Storia do Mogor 141.1

141.1

Meanwhile I know the reader will be pleased at learning the origin of this great city of Lahor where I made my fortune, since I have exact information of how it came to be built. I feel under an obligation to write about its origin as a mark of my gratitude to a city which did me such signal benefit. The reader will get a lesson from the fidelity of a slave, and learn how sometimes in persons of lowly birth lies hidden great nobility of heart. Thus the origin of Lahor was as follows. There was a Sultan Mahmud Cazinizi (Ghaznavl), a Mahomedan King of Kabul, who styled himself King of Ghazni, because these kings then held their court in that city. It stood between Kabul and Qandahar, but is to-day in ruins. This king had a slave called Meleq Khas (Malik Khas), which means 'Chosen Noble.' This title was given him because while still a child he had great sense, as he showed on the occasion of which I here tell the story. There came to the king an ambassador from Persia, who had a handsome and very expert slave. Since Sultan Mahmud was very fond of seeing these creatures when expert, he talked with the ambassador on the qualities of his slave. The ambassador gave high praise to his boy, saying that he had a good understanding and was most exact at his duties. Sultan Mahmud wanted to try an experiment on this boasted good judgment. There arrived at the city a number of loaded horses and camels, and the king asked the ambassador to send his slave to find out what they were.