"I consent to it," said the minister of Damas.
"And I, too," said the King of Bagdad.
The King of Roum then spoke in these terms: "In conformity with the law
of the most high God, I ask this question of the King of Bagdad: Have
you a daughter?"
The King of Bagdad replied: "Yes, king of the world, I have a daughter
and a son."
"And have you at present these two children?"
The King of Bagdad answered: "I have my son, but my daughter--I lost
her."
The King of Roum, continuing, said: "What is the cause of the loss of
your daughter?" The King of Bagdad answered: "O king of the world, hear
my story. While I was gone on a pilgrimage with my wife and my son,
whose name is Minbah-Chahaz, I left my daughter to watch over my
palace. Arriving at the end of my pilgrimage, I sent home a letter to
the cadi, conceived as follows: 'May peace be with the cadi: I shall
wait still for the grand pilgrimage about a year longer. As for all
that concerns my kingdom, my palace, and my daughter, the princess
Djouher-Manikam, watch with greatest care, and beware of any negligence
in the protection of my kingdom and my child.' Some time later the cadi
sent me a letter at Mecca, couched in these words: 'O king of the
world, your servant has received the command to watch over the palace
and the princess. But the princess now desires to marry me.' After I
had read the letter from the cadi I called my son Minbah-Chahaz, and
said to him: 'Start at once for Bagdad, and slay your sister.' My son
Minbah-Chahaz started immediately for Bagdad, and killed his sister.
Then he returned and found me at Mecca. His cutlass was still blood-
stained. Then I cried: 'Praise be to God the Lord of the universe, our
shame is effaced.' Such is my story, O king of the world."
The King of Roum said: "It is well. Now I shall pronounce judgment."
And addressing the minister of Damas he said to him: "O minister of
Damas, tell me the truth if you wish that at the day of judgment the
prophet should intercede for you (may the peace and blessings of God be
upon him!). Speak and tell the truth. Say whence come these riches, in
order that I may pronounce my judgment between you."
The minister of the King of Damas said: "O my lord, king of the world,
I will lay at the foot of your Majesty's throne the completed story
from the beginning. I received a mission from the King Chah Djouhou: 'O
my minister,' he said, 'start, I send you to the city of Bagdad, taking
my three children to their grandfather, and my wife, the princess
Djouher-Manikam, to her mother and her father, the King Haroun-er-
Raschid.' I set out, therefore, with the escort which accompanied the
princess Djouher-Manikam, and we arrived at our first halting-place.
When it was night I erected a tent, and the people of the escort all
put up tents around that of the princess. But Satan breathed into my
heart a temptation. This thought came to me: 'The wife of the King is
wonderfully beautiful, and she has such a pretty name! I will go and
ask her to marry me.' So I entered her tent. At that moment she was
seated by her sleeping children, occupied in keeping away the
mosquitoes. The princess demanded, 'O my minister, why do you come
here?' And I answered, 'I have come to ask you to marry me.' The
princess said: 'Have you no fear of God the most high? No, I cannot
marry you. What would become of me if I should do such a thing?' Then I
said, 'If you will not agree to marry me, I will kill one of your
children.' The princess answered: 'If you kill my child it will be by
the judgment of God, and what can I do but to invoke his name?' Then I
killed one of the children. When he was dead I asked again if she would
marry me, and I killed another of the children. When this one was dead
I asked the same question. The princess answered, 'I cannot marry when
I am already married.' I said to her, 'If you will not, then I will
kill the third of your children.' The princess Djouher-Manikam
answered, 'If you kill my third child, it will be by the judgment of
God, and what can I do but invoke his name, for I am only a woman?' So
I killed the third child. After the death of this last child of the
King, I put again my question to the princess. She would not consent to
marry me. I said to her, 'If you don't, I will kill you.' She answered:
'If you kill me, it is the decree of God. But wait awhile, for I wish
to wash my garments and cleanse the traces of my children's blood from
my body.' I said, 'It is well. We will have the wedding-feast to-
morrow.' She left the tent. It was raining in torrents. I could not
discover where she went. Such is my story, O king of the world."