al-Makan saw that the accursed Infidel had struck with javelin his
brother Sharrkan, he deemed him dead, and despatched cavaliers towards
him; and the first to reach him were the Wazir Dandan and the Emir of
the Turks, Bahram, and the Emir of the Daylamites, Rustam. They found
him falling from his horse; so they stayed him in his saddle and
returned with him to his brother, Zau al-Makan; then they gave him in
charge to his pages, and went again to do the work of cut and thrust. So
the strife redoubled and the weapons together clashed and ceased not
bate and debate and naught was to be seen but blood flowing and necks
bowing; nor did the swords cease on the napes of men to make play nor
the strife to rage with more and more affray, till the most part of the
night was past away and the two hosts were aweary of the mellay. So they
called a truce and each army returned to its tents, whilst all the
Infidels repaired to King Afridun and kissed the ground before him, and
the priests and monks wished him joy of his victory over Sharrkan. Then
the King fared for Constantinople and sat upon the throne of his realm,
when King Hardub came to him and said, "May the Messiah strengthen thy
fore-arm and never cease to be thy helper and hearken to what prayers my
pious mother, Zat al-Dawahi, shall pray for thee! Know that the Moslems
can make no stay without Sharrkan." Replied Afridun, "To-morrow shall
end the affair when to fight I fare: I will seek Zau al-Makan and slay
him, and their army shall turn tail and of flight shall avail." Such was
the case with the Kafirs; but as regards the host of Al-Islam, when Zau
al-Makan returned to his tent, he thought of naught but his brother and,
going into the pavilion, found him in evil case and sore condition;
whereupon he summoned for counsel the Wazir Dandan and Rustam and
Bahram. When they entered, they opined to assemble the physicians that
they might medicine Sharrkan, and they wept and said, "The world will
not readily afford his like!" and they watched by him all that night,
and about the later hours came to them the Recluse in tears. When Zau
al-Makan saw him, he rose in honour; and the Religious stroked
Sharrkan's wound with his hand, chanting somewhat of the Koran and
repeating by way of talisman some of the verses of the Compassionate
One. And the pretender ceased not to watch over him till dawn, when he
came to himself and, opening his eyes, moved his tongue in his mouth and
spoke. At this Zau al-Makan rejoiced, saying, "Of a truth the blessing
of the Holy Man hath taken effect on him!" And Sharrkan said, "Praised
be Allah for recovery; indeed, I am well at this hour. That accursed one
played me false; and, but that I swerved aside lighter than lightning,
the throw-spear had pierced through my breast. So praised be Allah for
saving me! And how is it with the Moslems?" Answered Zau al-Makan, "All
are weeping for thee." Quoth Sharrkan, "I am well and in good case; but
where is the Holy Man?" Now he was sitting by him and said, "At thy
head." So the Prince turned to him and kissed his hand when he said, "O
my son! be of good patience and Allah shall increase thy reward; for the
wage is measured by the work." Sharrkan rejoined, "Pray for me," and he
prayed for him. As soon as morning dawned and day brake in shine and
sheen, the Moslems sallied out to the plain and the Kafirs made ready to
thrust and cut. Then the Islamite host advanced and offered fight with
weapons ready dight, and King Zau al-Makan and Afridun made to charge
one at other. But when Zau al-Makan fared forth into the field, there
came with him the Wazir Dandan and the Chamberlain and Bahram, saying,
"We will be thy sacrifice." He replied, "By the Holy House and Zemzem
and the Place![450] I will not be stayed from going forth against these
wild asses." And when he rode out into the field he played with sword
and spear till riders marvelled and both armies wondered; then he rushed
upon the foe's right wing and of it he slew two knights and in like
manner he dealt with the left wing. Presently he stayed his steed in the
midst of the field and cried out, "Where is Afridun, that I may make him
taste the cup of disgrace?" But when King Hardub saw the case he
conjured Afridun not to attack him, saying, "O King, yesterday it was
thy turn to fight: it is mine to-day. I care naught for his prowess." So
he rushed out towards Zau al-Makan brand in hand and under him a
stallion like Abjar, which was Antar's charger, and its coat was jet
black even as saith the poet:—
On the glancing racer outracing glance ✿ He speeds, as though he
would collar Doom:
His steed's black coat is of darkest jet, ✿ And likest Night in
her nightliest gloom:
Whose neigh sounds glad to the hearer's ears ✿ Like thunders rolling
in thund'rous boom:
If he race the wind he will lead the way, ✿ And the
lightning-flash will behind him loom.[451]
