There reigned once in the City of Peace， （Baghdad）， before the Khalifate of Abdulmelik ben Merwan，[FN#1] a king called Omar ben Ennuman， who was of the mighty giants and had subdued the kings of Persia and the Emperors of the East， for none could warm himself at his fire[FN#2] nor cope with him in battle， and when he was angry， there came sparks out of his nostrils. He had gotten him the dominion over all countries， and God had subjected unto him all creatures； his commands were obeyed in all the great cities and his armies penetrated the most distant lands： the East and West came under his rule， with the regions between them， Hind and Sind and China and Hejaz and Yemen and the islands of India and China， Syria and Mesopotamia and the land of the blacks and the islands of the ocean and all the famous rivers of the earth，Jaxartes and Bactrus， Nile and Euphrates. He sent his ambassadors to the farthest parts of the earth， to fetch him true report， and they returned with tidings of justice and peace， bringing him assurance of loyalty and obedience and invocations of blessings on his head； for he was a right noble king and there came to him gifts and tribute from all parts of the world. He had a son called Sherkan， who was one of the prodigies of the age and the likest of all men to his father， who loved him with an exceeding love and had appointed him to be king after him. The prince grew up till he reached man"s estate and was twenty years old， and God subjected all men to him， for he was gifted with great might and prowess in battle， humbling the champions and destroying all who made head against him. So， before long， this Sherkan became famous in all quarters of the world and his father rejoiced in him： and his might waxed， till he passed all bounds and magnified himself， taking by storm the citadels and strong places.
Now King Omar had four lawful wives， but God had vouchsafed him no son by them， except Sherkan， whom he had gotten of one of them， and the rest were barren. Moreover he had three hundred and threescore concubines， after the number of the days of the Coptic year， who were of all nations， and he had lodged them all within his palace. For he had built twelve pavilions， after the number of the months of the year， in each thirty chambers， and appointed to each of his concubines a night， which he lay with her and came not to her again for a full year. As providence would have it，one of them conceived and her pregnancy was made known， whereupon the King rejoiced with an exceeding joy， saying， "Mayhap it will be a son， in which case all my offspring will be males." Then he recorded the date of her conception and made much of her. But when the news came to Sherkan， he was troubled and it was grievous to him， for he said， "Verily， there cometh one who shall dispute the kingdom with me." So he said to himself， "If this damsel bear a male child， I will kill it." But he kept this his intent secret in his heart. Now the damsel in question was a Greek girl， by name Sufiyeh，[FN#3] whom the King of Roum，[FN#4]
lord of Caesarea， had sent to King Omar as a present， together with great store of rarities. She was the fairest of face and most graceful of all his women and the most careful of his honour and was gifted with abounding wit and surpassing loveliness. She had served the King on the night of his lying with her， saying to him， "O King， I desire of the God of the heavens that He grant thee of me a male child， so I may rear him well and do my utmost endeavour to educate him and preserve him from harm." And her words pleased the King. She passed the time of her pregnancy in devout exercises， praying fervently to God to grant her a goodly male child and make his birth easy to her， till her months were accomplished and she sat down on the stool of delivery. Now the King had given an eunuch charge to let him know if the child she should bring forth were male or female； and in like manner his son Sherkan had sent one to bring him news of this. In due time，Sufiyeh was delivered of a child， which the midwives took and found to be a girl with a face more radiant than the moon. So they announced this to the bystanders， whereupon the eunuch carried the news to the King and Sherkan"s messenger did the like with his master， who rejoiced with exceeding joy； but after these two had departed， Sufiyeh said to the midwives， "Wait with me awhile， for I feel there is yet somewhat in my entrails." Then she moaned and the pains of labour took her again but God made it easy to her and she gave birth to a second child. The midwives looked at it and found it a boy like the full moon， with flower-white forehead and rose-red cheeks； whereupon the damsel and her eunuchs and attendants rejoiced and she was delivered of the afterbirth， whilst all who were in the palace set up cries of joy. The other damsels heard of this and envied her； and the news came to Omar， who was glad and rejoiced. Then he rose and went to her and kissed her head， after which he looked at the boy and bending down to it， kissed it， whilst the damsels smote the tabrets and played on instruments of music； and he commanded that the boy should be named Zoulmekan and the girl Nuzbet ez Zeman，which was done accordingly. Then he appointed nurses， wet and dry， and eunuchs and attendants to serve them and assigned them rations of sugar and liquors and oil and other necessaries， such as the tongue fails to set out. Moreover the people of Baghdad heard of the children that God had vouchsafed to the King； so they decorated the city and made proclamation of the good news.
Then came the amirs and viziers and grandees and wished the King joy of his son and daughter， wherefore he thanked them and bestowed dresses of honour and favours and largesse on them and on all who were present， gentle and simple. Then he bade carry great store of jewellery and apparel and money to Sufiyeh and charged her to rear the children carefully and educate them well.
