King Khosrow Anushirvan sat upon his throne heavy-hearted and filled with sorrow, troubled by a dream he had witnessed. He summoned the realm's interpreters of dreams and seated the wise mobads upon high places of honor. The king recounted all that he had seen in his vision to these guiding priests, seeking the hidden truth. Yet none among the dream-interpreters could provide an answer, for such knowledge lay beyond their grasp; indeed, he who acknowledges his own ignorance spares himself the sting of rebuke.
Finding no answers among the court sages, Khosrow’s heart grew anxious, turning his mind toward a new remedy. He dispatched noble lords and prudent envoys to every corner of the empire. With each messenger he sent a pouch of ten thousand dirhams, holding high hopes for their return. He commanded them to search the world over for a wise interpreter—one who had traversed many paths of learning—who could decipher the King of the World's dream and unlock its hidden mystery. To whoever succeeded, the heavy pouch of coin would be given as reward, placing the king in their debt. Thus, skilled mobads and insightful horsemen rode out in all directions across the land.