Indespairathavingnosontosucceedhim,theKingofTurkeyleaveshispalacetoliveinseclusion.Soonafter,however,heencountersfourwanderingdervishes-threeprincesandarichmerchantfromPersia,YemenandChina-whohavebeenguidedtoTurkeybyasupernaturalforcethatprophesiedtheirmeeting.Thefivemensittogetherinthedeadofnight,eachinturntellingthetaleoflostlovethatledhimtorenouncetheworld.Astheirstorieswithinstoriesunfold,amagnificentlandscapeisrevealedofcourtlyintrigueandromance,fairiesanddjinn,orientalgardensandlavishfeasts,adventuresandmishaps.ATaleofFourDervishes(1803)isanexquisiteexampleofUrdufictionthatprovidesafascinatingglimpseintothecustoms,beliefsandpeopleofthetime.
MohammedZakir'ssimpleandeleganttranslationisaccompaniedbyanintroductiondiscussingtheTale'soriginsfromitscompositioninthefourteenthcenturytoMirAmman'spopularUrduretelling,aspectsofromanceandfantasy,andtheIndo-Muslimworlditdepicts.