Then each rushed upon the opponent, parrying blows and proving the
marvellous qualities were stored in him; and they fell to drawing on and
withdrawing till the breasts of the bystanders were straitened and they
were weary of waiting for the event. At last Zau al-Makan cried out his
war-cry and rushed upon Hardub, King of Cæsarea,[452] and struck him a
stroke that shore head from trunk and slew him on the spot. When the
Infidels saw this, they charged in a body, compact and united, upon Zau
al-Makan, who met them amidfield, and they engaged in hewing and
foining, till blood ran in rills. Then the Moslems cried out, "Allaho
Akbar!"—God is most great—and "There is no god but _the_ God!"; and
invoked salvation for the Prophet, the Bringer of Glad Tidings, the
Bearer of Bad Tidings. And there befel a great fight, but Allah assigned
victory to the Faithful and defeat to the Faithless. The Wazir Dandan
shouted, "Take your blood-revenge for King Omar bin al-Nu'uman and his
son Sharrkan!"; and bared his head and cried out to the Turks. Now there
were by his side more than twenty thousand horse, and all charged with
him as one man, when the Faithless found naught to save their lives but
flight. So they turned tail to fly while the biting sabre wrought its
havoc and the Moslems slew of them that day some fifty thousand horse
and took more than that number: much folk also were slain while going in
at the gates, for the flock was great. Then the Greeks hove to the doors
and swarmed up the walls to await the assault; and in fine the Moslem
hosts returned to their tents aided to glory and victory, and King Zau
al-Makan went in to his brother whom he found in most joyous case. So he
made a prostration of thanks to the Bountiful and the Exalted; and then
he came forward and gave Sharrkan joy of his recovery. Answered he,
"Verily we are all under the benediction of this Religious, holy and
righteous, nor would you have been victorious, but for his accepted
orisons; indeed all day he remained at prayer to invoke victory on the
Moslems."——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her
permitted say.
Now when it was the Hundred-and-fourth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Zau al-Makan
went in to his brother Sharrkan, he found him sitting with the Holy Man
by his side; so he rejoiced and drew near him and gave him joy of his
recovery. Answered he, "Verily we are all under the benediction of this
Recluse nor would you have been victorious but for his prayers, indeed
he felt no fear this day and he ceased not supplication for the Moslems.
I found strength return to me, when I heard your 'Allaho Akbar,' for
then I knew you to be victorious over your enemies. But now recount to
me, O my brother, what befel thee." So he told him all that had passed
between him and the accursed Hardub and related how he had slain him and
sent him to the malediction of Allah; and Sharrkan praised him and
thanked him for his prowess. When Zat al-Dawahi heard tell of her son's
death (and she still drest as a devotee), her face waxed yellow and her
eyes ran over with railing tears: she kept her counsel, however, and
feigned to the Moslems that she was glad and wept for excess of joy. But
she said to herself, "By the truth of the Messiah, there remaineth no
profit of my life, if I burn not his heart for his brother, Sharrkan,
even as he hath burnt my heart for King Hardub, the mainstay of
Christendom and the hosts of Crossdom!" Still she kept her secret. And
the Wazir Dandan and King Zau al-Makan and the Chamberlain remained
sitting with Sharrkan till they had dressed and salved his wound; after
which they gave him medicines and he began to recover strength; whereat
they joyed with exceeding joy and told the troops who congratulated
themselves, saying, "To-morrow he will ride with us and do manly devoir
in the siege." Then said Sharrkan to them, "Ye have fought through all
this day and are aweary of fight; so it behoveth that you return to your
places and sleep and not sit up." They accepted his counsel and then
each went away to his own pavilion, and none remained with Sharrkan but
a few servants and the old woman Zat al-Dawahi. He talked with her
through part of the night, then he stretched himself to rest: and his
servants did likewise and presently sleep overcame them all and they lay
like the dead. Such was the case with Sharrkan and his men; but as
regards the old woman she alone abode awake while they slumbered in the
tent and, looking at Sharrkan she presently saw that he was drowned in
sleep. Thereupon she sprang to her feet, as she were a scald she-bear or
a speckled snake, and drew from her waist-cloth a dagger so poisoned
that if laid thereon it would have melted a rock. Then she unsheathed
the poniard and went up to Sharrkan's head and she drew the knife across
his throat and severed his weasand and hewed off his head from his body.
