The King asked, "Of what nature is the affection of your King for his subjects?"
"That of a mother and father for their children and grandchildren."
"In hard and calamitous times, how does your King conduct himself?"
"He shows that he cares not for riches, for the door of his treasury is always open."
"In the daily receptions how does your King behave?"
"The receptions of my King resemble the gardens of Paradise refreshed by sweet breezes and scented with the balmy breath of sweetly smelling plants or like a sea filled with pearls and corals."
The King asked again, "And in council how speaks your King?"
The ambassador answered, "All those who hear my King in council become wise if they lack wisdom, and brave if they lack courage."
The King of Khorassan was enchanted with the answers of the ambassador, loaded him with presents, and said to him: "The spirit and judgment of your King are reflected in the person of his ambassador. They should all be like you." And he addressed in answer to the Sultan a letter filled with compliments and felicitations.
In the Kitab Tarykh it is related that the Sultan Mahmoud was fond of his servant Ayaz on account of the excellence of his wit and judgment. The other servants of the Sultan were jealous of Ayaz, and murmured against him. One day the ministers and grandees were in the presence of the Sultan Mahmoud, and Ayaz was standing respectfully before him. Someone brought a cucumber as a present to the Sultan. The Sultan sliced it and ate a morsel. He found it very bitter, but gave no sign of this. He handed a piece of it to Ayaz, saying, "Eat some of this cucumber and tell me how it tastes, so that the others present may eat some of it also, and tell us if they ever ate anything like it." Ayaz saluted, and ate of the cucumber with an appearance of pleasure.