When he saw her， he rejoiced in her and sorrowed sore for her father. Then he let make for her clothes and gave her splendid jewels and ornaments and bade lodge her with his son Kanmakan in one place. So they both grew up， the brightest and bravest of the people of their time； but Kuzia Fekan grew up possessed of good sense and understanding and knowledge of the issues of events，whilst Kanmakan grew up generous and freehanded， taking no thought to the issue of aught. Now Kuzia Fekan used to ride a-horseback and fare forth with her cousin into the open plain and range at large with him in the desert； and they both learnt to smite with swords and thrust with spears. So they grew up，till each of them attained the age of twelve， when King Zoulmekan， having completed his preparations and provisions for the Holy War， summoned the Vizier Dendan and said to him， "Know that I am minded to do a thing， which I will discover to thee，and do thou with speed return me an answer thereon." "What is that， O King of the age？" asked the Vizier. "I am resolved，" said the King， "to make my son Kanmakan king and rejoice in him in my lifetime and do battle before him， till death overcome me. What deemest thou of this？" The Vizier kissed the earth before the King and replied， "O King and Sultan， lord of the age and the time， this that is in thy mind is indeed good， save that it is now no time to carry it out， for two reasons： the first， that thy son Kanmakan is yet of tender age； and the second， that it is of wont that he who makes his son king in his lifetime， lives but a little thereafterward." "Know， O Vizier，" rejoined the King，"that we will make the Grand Chamberlain guardian over him， for he is art and part of us and he married my sister， so that he is to me as a brother." Quoth the Vizier， "Do what seemeth good to thee： we will obey thine orders." Then the King sent for the Grand Chamberlain and the grandees of the kingdom and said to them， "Ye know that this my son Kanmakan is the first cavalier of the age and that he hath no peer in jousting and martial exercises； and now I appoint him to be Sultan over you in my stead and I make his uncle， the Grand Chamberlain， guardian over him." "O King of the age，" replied the Chamberlain， "I am but an offset of thy bounty." And the King said， "O Chamberlain， verily this my son Kanmakan and my niece Kuzia Fekan are brothers"
children； so I marry them one to the other and I call those present to witness thereof." Then he made over to his son such treasures as beggar description and going in to his sister Nuzhet ez Zeman told her what he had done， whereat she rejoiced greatly and said， "Verily， they are both my children. May God preserve thee to them many a year！" "O my sister，" replied he， "I have accomplished that which was in my heart of the world and I have no fear for my son： yet it were well that thou shouldst have a watchful eye to him and to his mother." And he went on to commend to the Chamberlain and Nuzhet ez Zeman his son and niece and wife. Thus did he nights and days till he [fell sick and] deeming surely that he should drink the cup of death， took to his bed and abode thus a whole year， whilst the Chamberlain took upon himself the ordering of the people and the realm. At the end of this time， the King summoned his son Kanmakan and the Vizier Dendan and said to the former， "O my son， this Vizier shall be thy father， when I am dead； for know that I am about to leave this transitory house of life for that which is eternal. And indeed I have fulfilled my lust of this world； yet there remaineth in my heart one regret， which may God dispel at thy hands！" "What regret is that， O my father？" asked his son. "O my son，" answered Zoulmekan， "it is that I die without having avenged thy grandfather Omar ben Ennuman and thine uncle Sherkan on an old woman whom they call Dhat ed Dewahi； but， so God grant thee aid，do not thou fail to take thy wreak on her and to wipe out the disgrace we have suffered at the hands of the infidels. Beware of the old woman"s craft and do as the Vizier shall counsel thee；
for that he from of old time hath been the pillar of our realm."
And his son assented to what he said. Then the King"s eyes ran over with tears and his sickness redoubled on him， nor did it leave to press sore upon him four whole years， during which time his brother-in-law the Chamberlain held sway over the country，judging and commanding and forbidding， to the contentment of the people and the nobles， and all the land prayed for him[FN#153]
what while Zoulmekan was occupied with his malady. As for Kanmakan， he had no thought but of riding and tilting with spears and shooting with arrows， and thus also did his cousin Kuzia Fekan； for they were wont to go forth at the first of the day and return at nightfall， when she would go in to her mother and he to his， to find her sitting weeping by his father"s bed. Then he would tend his father till daybreak， when he would go forth again with his cousin， according to their wont. Now Zoulmekan"s sufferings were long upon him and he wept and recited these verses：
My strength is past away， my tale of days is told And I， alas！ am left even as thou dost behold.
In honour"s day， the first amongst my folk was I， And in the race for fame the foremost and most bold.
Would that before my death I might but see my son The empery in my stead over the people hold And rush upon his foes and take on them his wreak， At push of sword and pike， in fury uncontrolled.
Lo， I"m a man fordone， in this world and the next， Except my spright of God be solaced and consoled！
