THE STORY OF THE GRECIAN KING
AND
THE PHYSICIAN DOUBAN
HERE was in the country of Zouman in Persia, a king, whose subjects were originally Greeks. This king was covered with leprosy, and his physicians in vain endeavoured to cure him. When they were at their wits' end what to prescribe for him, a very able physician, called Douban, arrived at his court.
This physician had learned his science in Greek, Persian, Turkish. Arabic, Latin, Syriac, and Hebrew books; and besides that, he was an expert philosopher, and fully understood the good and bad qualities of all sorts of plants and drugs. As soon as he was informed of the king's distemper, and understood that his physicians had given him over, he clad himself in the best robes he could procure, and found means to present himself before the king. 'Sir,' said he, 'I know that all your majesty's physicians have not been able to cure you of the leprosy, but if you will do me the honour to accept my services, I will engage to cure you without potions or external applications.'
The king listened to what he said, and answered, 'If you are able to perform what you promise, I will enrich you and your posterity, and, besides the presents I will make you, you shall be my chief favourite. Do you assure me, then, you will cure me of my leprosy, without making me take any potion, or applying any external medicine?'