And once more she sprang to her feet; and, going the round of the
sleeping servants, she cut off their heads also, lest they should awake.
Then she left the tent and made for the Sultan's pavilion, but finding
the guards on the alert, turned to that of the Wazir Dandan. Now she
found him reading the Koran and when his sight fell upon her he said,
"Welcome to the Holy Man!" Hearing this from the Wazir, her heart
trembled and she said, "The reason of my coming hither at this time is
that I heard the voice of a saint amongst Allah's Saints and am going to
him." Then she turned her back, but the Wazir said to himself, "By
Allah, I will follow our Devotee this night!" So he rose and walked
after her; but when the accursed old woman sensed his footsteps, she
knew that he was following her: wherefore she feared the disgrace of
discovery and said in herself, "Unless I serve some trick upon him he
will disgrace me." So she turned and said to him from afar, "Ho, thou
Wazir, I am going in search of this Saint that I may learn who he is;
and, after learning this much, I will ask his leave for thee to visit
him. Then I will come back and tell thee; for I fear thine accompanying
me, without having his permission, lest he take umbrage at me seeing
thee in my society." Now when the Wazir heard these words, he was
ashamed to answer her; so he left her and returned to his tent, and
would have slept; but sleep was not favourable to him and the world
seemed heaped upon him. Presently he rose and went forth from the tent
saying in himself, "I will go to Sharrkan and chat with him till
morning." But when he entered into Sharrkan's pavilion, he found the
blood running like an aqueduct and saw the servants lying with their
throats cut like beasts for food. At this he cried a cry which aroused
all who were asleep; the folk hastened to him and, seeing the blood
streaming, set up a clamour of weeping and wailing. Then the noise awoke
the Sultan, who enquired what was the matter, and it was said to him,
"Sharrkan thy brother and his servants are murthered." So he rose in
haste and entered the tent, and found the Wazir Dandan shrieking aloud
and he saw his brother's body without a head. Thereat he swooned away
and all the troops crowded around him, weeping and crying out, and so
remained for a while, till he came to himself, when he looked at
Sharrkan and wept with sore weeping, while the Wazir and Rustam and
Bahram did the like. But the Chamberlain cried and lamented more than
the rest and asked leave to absent himself, such was his alarm. Then
said Zau al-Makan, "Know ye who did this deed and how is it I see not
the Devotee, him who the things of this world hath put away?" Quoth the
Wazir, "And who should have been the cause of this affliction, save that
Devotee, that Satan? By Allah, my heart abhorred him from the first,
because I know that all who pretend to be absorbed in practices
religious are vile and treacherous!" And he repeated to the King the
tale of how he would have followed the Religious, but he forbade him,
whereupon the folk broke out into a tumult of weeping and lamentation
and humbled themselves before Him who is ever near, Him who ever
answereth prayer, supplicating that He would cause the false Devotee who
denied Allah's testimony to fall into their hands. Then they laid
Sharrkan out and buried him in the mountain aforesaid and mourned over
his far-famed virtues.——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and
ceased to say her permitted say.
