They dwelt thus in the greatest happiness and contentment awhile，till the King fell ill and his sickness increased on him. So he summoned the grandees of his realm and said to them'There is come upon me a sore sicknessperadventure a mortal oneand I have therefore summoned you to consult you respecting a certain matteron which I would have you counsel me as you deem well.'
'What is the matter of which thou wouldst take counsel with us，O King？'asked they；and he answered'I am old and sickly and I fear for the realmafter mefrom the enemies；so I would have you all agree upon some onethat I may proclaim him king in my lifetime and so ye may be at ease.'Whereupon quoth they all'We all approve of thy son-in-law Hassanson of the Vizier Ali；for we have seen the perfectness of his wit and understandingand he knows the rank of allgreat and small.
'Are ye indeed agreed upon this？'asked the Kingand they answered'Yes.'Peradventure，'quoth he'ye say this to my faceof respect for me；butbehind my backye will say otherwise.'But they all answeredsaying'By Allahour word，in public and in privateis onevarying not；and we accept him frankly and with all our hearts.'Since the case is thus，'said the King'bring the Cadi of the Holy Law and all the chamberlains and captains and officers of state before me to-morrowand we will settle the affair on the goodliest wise.'We hear and obey，'answered they and withdrawing，notified all the doctors of the law and the chief Amirs.
Soon the morrowthey came up to the Divan and saluted the Kingwho said to them'O Amirs of Baghdadwhom will ye have to be king over you after methat I may invest him in my lifetimein the presence of you all？'Quoth they all'We are agreed upon thy daughter's husbandHassanson of the Vizier Ali.'If it be so，'said the King'go all of you and bring him before me.'So they all arose and repairing to Hassan's palacesaid to him'Come with us to the King.'Wherefore？'
asked heand they answered'For a thing that will advantage both us and thee.'So he went in with them to the King and kissed the ground before the latterwho bade him be seated and said to him'O Hassanall the Amirs have approved of thee and agreed to make thee king over them after me；and it is my purpose to proclaim theewhilst I yet liveand so make an end of the business.'But Hassan arose and kissing the earth once more before the Kingsaid to him'O our lord the Kingamong the Amirs there be [many] who are older than I and greater of worth；hold me quit therefore of this thing.'Quoth all the Amirs'We consent not but that thou be king over us.'Then said Hassan'My father is older than Iand he and I are one thing；and it befits not to advance me over him.'But Ali said'I will consent to nothing but what is pleasing to my brethren；and they have all chosen and agreed upon thee.
Wherefore gainsay thou not the King's commandment and that of thy brethren.'And Hassan hung his head in abashment before the King and his father. Then said the King to the Amirs'Do ye all accept of him？'We do，'answered they and recited thereupon seven Fatihehs.'So the King said to the Cadi'Draw up a legal act testifying of these Amirs that they are agreed to make my daughter's husband Hassan king over them.'So the Cadi wrote the act and made it executory after they had all taken the oath of fealty to Hassan. Then the King invested him with the insignia of royalty and bade him take his seat on the throne；whereupon they all arose and kissed King Hassan's hands and did homage to him.
The new king dispensed justice among the people that dayin right royal fashionand invested the grandees of the realm in splendid robes of honour. When the Divan broke uphe went in to his father-and-law and kissed his hands；and the old King said to him'O my sonlook thou govern the people in the fear of God.'O my father，'replied Hassan'through thy prayers for methe grace of God will come to me.'Then he entered his own palace and was met by his wife and her mother and their attendantswho kissed his hands and gave him joy of his advancementsaying'This is a blessed day.'Then he went in to his father and motherwho rejoiced with an exceeding joy in that which God had vouchsafed him of his advancement to the kingshipand his father exhorted him to the fear of God and to affectionate solicitude in his dealings with his subjects. He passed the night in joy and gladnessand on the morrowhaving prayed the appointed prayersconcluding with the customary recitation of part of the Koranhe repaired to the Divan，whither came all his officers and dignitaries. He passed the day in dispensing justice among his subjectsenjoining to beneficence and forbidding from iniquity and appointing and displacingtill nightfallwhen the Divan broke upafter the goodliest fashionand all present withdrew and went each his own way. Then he arose and went in to the palacewhere he found his father-in-law's sickness grown heavy upon him and said to him'May no hurt befall thee！'At this the old King opened his eyes and said'O Hassan！'At thy serviceO my lord，'replied the young man. Quoth the old King'My last hour is at hand： be careful of thy wife and her mother and look thou fear God and honour thy parentsbeing still in awe of the majesty of the Requiting King and remembering that He commandeth to justice and beneficence.'And Hassan replied，'I hear and obey.'
The old King lingered three days after this and was then received into the mercy of God the Most High. They paid him the last offices and buried him and held over him readings and recitations of the Koranto the end of the [customary] forty days. And King Hassanson of the Vizierreigned in his stead，and his subjects rejoiced in him and all his days were gladness.
Moreoverhis father ceased not to be his chief Vizier on his right handand he took to himself another Vizierto be at his left hand. His reign was a prosperous one and he abode long King in Baghdad. God blessed himby the old King's daughter，with three sonswho inherited the kingdom after him；and they abode in the enjoyment of all delight and solace of lifetill there came to them the Destroyer of Delights and the Sunderer of Companies. And glory be to Him who is eternal and in whose hand are annulment and confirmation！
