-post to king Shangul
To say thus: “O thou monarch good at need!
Select ten thousand of the Gipsy-tribe,
Both male and female, skilful on the harp,
And send them to me. I may gain mine end
Through that notorious folk.”

Now when the letter

Came to Shangul he raised his head in pride

O'er Saturn's orbit and made choice of Gipsies,
As bidden by the Sháh who, when they came,
Accorded them an audience and gave each
An ox and ass, for he proposed to make
The Gipsies husbandmen, while his officials
Gave them a thousand asses' loads of wheat,
That they might have the ox and ass for work,
Employ the wheat as seed for raising crops,
And should besides make music for the poor,
And render them the service free of cost.
The Gipsies went and ate the wheat and oxen,
Then at a year's end came with pallid cheeks.
The Sháh said: “Was it not your task to plough,
To sow, and reap? Your asses yet remain,
So load them up, prepare your harps, and stretch
The silken chords.”

And so the Gipsies now,

According to Bahrám's just ordinance,
Live by their wits; they have for company
The dog and wolf, and tramp unceasingly.