Now when it was the Hundred-and-fifth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that they laid Sharrkan
out and buried him in the mountain aforesaid and mourned over his
far-famed virtues. Then they looked for the opening of the city-gate;
but it opened not and no sign of men appeared to them on the walls;
whereat they wondered with exceeding wonder. But King Zau al-Makan said,
"By Allah, I will not turn back from them, though I sit here for years
and years, till I take blood-revenge for my brother Sharrkan and waste
Constantinople and kill the King of the Nazarenes, even if death
overcome me and I be at rest from this woeful world!" Then he bade be
brought out the treasure taken from the Monastery of Matruhina; and
mustered the troops and divided the monies among them, and he left not
one of them but he gave him gifts which contented him. Moreover, he
assembled in the presence three hundred horse of every division and said
to them, "Do ye send supplies to your households, for I am resolved to
abide by this city, year after year, till I have taken man-bote for my
brother Sharrkan, even if I die in this stead." And when the army heard
these words and had received his gifts of money they replied, "To hear
is to obey!" Thereupon he summoned couriers and gave them letters and
charged them to deliver the same, together with the monies, to the
soldiers' families and inform them that all were safe and satisfied, and
acquaint them saying, "We are encamped before Constantinople and we will
either destroy it or die; and, albeit we be obliged to abide here months
and years, we will not depart hence till we take it." Moreover, he bade
the Wazir Dandan write to his sister, Nuzhat al-Zaman, and said to him,
"Acquaint her with what hath befallen us, and what be our situation and
commend my child to her care since that, when I went out to war, my wife
was near her delivery and by this time she must needs have been brought
to bed; and if she hath given birth to a boy, as I have heard say,
hasten your return and bring me the acceptable news." Then he gave them
somewhat of money, which they pouched and set out at once; and all the
people flocked forth to take leave of them and entrust them with the
monies and the messages. After they had departed, Zau al-Makan turned to
the Wazir Dandan and commanded him to advance with the army against the
city-walls. So the troops pushed forward, but found none on the
ramparts, whereat they marvelled, while Zau al-Makan was troubled at the
case, for he deeply mourned the severance from his brother Sharrkan and
he was sore perturbed about that traitor the Ascetic. In this condition
they abode three days without seeing anyone. So far concerning the
Moslems; but as regards the Greeks and the cause of their refusing fight
during these three days the case was this. As soon as Zat al-Dawahi had
slain Sharrkan, she hastened her march and reached the walls of
Constantinople, where she called out in the Greek tongue to the guards
to throw her down a rope. Quoth they, "Who art thou?"; and quoth she, "I
am Zat al-Dawahi." They knew her and let down a cord to which she tied
herself and they drew her up; and, when inside the city, she went in to
the King Afridun and said to him, "What is this I hear from the Moslems?
They say that my son King Hardub is slain." He answered, "Yes;" and she
shrieked out and wept right grievously and ceased not weeping thus till
she made Afridun and all who were present weep with her. Then she told
the King how she had slain Sharrkan and thirty of his servants, whereat
he rejoiced and thanked her; and, kissing her hands, exhorted her to
resignation for the loss of her son. Said she, "By the truth of the
Messiah, I will not rest content with killing that dog of the Moslem
dogs in blood-revenge for my son, a King of the Kings of the age! Now
there is no help for it but that I work some guile and I contrive a wile
whereby to slay the Sultan Zau al-Makan and the Wazir Dandan and the
Chamberlain and Rustam and Bahram and ten thousand cavaliers of the army
of Al-Islam; for it shall never be said that my son's head be paid with
the blood-wit of Sharrkan's head; no, never!" Then said she to King
Afridun, "Know, O King of the Age, that it is my wish to set forth
mourning for my son and to cut my Girdle and to break the Crosses."
Replied Afridun, "Do what thou desire; I will not gainsay thee in aught.
And if thou prolong thy mourning for many days it were a little thing;
for though the Moslems resolve to beleaguer us years and years, they
will never win their will of us nor gain aught of us save trouble and
weariness." Then the Accursed One (when she had ended with the calamity
she had wrought and the ignominies which in herself she had thought)
took ink-case and paper and wrote thereon:—"From Shawáhi, Zat al-Dawahi,
to the host of the Moslems. Know ye that I entered your country and
duped by my cunning your nobles and at first hand I slew your King Omar
bin al-Nu'uman in the midst of his palace. Moreover, I slew, in the
affair of the mountain-pass and of the cave, many of your men; and the
last I killed were Sharrkan and his servants. And if fortune do not stay
me and Satan obey me, I needs must slay me your Sultan and the Wazir
Dandan, for I am she who came to you in disguise of a Recluse and who
heaped upon you my devices and deceits. Wherefore, an you would be in
