It happened in the beautiful empire of King Shahriman, many many years ago. The King had four beauteous wives, and he took turns making them happy night by night. He had numerous daughters, but however much he longed to have a son, his heir was not to be born for a very long time yet. His years of prayer were at last mercifully answered by Allah, and to the joy of the whole empire, he was given a son whom he named Qamar al-Zaman. The father loved and spoiled his child, giving him everything he wished for. Qamar grew to be a youth, and the news got round in the empire that no one matched his beauty and grace. When he turned fifteen, his father saw it fit that he marry. All the virgins of privileged origin were brought to him, but he turned them all down. He was adamant that he didn’t want t
