Baktiar-Nama, an example of New Persian prose fiction in the form of a frame story and nine included tales. The frame story: King Azadbaḵt of Nimruz (i.e., Sistan) marries his general’s daughter against her father’s will. The angry general overthrows Azadbaḵt, who flees with his pregnant wife. She bears a son whom they abandon in the desert. As a young man he enters the service of the king and the jealous viziers have him falsely condemned to death. During nine days the youth tell every day a story to postpone the execution. Finally on the tenth day the king recognizes him as his son.

Taken from: THE BAKHTYAR NAMA: A Persian Romance. Translated by Sir William Ouseley

The Turki version has been translated A.D. 1434; we can conclude that the Persian Romance of Prince Bakhtyar was composed not later than the end of the 14th century. It is posterior to the end of the 13th because it employs maxims of poet Sa'di,

CHAPTER V.
When the next morning arrived, the fifth Vizier waited upon the King, and represented the danger that might attend any further delay in the execution of Bakhtyar, as the indulgence which had been shown to him would be an encouragement to others, and induce them to commit offences, by giving them hopes of impunity. In consequence of this, the King ordered everything to be prepared for the execution of the young man, who, being brought before him, entreated his Majesty for a longer respite, and assured him that he would, on a future day, be as rejoiced at having spared his life, as a certain King of Yemen was at having pardoned the offense of his slave.
The King desired Bakhtyar to relate the particular circumstances of this story; and he accordingly began it in the following manner:

                                                 STORY OF THE KING OF YEMEN AND
                                                                HIS SLAVE ABRAHA. (2)

In former times the kingdom of Yemen was governed by a very powerful but tyrannical Prince, who, for the slightest offenses, inflicted the most severe punishments. He had, however, a certain slave, named Abraha, of whom he was very fond. This young man was the son of the King of Zangibar, who by chance had fallen into slavery, and never disclosed the secret of his birth.
Abraha used frequently to attend the King of Yemen on his hunting parties. During one of these excursions, it happened that a deer bounded before the King's horse: he discharged some arrows at it without effect; when Abraha, who was close behind him, spurred on his horse, and aimed a broad-bladed arrow at the deer; but it so happened that the arrow passed by the side of the King's head, and cut off one of his ears. The King, in the first impulse of anger, ordered his attendants to seize Abraha; but afterwards declared that he pardoned his offense.

A few days having elapsed, the King continued to be satisfied with Abraha.-To return to the story. Ever since Abraha had been absent from his father, messengers had been dispatched in every direction, and they had pursued [to] such [an extent] research and inquiry, that it became known to them that Abraha was in Yemen, and in the service of the King. The Shah of Zangibar was overjoyed, and took counsel of the Vizier, saying, What is the prudent plan [or proper policy-tadbir] in this affair? The Vizier replied: If the report should reach the King of Yemen that he [Abraha] is the son of the Shah of Zangibar, the affair would be difficult. In a word, this conversation resulted in this resolve, that they should send an intelligent person to bring back Abraha. This individual having turned his face towards Yemen, arrived in the capital. He employed considerable exertions in search of Abraha. When he happened to meet with him, he chose a fitting occasion and place to see Abraha, and converse with him. He spoke to him of his country, of his father, and of the love which he had for his dear son, like that which Jacob bore to his beloved son, Joseph. Abraha, hearing news of his country and his father, felt his sensibility re-awaken; his eyes shed gentle tears, like the showers of spring, and he spoke these words, interrupted by sobs: Whence come you, my dear sir? How and for what purpose are you arrived in this country? The messenger then confided to him the secret reason of his journey, undertaken for the sole purpose of bringing him back to his father. Abraha asked him urgently to take him away from that town. The messenger, who was a very intelligent and clever man, took his measures and time so well that he carried off Abraha, and made him start with him for that capital, and they arrived without accident at Zangibar. As soon as they were near the outskirts of the capital of Zangibar, the King, being informed of the arrival of his son, sent some people to meet him, and caused him to be escorted with pomp, and he received him with demonstrations of the greatest joy.

Abraha had arrived only a short time near his father, when the King of Yemen was informed of the departure of Abraha, and he became morosely pensive, and could take no rest. One day he commanded they should equip vessels, [as] he wished to pass over the sea for the purpose of being free from anxiety [or, of enjoying social intercourse]. When he was aboard the ship, and at some distance from land, a hurricane sprang up suddenly, and shivered the vessel to pieces. A portion of a plank was thrown against the King of Yemen. Six days and nights he floated over the surface of the sea, until he was cast ashore on the territory of Zangistan (1); [certain] pearl-divers saw him; they approached near him; they spoke a few words to him; he gave no response -he was senseless. They sprinkled over his throat [and neck] a quantity of oil of balsam; he opened his eyes, and his speech came back to him. He asked them: What territory is this? The divers replied: This territory is Zangistan (1). He then asked: How far is it to the capital? They answered: Four parasangs. The King of Yemen proceeded onward, until the hour of evening prayer, when he entered the city.

