'What did the rose do to the cypress?' she rejoined.
The prince smiled, and turned and addressed the assembly.
'You who are experienced men and versed in affairs, did you ever know
or hear and see anything of this matter?'
'No!' they answered, 'no one has ever known or heard or seen aught
about it; it is an empty fancy.'
'From whom, then, did the princess hear of it? This empty fancy it is
that has done many a servant of God to death!'
All saw the good sense of his words and showed their approval. Then he
turned to the princess: 'Tell us the truth, princess; who told you of
this thing? I know it hair by hair, and in and out; but if I tell you
what I know, who is there that can say I speak the truth? You must
produce the person who can confirm my words.'
Her heart sank, for she feared that her long-kept secret was now to be
noised abroad. But she said merely: 'Explain yourself.'
'I shall explain myself fully when you bring here the negro whom you
hide beneath your throne.'
Here the king shouted in wonderment: 'Explain yourself, young man!
What negro does my daughter hide beneath her throne?'
'That,' said the prince, 'you will see if you order to be brought here
the negro who will be found beneath the throne of the princess.'
Messengers were forthwith despatched to the garden-house, and after
awhile they returned bringing a negro whom they had discovered in a
secret chamber underneath the throne of Mihr-afrûz, dressed in a dress
of honour, and surrounded with luxury. The king was overwhelmed with
astonishment, but the girl had taken heart again. She had had time to
think that perhaps the prince had heard of the presence of the negro,
and knew no more. So she said haughtily: 'Prince! you have not
answered my riddle.'
'O most amazingly impudent person,' cried he, 'do you not yet repent?'
Then he turned to the people, and told them the whole story of the
rose and the cypress, of King Sinaubar and Queen Gul. When he came to
the killing of the negroes, he said to the one who stood before them:
'You, too, were present.'
'That is so; all happened as you have told it!'
There was great rejoicing in the court and all through the country
over the solving of the riddle, and because now no more kings and
princes would be killed. King Quimûs made over his daughter to Prince
Almâs, but the latter refused to marry her, and took her as his
captive. He then asked that the heads should be removed from the
battlements and given decent burial. This was done. He received from
the king everything that belonged to Mihr-afrûz; her treasure of gold
and silver; her costly stuffs and carpets; her household plenishing;
her horses and camels; her servants and slaves.
Then he returned to his camp and sent for Dil-arâm, who came bringing
her goods and chattels, her gold and her jewels. When all was ready,
Prince Almâs set out for home, taking with him Jamîla, and Dil-arâm
and Gul, daughter of Taram-tâq, and the wicked Mihr-afrûz, and all the
belongings of the four, packed on horses and camels, and in carts
without number.
As he approached the borders of his father's country word of his
coming went before him, and all the city came forth to give him
welcome. King Saman-lâl-pôsh--Jessamine, wearer of rubies--had so
bewept the loss of his sons that he was now blind. When the prince had
kissed his feet and received his blessing, he took from a casket a
little collyrium of Solomon, which the Sîmurgh had given him, and
which reveals the hidden things of earth, and rubbed it on his
father's eyes. Light came, and the king saw his son.
Mihr-afrûz was brought before the king, and the prince said: 'This is
the murderer of your sons; do with her as you will.' The king fancied
that the prince might care for the girl's beauty, and replied: 'You
have humbled her; do with her as you will.'
Upon this the prince sent for four swift and strong horses, and had
the negro bound to each one of them; then each was driven to one of
the four quarters, and he tore in pieces like muslin.
This frightened Mihr-afrûz horribly, for she thought the same thing
might be done to herself. She cried out to the prince: 'O Prince
Almâs! what is hardest to get is most valued. Up till now I have been
subject to no man, and no man had had my love. The many kings and
kings' sons who have died at my hands have died because it was their
fate to die like this. In this matter I have not sinned. That was
their fate from eternity; and from the beginning it was predestined
that my fate should be bound up with yours.'
The prince gave ear to the argument from preordainment, and as she was
a very lovely maiden he took her too in lawful marriage. She and
Jamîla set up house together, and Dil-arâm and Gul set up theirs; and
the prince passed the rest of his life with the four in perfect
happiness, and in pleasant and sociable entertainment.
Now has been told what the rose did to the cypress.
Finished, finished, finished!