Document 314; Page 313

boiled and make mince meat of him and to show that he meant to keep his promise he gave one of his people the charge of him till he should grow fat The poor helpless ox was forced to take up his residence in the stall A long time passed away and the affair slipped out of the memory of the Shah and still his uncle showed no sign of compassion For the space of six months he stayed in the stall It happened however one day that as the Prince was at his wine it came to his head that it was a long while since he had heard any news of Gheti Afroz and that all the while she seemed to have quite forgotten him Who thought he shall I send to fetch tidings of her he recollected the unlucky Melech Mahommed who had been his messenger on a former occasion and who was still in the shape of an ox What was to be done the prince said to Danish Bait can you for this time do me the favor to restore Melech Mahommed to his proper shape the Vizir recollected the oath he had taken never again to give him medicine But suffer him to die in the shape in which he was and began to make excuses and even sent

for