Storia do Mogor 238.8.7

238.8.7

Thus was it with the King of Balkh, called Sultan Ebraim Addam (Ibrahim Adham), who had a natural inclination to refinement. Thus, when he wished to sleep it was necessary to fill his room with flowers. Once it happened that, wishing to repose, in conformity with his usual habit, he ordered one of his women servants to knead his body. During this process it happened that he fell asleep; the servant also slumbered, and leant her head on the side of the bed. This act roused the king, and in a great rage he ordered the eunuchs to flog the said servant for her temerity in propping her head on the royal bedstead. He had no mercy for the accident, and at once the eunuchs set to work to execute the king's orders. Instead of weeping and imploring pardon, the woman was laughing. On perceiving this, the king was curious to know what motive she had for laughing, when, on the contrary, by the force and violence of the eunuchs' blows, it would seem she ought to be crying. To his question she replied that it was because he had ordered her to be beaten; for in her judgment, if to have leant her head a little moment on the royal bed, where the perfumes induced slumber, merited her undergoing such punishment even for the little time she had rested herself, what did His Majesty not deserve for having slept all his life in such a bed?