Having returned thanks to Providence for his preservation, he proceeded till he reached the chief city of that country. As it was night, the doors of the houses and all the shops were shut; and, not knowing where he might find a better place of repose, he sheltered himself under the shade of a merchant's house. It happened that some thieves, in the course of the night, broke open the house, and having murdered the merchant and his servants, plundered it of everything that was valuable. The King of Yemen, overcome by fatigue, had slept the whole time, unconscious of this transaction; but some of the blood had by accident fallen on his clothes.
When morning came, everybody was employed in endeavoring to discover the murderers of the merchant; and the stranger, being found so near the house, with blood upon his clothes, was immediately seized and dragged before the tribunal of the King.

The King of Zangibar asked him why he had chosen his capital as the scene of such an infamous murder; and desired him to acknowledge who were his accomplices, and how he had disposed of the merchant's property. The King of Yemen declared that he was innocent, and perfectly ignorant of the whole transaction; that he was of a princely family; and, having been shipwrecked, was driven on the coast, and had by accident reposed himself under the shade of that house when the murder was committed. The King of Zangibar then inquired of him by what means his clothes had become stained with blood, and finding that the stranger could not account for that circumstance, he ordered the officers of justice to lead him away to execution. The unfortunate King of Yemen entreated for mercy, and asserted that his innocence would on some future day become apparent. The King consented to defer his execution for a while, and he was sent to prison.

On one side of the prison there was an extensive plain, with a running stream, to which every day the prisoners were brought, that they might wash themselves; and it was the custom that once every week the King resorted to that plain, where he gave public audience to persons of all ranks. On one of those days the King of Zangibar was on the plain, surrounded by his troops, and the prisoners were sitting by the side of the stream, along which ran a wall of the prison. It happened that Abraha, who had been the King of Yemen's slave, was standing near this wall, but his former master did not recognize him, as they had been separated for some time, Abraha having found means to return to Zangibar, his native country.

At this moment a crow chanced to light upon the wall, which the King of Yemen perceived, and taking up a large flat bone, he threw it with his utmost strength, and exclaimed, "If I succeed in hitting that crow, I shall obtain my liberty," but he missed his aim; the bone passed by the crow, and striking the cheek of Abraha, cut off one of his ears. Abraha immediately caused an inquiry to be made, and the person who had thrown the bone to be brought before the King, who called him a base-born dog, and ordered the executioner to cut off his head. The King of Yemen sued for mercy, and requested that at most he might be punished according to the law of retaliation, which would not award a head for an ear. The King gave orders that one of his ears should be cut off; and the executioner was preparing to fulfill this sentence when he perceived that the prisoner had already lost an ear.
This circumstance occasioned much surprise, and excited the King's curiosity. He told the prisoner that he would pardon him, on condition of his relating the true story of his adventures.
The King of Yemen immediately disclosed his real name and rank, described the accident by which he lost his ear, the shipwreck which he suffered, and the circumstances which occasioned his imprisonment.
At the conclusion of his narrative, Abraha, having recognized his former master, fell at his feet, embraced him, and wept. They mutually forgave each other; and the King of Yemen, being taken to a warm bath, was clothed in royal garments, mounted on a noble charger, and conducted to the palace; after which he was furnished with a variety of splendid robes and suits of armor, horses, slaves, and damsels. During two months he was feasted and entertained with the utmost hospitality and magnificence, attended constantly by Abraha. In the course of this time, the robbers who had murdered the merchant were discovered and punished; and after that the King of Yemen returned to his own country.
Bakhtyar having thus demonstrated that appearances might be very strong against an innocent person, the King resolved to defer his execution for another day, and he was accordingly led back to prison.

(1)In this story no difference is noticed (in treatment) between Zangistan and any other islamic country.

(2) This story is similar to the story about Affan the tailor in Egypt: The one who bought a Zinj boy: Al-Sakhawi (1497). The same story can be found in Abu Hamid Al-Garnati : Tuhfat al-Albab (The gift of the spirits) (1080-1169). And a not so nice variation of it in Buzurg (955).  It is the ideology of slavery. Through slavery they get in contact with Islam. Similar stories but not connected to justification of slavery are: Bahktyar Nama (end 14th) and an extreme weird and horrible version is found in Mudjmal al -Tawarikh wa-l-qisas (1126). And Athanasius Nikitin (1475) who was actually blown by the wind to the coast of Somalia.