safety after this, fare ye forth at once; and if you seek your own
destruction cease not abiding for the nonce; and though ye tarry here
years and years, ye shall not do your desire on us. And so peace be
yours!" After writing her writ she devoted three days to mourning for
King Hardub; and, on the fourth, she called a Knight and bade him take
the letter and make it fast to a shaft and shoot it into the Moslem
camp. When this was done, she entered the church and gave herself up to
weeping and wailing for the loss of her son, saying to him who took the
kingship after him, "Nothing will serve me but I must kill Zau al-Makan
and all the nobles of Al-Islam." Such was the case with her; but as
regards what occurred to the Moslems, all passed three days in trouble
and anxiety, and on the fourth when gazing at the walls behold, they saw
a knight holding a bow and about to shoot an arrow along whose side a
letter was bound. So they waited till he had shot it among them and the
Sultan bade the Wazir Dandan take the missive and read it. He perused it
accordingly; and, when Zau al-Makan heard it to end and understood its
purport, his eyes filled with tears and he shrieked for agony at her
perfidy; and the Minister Dandan said, "By Allah, my heart shrank from
her!" Quoth the Sultan, "How could this whore play her tricks upon us
twice? But by the Almighty I will not depart hence till I fill her cleft
with molten lead and jail her with the jailing of a bird encaged, then
bind her with her own hair and crucify her over the gate of
Constantinople." And he called to mind his brother and wept with
excessive weeping. But when Zat al-Dawahi arrived amongst the Infidels
and related to them her adventures at length, they rejoiced at her
safety and at the slaying of Sharrkan. Thereupon the Moslems addressed
themselves again to the siege of the city and the Sultan promised his
men that, if it should be taken, he would divide its treasures among
them in equal parts. But he dried not his tears grieving for his brother
till his body was wasted and sick, growing thin as a toothpick.
Presently the Wazir Dandan came in to him and said, "Be of good cheer
and keep thine eyes cool and clear; in very sooth thy brother died not
but because his hour was come, and there is no profit in this mourning.
How well saith the poet:—
Whatso is not to be no sleight shall bring to pass; ✿ What is to
be without a failure shall become;
Soon the becoming fortune shall be found to be, ✿ And
Folly's brother[453] shall abide forlorn and glum."
"Wherefore do thou leave this weeping and wailing and hearten thy heart
to bear arms." He replied, "O Wazir, my heart is heavy for the death of
my father and my brother and for our absence from hearth and home; and
my mind is concerned for my subjects." Thereupon the Wazir and the
bystanders wept; but they ceased not from pushing forward the siege of
Constantinople for a length of days. And they being thus, behold, news
arrived from Baghdad, by one of the Emirs to the effect that the King's
wife had been blessed with a boy, and that his sister, Nuzhat al-Zaman,
had named him Kanmakan.[454] Moreover, that the boy bid fair to be
famous, already showing wondrous signs and marvellous tokens; and that
she had commanded the Olema and the preachers to pray for mother and
child from the pulpits and bless them in all wise; furthermore that the
twain were well, that the land had enjoyed abundant rains, and that his
comrade the Fireman was established in all prosperity, with eunuchs and
slaves to wait upon him; but that he was still ignorant of what had
befallen him. And she ended with the greeting of peace. Then quoth Zau
al-Makan to the Wazir Dandan, "Now is my back strengthened for that I
have been blest with a son whose name is Kanmakan."——And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
Now when it was the Hundred-and-sixth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when they brought
him the news of his wife having borne him a boy child, Zau al-Makan
rejoiced with great joy and cried, "Now is my back strengthened, for
that I have been blessed with a son[455] whose name is Kanmakan." And he
spake to the Wazir Dandan, saying, "I am minded to leave this mourning
and order perlections of the Koran for my brother and command almsdeeds
on his account." Quoth the Wazir, "Thy design is good." Thereupon he
caused tents to be pitched over his brother's tomb; so they raised them
and gathered together such of the men-at-arms as could repeat the Koran;
and some began reciting the Holy volume; whilst others chanted litanies
containing the names of Allah, and thus they did till the morning. Then
Zau al-Makan went up to the grave of his brother Sharrkan and poured
forth copious tears, and improvised these couplets:—
They bore him bier'd, and all who followed wept ✿ With Moses'
shrieks what day o'erhead shook Tor;[456]
Till reached the grave which Fate had made his home, ✿ Dug in
men's souls who one sole God adore:
Ne'er had I thought before to see my joy ✿ Borne on the bier
which heads of bearers bore:
Ah no! nor ere they homed thee in the dust ✿ That stars of heaven
earth ever covered o'er.
Is the tomb-dweller hostage of a stead, ✿ Where light and
splendour o'er thy face shall pour?
Praise to restore his life her word hath pledged: ✿ Cribbed
and confined he shall dispread the more!
