سندبادنامه 207.24

207.24

The Coming of the Slave-Girl on the Second Day into the Shah’s Presence
of his son, because one of the viziers, through subtle admonitions
and fine points of counsel, had cast him into doubt and hesitation regarding the execution of this resolve,
turned his state of wrath into assent and contentment, forbidden and prevented him from proceeding with punishment,
and brought forward rare and remarkable tales regarding the various wiles of women and the descriptions of their treachery,
arguing that no regard should be paid to their blame or praise, their seriousness or jesting,
and that their reproach, praise, refusal, and inclination ought not to be deemed worthy of erasure or affirmation;
and that the maxim 'Consult them and oppose them' should be made the rule for consideration and the model for testing;
for whoever has been granted this express distinction: 'Men are the managers of the affairs of women,'
should not look to their defective words, which emerge from the secret chamber of 'Women are deficient in intellect and religion.'
[Such were the words that] had found acceptance.
She therefore went before the shah's throne, disguised in appearance and bewildered in demeanor, and after delivering
her greetings and fulfilling the duties of service, said: 'The justice of the shah is the aid of the aggrieved, the refuge of the oppressed,
and the support of the forsaken; and every exaggeration that the shah’s world-adorning judgment
exercises in laying down the principles of equity and strengthening the foundations of justice is the vanguard
of the perpetuity of his dominion and the preface to the endurance of his realm. If this excessive and heinous wrong done against this maidservant
had befallen one of the ordinary servants of the harem, the justice of the shah would have required
that, in accordance with greatness and dignity, the requirement of disdain and self-respect, and the obligations