for many facets of the ruler’s policy—his justice, his vigilance, and the soundness of his reflection—are smothered by bribery, and his time is wasted thereby. Such a state arises only because the king himself is heedless and over-indulgent; he must therefore spare no effort to set matters right, as is mentioned in the work al-Ḥāyah.
Story: King Kistashb had a vizier named Rasht Rowsh. Merely on account of that lofty-sounding name Kistashb assumed him to be devout and upright; he would not listen to anyone who spoke ill of him, nor did he inquire into his true conduct. One day Rasht Rowsh said to the king’s deputy, “The populace has grown arrogant because of the abundance of justice we show them and the scant discipline we impose. It is said, ‘When the sultan is just, the subjects go astray.’ Now the stench of corruption has begun to rise from them. We must chastise them, curb them, banish the transgressors, and draw the righteous near.”
Yet whenever the deputy ordered Rasht Rowsh to punish someone, Rasht Rowsh accepted a bribe and released him. Matters deteriorated until the subjects were weakened, hardship pressed in on them, and the treasuries stood empty. Just then an enemy rose against Kistashb. He inspected his coffers but found nothing with which to equip his army.
On one occasion he rode out on urgent business and traveled across the wilderness. From afar he spotted a flock of sheep and made for it. He found a tent pitched, the sheep asleep—and a dog nailed to a cross. As he drew near, a young man emerged, greeted him, invited him to dismount, and honoured him with what provisions he had.
Kistashb asked, “Tell me about this dog and the reason for its crucifixion.”
The young man replied, “My lord, this dog was the guardian of my sheep. One day he encountered a she-wolf, and he began sleeping and waking with her. Each day the wolf would carry off a sheep, one after another. Then the owner of this pasture came and demanded the grazing fee. I sat down to reckon my flock and found the numbers dwindling. I watched a wolf seize a ewe while the dog stood silent, and I realised he was the cause of the loss, betraying his trust. So I seized him and crucified him.”
Kistashb took the lesson to heart and said to himself, “Our subjects are our flock; we, too, must inquire about them so that we may uncover the truth of their condition.” He returned to his palace and examined the registers, only to find that every one of them consisted of Rasht Rowsh’s intercessions. Whereupon he struck