A Faqir, a religious mendicant, was asked by Mahmud to tell him the next day at the Durbar where the center of the earh was. If he failed, he would be put to death.
The ministers advocated the cause of the poor Faqir saying that he is only a beggar, who knows nothing of geography or of that art in which the Arabs of the desert were so skilled. But the king of Ghazni would not listen, and said that whoever posed to the people as a saint and possessed superhuman powers would have to prove to the guardians of Ghazni his genuineness.
The unfortunate Faqir was in distress and none of his disciples could save him from his fate, for he knew not where the center of the earth was. No incantations could he call to his aid, and he sat weeping in his garden, when his daughter saw him and asked the cause of his anxiety.
"I have to tell the King center of the earth tomorrow. I do not know how to answer because I am ignorant of the truth" said the Faqir.
His daughter whispered something in his ear and the old man was cheerful.
The day dawned in its usual spendor, and the Durbaris, courtiers, all dressed up in red sat in grief to see the poor Faqir's trial, as they were fully aware that he would not be able to answer. He was brought before the King, and after salaams and respects, he said that he could answer the King's question.
It had not, he declared, troubled him at all, for all was known to him: and advancing boldly to the royal throne, he touched one of it's legs and said that the center of the earth was under that leg, for where the King ruled was the center of the earth.
All were amazed, and Mahmud was much pleased and gave him a robe of honour, a khilat; for it's traditional with Eastern kings to reward graceful or ingenious compliments; but yet was still sceptical about his honesty, and commanded him further to tell him in open Durbar the next day as to how many leaves there were on all the trees in the King's gardens.
The Faqir's daughter again stood him in good stead, and at the next Durbar he appeared bright and without anxiety, and said that the number of the leaves was one hundred thousand trillion, and if they did not believe him the leaves might be counted. The King was much impressed, and henceforth the Faqir was high in royal favour.
This tale, with many others of a similar kind, is often recited when people are recounting stories of the great intelligence of women : a favorite Eastern, and Afghan, topic.