When the mother of Sulaimán heard Míán Hasan thus speak, she was overcome with grief, and discontinued complaining to Míán Hasan, but from that day seldom held any intercourse with Míán Hasan. She publicly displayed her grief, and the love and the intimacy which Míán Hasan had previously enjoyed with her were interrupted. Míán Hasan perceived her great affliction, and one day said to her, “What is the cause of your grief? and what is the reason of your shunning me?” She replied, “I was once your humble slave, you distinguished me by your love and affection, and the rest of your family, from envy, are little affectionate towards me; nor yet, to the best of my ability, have I failed in my duty to them. He (Faríd) is your eldest son, and looks to succeed to your posi­tion, and if, during your life, you do not distinguish my sons as well as Faríd, nor give them the management of a pargana, I will in your presence kill myself and my sons; for in your lifetime they should acquire property. Faríd and your kindred, who are my enemies, after your death will insult and turn us out of the parganas. Therefore, it is better for us to die in your presence, than to survive dishonoured among our enemies.”

Míán Hasan, bound in the chain of her love, and helpless from the force of his affection (from which to the lover there is no escape), was persuaded by her, and withdrew his fickle affec­tions from his eldest son, and sought to remove him from the country, and to place his other sons in his room. The mother of Sulaimán said, “I hope much from your love, but your relatives will not permit you to take away the management of the parganas from Faríd.” Míán Hasan, who was entangled in the noose of her love, swore a solemn oath to her and appeased her.

After this Míán Hasan sought to discover some fault in Faríd, and to remove him, and employed himself in examining his actions. Excessive aversion was kindled and angry words passed between Míán Hasan and Faríd. When Faríd dis­covered that Míán Hasan had promised the mother of Sulaimán that he would give the management of both parganas to her sons, and had violated the promise which he had given to his kinsmen, Faríd threw up the management of them, and sent to Míán Hasan, saying, “So long as I saw my father's affections and kindness turned towards me, I carried on the business of the parganas—now make anybody manager you like. Certain per­sons from envy and enmity have conveyed to your hearing reports which have grieved you. My father, inquire into them, as I shall show you how.” * * *

Míán Hasan sent to Faríd in reply, saying, “There is no reason that I should make inquiries; for while I was even absent with the army, I understood the real state of the parganas, and that you doubled the prosperity of the country. And if you have appropriated anything, well and good. It is your own pro­perty, and it is no reproach. * * * Your degenerate brothers, Sulaimán and the rest, give me daily annoyance. I do not think they are able to manage the country. However much I advise, it makes no impression on them: they have taken away my rest and peace, and their mother is interfering perpetually in my affairs on behalf of her sons. I am obliged to permit Sulaimán and Ahmad to act for a short time as shikkdárs of the parganas, that I may be freed from this daily and nightly vexation.” When Faríd heard these words from his father, he said, “The two parganas are my father's, let him give their management to whomsoever he will.”

When Míán Hasan's relations heard that he had taken away the management of the two parganas from Faríd, and was in­tending to confer it on Sulaimán and Ahmad, and that Faríd was preparing to go to Ágra to gain his livelihood (for in those days Ágra was the capital city), they came to Míán Hasan, and said:—“It is not right for you to take away the management of the parganas from this son, and give it to Sulaimán and Ahmad; for Faríd, by his care, has doubled their prosperity, and has so established his authority in them, as no one ever before did, nor has he committed any fault for which he ought to be removed. It is not right to quarrel with such an able son in your old age; especially in these times, when the authority of Sultán Ibráhím is shaken, and every Afghán of influence is aiming at power and independence.”

Míán Hasan replied to his relatives, “I know it is not right to grieve Faríd; but what can I do? for Sulaimán and his mother have driven me into a strait, nor do they give me a moment's rest. * * * I am an old man, the time of my death is near at hand. I cannot break my promise. I give the manage­ment of the parganas to Sulaimán and Ahmad during my life. If they govern well, so that the parganas prosper, the people are happy and the soldiery content, well and good; for then during my lifetime they will acquire a good name. For thus Faríd has gained a name among men, and has gladdened my heart. Wheresoever he may go, he will be able to gain his own livelihood. But if they prove unfit, they will (at any rate) be for some time during my life laying up worldly goods. Of this I am certain, that after my death the government of the parganas will be conferred on Faríd, who is deserving of it.” * * *

When his kinsmen heard this reply of Míán Hasan, they said, “You send Faríd away from you to please a slave-girl! It is wrong in these times to stir up strife for a slave-girl's sake. For from the proceedings of the Lohánís in Bihár, it appears that they will shortly throw off the king's yoke, and declare their independence. It has been said, ‘it is wrong to place confidence in women,’” etc. * * * But in spite of what his rela­tives said, Míán Hasan, who was a captive in the bonds of his love for the slave-girl, did not assent to their representation.

When Faríd entertained no longer any hope from Míán Hasan, he took leave of his friends, and set off for Ágra, by way of Káhnpúr (Cawnpore), which pargana then belonged to the jágír of 'Azím Humáyún Sarwání, who there maintained a large number of followers. Most of the Sarwánís were settled in that neighbourhood. When Faríd reached Káhnpúr, the Sar-wánís who were connected by marriage with Míán Hasan enter­tained Faríd. Among them, one Shaikh Isma'íl was present. Faríd asked who he was. The Sarwánís at first said that he was a Sarwání; but afterwards that he was a Súr of Faríd's own tribe, but that his mother was a Sarwání. Faríd said to him, “Why did you not tell me you were a Súr?” Shaikh Isma'íl said, “I did not tell you that I was a Sarwání, but if they said so, what fault is it of mine?” Faríd said to Shaikh Isma'íl, “Come with me.” Shaikh Isma'íl and Ibráhím both accompanied Faríd, and in the battle in which Faríd defeated Kutb Sháh, King of Bengal, Isma'íl greatly distin­guished himself. Habíb Khán Kákar, who was his sister's son and lived in his house, slew Kutb Sháh with an arrow, and as Habíb Khán was a follower of Shaikh Isma'íl, the latter got the credit of having killed Kutb Sháh. On that occasion, Faríd gained the surname of Sher Sháh, and he bestowed that of Shujá'at Khán on Shaikh Isma'íl. When Sher Sháh Súr gained the kingdom of Hindustán, he bestowed the government of Mandú on him, and gave to Ibráhím Khán, who also at­tained to great consideration, the title of Sarmast Khán.

It so happened that when Faríd arrived at Ágra, Daulat Khán, the son of Budhú (who had been brought up in 'Azím Humáyún Sarwání's house), held the command of 12,000 horse, and was in great favour with Sultán Ibráhím. Faríd Khán chose Daulat Khán for his patron, and did him such good service that Daulat Khán often said: “I am ashamed to look Faríd Khán in the face; if he will only say what I can do for him, I will not fail to use my utmost endeavours to accomplish his desire, only let him say what he wants.”