It is told anent a man, one of the Kings of Orient land, that he had three sons, of whom the eldest one day of the days heard the folk saying, "In such a place there is a bird called the shrilling Philomelet, which transmews everyone who comes to it into a form of stone."

Now when the heir apparent heard this report he went to his father and said, " 'Tis my desire to fare forth and to get that marvellous bird;" and said the father, "O my son, you would work only to waste your life blood and to deprive us of you; for that same bird has ruined Kings and Sultans, not to speak of Bashas and Sanjáks, men in whose claws you would be as nothing." But the son replied, "Needs must I go and if you forbid my going I will kill myself." So his father said, "There is no Majesty and no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great;" and says the son, "Affects are affected and steps are

The Sultan and His Sons. 191 sped towards a world that is vile and distributed daily bread." Then he said to him, "O my child, set out upon your journey and may you win to your wish." Hereupon they prepared for him something of victual and he went forth on his journey. But before departing he took off his seal ring from his finger and gave it to his second brother saying, "O my brother, an this signet press hard upon your little finger do you know and make certain that mishap has happened to me." So the second Prince took it and put it upon his minim finger, after which the eldest youth farewelled his father and his mother and his brothers and the Lords of the land and departed seeking the city in which the Bird woned. He did not stop travelling by nights and days, the whole of them, until he reached the place in which was the bird Philomelet whose habit it was to take station upon his cage between mid afternoon and sunset, when he would enter it to pass the night. And if any approached him with intent of capturing him, he would sit afar from the same and at set of sun he would take station upon the cage and would cry aloud speaking in a plaintive voice, "Ho you who say to the mean and mesquin, 'Lodge!'

Ho you who say to the sad and severed, 'Lodge!' Ho you who say to the woeful and doleful, 'Lodge!' Then if these words were grievous to the man standing before him and he make reply "Lodge!" Before the words could leave his lips the Bird would take a pinch of dust from beside the cage and hovering over the people's head would scatter it upon him and turn him into stone. At length arrived the youth who had resolved to seize the Bird and sat afar from him till set of sun: then Philomelet came and stood upon his cage and cried, "Ho you who say to the mean and mesquin, 'Lodge!' Ho you who say to the sad and severed, 'Lodge!' Ho you who say to the woeful and doleful, 'Lodge!' " Now the cry was hard upon the young Prince and his heart was softened and he said, "Lodge!" This was at the time when the sun was disappearing, and as soon as he spoke the word the Bird took a something of dust and scattered it upon the head of the youth, who directly became a stone. At that time his brother was sitting at home in thought concerning the wanderer, when behold, the signet squeezed his finger and he cried, "truly my brother has been despoiled of life and done to death!"

Then her sister Dunyazad said, "How sweet and tasteful is your tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and delectable!" She said, "And where is this compared with what I would relate to you on the coming night if the Sovran permits me to survive?"

Now when it was the next night and that was

The Four Hundred and Fourteenth Night

Dunyazad said to her, "In God's name, O my sister, If you be other than sleepy, finish for us your tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love and good will!" It has reached me,the director, the right guiding, lord of the counsel which is benefiting and of deeds fair seeming and worthy celebrating, that the second Prince, when the signet squeezed his little finger, cried out saying, "My brother, By God, is ruined and lost; but needs must I also set forth and look for him and find what has befallen him." Accordingly he said to his sire, "O my father, 'tis my desire to seek my brother;" and the old King answered, "Why, O my son, should you become like your brother, both bereaving us of your company?" But the other rejoined, "There is no help for that nor will I sit at rest till I go after my lost one and espy what has happened him." Thereupon his sire gave orders for his journey and got ready what would suffice him of victual, and he departed, but before he went he said to his youngest brother, "Take you this ring and set it upon your little finger, and if it press hard thereupon do you understand and be certified that my

The Sultan and His Sons. 193 life's blood is shed and that I have perished." After this he farewelled them and travelled to the place of the Enchanting Bird, and he did not stop wayfaring for whole days and nights and nights and days until he arrived at that stead. Then he found the bird Philomelet and sat afar from him till about sundown when he took station upon his cage and began to cry, "Ho you who say to the mean and mesquin, 'Lodge!' Ho you who say to the sad and severed, 'Lodge!' Ho you who say to the woeful and doleful, 'Lodge!' " Now this cry of the Bird was hard upon the young Prince and he had no sooner pronounced the word "Lodge!" Than the Philomelet took up something of dust beside his cage and scattered it upon him, when directly he became a stone lying beside his brother. Now the youngest of the three Princes was sitting at meat with his sire when suddenly the signet shrank till it was like to cut off his finger; so he rose directly to his feet and said, "There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great." his father said, "What is to do with you, O my son?" and he said, "By God, my brother is ruined and wasted, so needs must I also fare forth and look after the twain of them."

