صفحة 603 من 1116

They cut his navel-string [FN#445] and Kohl'd his eyelids to

strengthen his eyes, and gave him over to the nurses and nursery

governesses, [FN#446] naming him Ajib, the Wonderful. His day was

as a month and his month was as a year; [FN#447] and, when seven

years had passed over him, his grandfather sent him to school,

enjoining the master to teach him Koran-reading, and to educate

him well. he remained at the school four years, till he began to

bully his schoolfellows and abuse them and bash them and thrash

them and say, "Who among you is like me? I am the son of Wazir of

Egypt!" At last the boys came in a body to complain to the

Monitor [FN#448] of what hard usage they were wont to have from

Ajib, and he said to them, "I will tell you somewhat you may do

to him so that he shall leave off coming to the school, and it is

this.