Then the Hijazi turned to the sheikh and said to him: "O my master, if you wish to make known to me who this deceased youth was, from which place he is, and by what state he reached this station?" The sheikh said to him: "If you love to know what you asked about, then ask the youth who guided you to us and pointed us out to you, for he is well-informed regarding him." He [Abu al-Tahir] said: The Hijazi turned to the youth and said to him: "O my master, if you wish to favor me with the science of what I asked about?" The youth said to him: "With love and honor! I shall summarize for you something of his discourse, so you may take heed by what you hear and take warning by his exhortations." The Hijazi said: "Favor me, my master, with that."

He said: "Know that this young man was the son of one of the kings of the Persians. His father had appointed him over a portion of affairs, but he was negligent in their guardianship and was immersed in eating, drinking, hunting, and fowling. This reached his father, who was enraged with him and ordered his dismissal from the work and lifted his hand from the guardianship. That was immense upon the youth, so his soul—due to what Allah intended for him of good—carried him to depart from the country. He marched, intending the King of India because he was the nearest of the kings to him, to be among his company. He did not cease striving in the journey, spending wealth, and treading through terrors until he drew near to these lands. He thought it better to write to the King and make known to him his march to him and the strength of his desire to enter among his company. The King ordered him to stop in his place and ordered the wealth in his region to be brought to him. He pitched his tent near this town and began to hunt and play. When he returned from hunting, the maidservants and servants met him with lutes, mandolins, musical instruments, and the rest of diversions, and he was heralded to his place as a bride is heralded to her chamber."