When Zau al-Makan had made an end of his versifying he wept and wept
with him all the troops; then he came to the grave and threw himself
upon it wild with woe, and the Wazir repeated the words of the poet:—
Fain leaving life that fleets thou hast th' eternal won; ✿ Thou
didst as whilom many a doer like thee hath done;
Leftest this worldly house without reproach or blame; ✿ Ah, may
th' exchange secure thee every benison!
Thou wast from hostile onset shield and firm defence, ✿ For us
to baffle shafts and whistling spears to shun.
I see this world is only cheat and vanity, ✿ Where man naught else
must seek but please the Truthful One:
Th' Empyrean's Lord allow thee bower of heavenly bliss, ✿ And wi'
thy faithful friends The Guide show goodly wone:
I bid thee last good e'en with sigh of bitter grief, ✿ Seeing the
West in woe for lack of Easting Sun.
When the Wazir Dandan had finished his reciting, he wept with sore
weeping and the tears rained from his eyes like cushioned pearls. Then
came forward one who had been of Sharrkan's boon-companions in his cups
and he wept till ran in rills the drops, and he enumerated the dead
man's generous qualities, reciting the following pentastichs:—
Where gone is Bounty since thy hand is turned to clay? ✿ And I
in misery lie since thou wast ta'en away.
See'st not, O litter-guide[457] (Heaven keep thee glad and gay!), ✿
How tears adorn my cheeks, these furrowed wrinkles fray?
A sight to joy thine eyes and fill thee with dismay.[458]
By Allah ne'er this heart within I spoke of thee; ✿ Ah no! nor dared
my sight to see thy brilliancy:
Save that my tear-drops sorest wound have garred me dree ✿ Yea! and
if e'er on other rest these eyne of me,
May yearning draw their reins nor suffer sleep to see.
And when the man stinted reciting, Zau al-Makan and the Minister Dandan
wept and the whole army was moved to tears; after which all retired to
their tents, and the King turning to the Wazir took counsel with him
concerning the conduct of the campaign. On this wise the two passed days
and nights, while Zau al-Makan was weighed down with grief and mourning
till at last he said, "I long to hear stories and adventures of Kings
and tales of lover-folk enslaved by love; haply Allah may make this to
solace that which is on my heart of heavy anxiety, and stint and stay my
weeping and wailing." Quoth the Wazir, "If naught can dispel thy trouble
but hearing curious tales of Kings and people long gone before and
stories of folk enslaved by love of yore, and so forth, this thing were
easy, for I had no other business, in the lifetime of thy father (who
hath found mercy) than to relate stories and to repeat verses to him.
This very night I will tell thee a tale of a lover and his beloved, so
shall thy breast be broadened." When Zau al-Makan heard these words from
the Minister, his heart was set upon that which had been promised to him
and he did nothing but watch for the coming of the night, that he might
hear what the Wazir Dandan had to tell of the Kings of yore and
distracted lovers long gone before. And hardly would he believe that
night had fallen ere he bade light the wax-candles and the lamps and
bring all that was needful of meat and drink and perfume-gear, and what
not; and when all was in presence, he summoned the Wazir Dandan, and the
Emirs Rustam and Bahram and Tarkash and the Grand Chamberlain; then
waited till the whole party was seated before him; whereupon he turned
to the Minister and said, "Know, O Wazir, that night is come and hath
let down over us its veil of gloom, and we desire that thou tell us
those tales which thou promisedst us." Replied the Wazir, "With joy and
good will."——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say
her permitted say.
Now when it was the Hundred-and-seventh Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when King Zau
al-Makan summoned the Wazir and the Chamberlain and Rustam and Bahram,
he turned towards the Minister Dandan and said, "Know, O Wazir, that
night is come and hath let down over us its veil of gloom, and we desire
that thou tell us those tales which thou promisedst us." Replied the
Wazir:—With love and gladness! Know, O auspicious King, that there
reached my ears a relation of a lover and a loved one and of the
discourse between them and what befel them of things rare and fair, a
story such as repelleth care from the heart and dispelleth sorrow like
unto that of the patriarch Jacob[459]; and it is as follows:—
_TALE OF TAJ AL-MULUK AND THE PRINCESS DUNYA:
THE LOVER AND THE LOVED._