Exclaimed his sire, "Why, O my son, should you three be cut off?" but the other answered, "Needs must I do this, nor can I remain after them without going to see what has happened them, and either we three shall return in safety and security or I also shall become one of them." So the father bade them prepare for his journey and after they had got ready for him a sufficiency of provision he farewelled him and the youth set out. But when he departed from his sire the old man and his wife filleted their brows with the fillets of sorrow and they fell to weeping by night and by day. Meanwhile the youth did not leave wayfaring till he reached the stead of the Bird and the hour was mid afternoon, when he found his brothers ensorcelled to stones, and about sunset he sat down at a distance from Philomelet who took station upon his cage and began to cry, "Ho you who say to the mean and mesquin, 'Lodge!' Ho you who say to the sad and severed, 'Lodge!' " together with many words and instances of the same kind. But the Prince hardened his heart nor would speak the word, and albeit the Bird continued his cry none was found to answer him.

Now when the sun vanished and he had kept up his appeal in vain he went into the cage, whereupon the youngest of the Princes arose and running up shut the door upon him. the Bird said, "You have done the deed, O son of the Sultan," and the youth replied, "Relate to me whatever you have wrought in magic to these creations of God." Replied Philomelet, "Beside you lie two heaps of clay whereof one is white and the other blue: this is used in sorcery and that to loose the spells."

Then her sister Dunyazad said, "How sweet is your story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" She said, "And where is this compared with what I should relate to you on the coming night if the Sovran permits me to survive?"

Now when it was the next night and that was

The Four Hundred and Fifteenth Night

Dunyazad said to her, "In God's name, O my sister, If you be other than sleepy, finish for us your tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love and good will!" It has reached me,the director, the right guiding, lord of the counsel which is benefiting and of deeds fair seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Bird said to the youngest son of the Sultan, "By the side of my cage are two heaps of clay, this blue and that white; and the first is the material for sorcery whilst the second looses the spell." Hereupon the youth approached them and finding the mounds took something of the white and scattered it upon the stones and cried, "Be you returned unto your olden shapes;" and, as he did so, each and every of the stones became men as they had been. Now amongst them were sundry sons of the Sultans, also the children of Kings and Wazirs and Bashas and Lords of the land, and of the number two were the elder brothers of the young Prince: so they salamed to him and all congratulated one another on their safety. After this one came forward to the youth and said to him, "truly this place is a city, all and some of whose folk are ensorcelled." So he took a something of clay from the white and entered the streets, where, finding the case as described to him, he fell to sifting the clay upon them and they were transmewed from statues of stone

The Sultan and His Sons. 195 into the shapes of Adam's sons. Then, at last, the sons of that city rose one and all and began offering to the Prince gifts and rarities until he had of them a mighty matter. But when his brothers saw that he had become master of the bird Philomelet and his cage, and all these presents and choice treasures, they were filled with envy of him and said each to other, "How shall our brother win him all this and we abide with him in servile condition, especially when we hie us homewards and return to our own land? And will not folk say that the salvation of the two elder brothers was by the hand of the youngest? But we cannot endure such disgrace as this!" So envy entered them and in their jealousy they planned and plotted the death of their cadet, who knew not that was in their minds or whatever was hidden from him in the Limbo of Secrets. And when they had wrought their work the youngest Prince arose and bade his pages and eunuchs lade the loads upon the camels and mules and, when they had done his bidding, they all set forth on the homewards march. They travelled for whole days and nights till they drew near their destination and the youngest Prince bade his attendants seek an open place in which they might take repose, and they said, "I hear and I obey."

But when they came upon it they found a well builded of stone, and the brothers said to the cadet, "This be a place befitting rest by reason of this well being here; for the water of it is sweet and good for our drink and therewith we can supply our folk and our beasts." Replied the youth, "This is what we desire." So they set up their tents close by that well, and when the camp was pitched they let prepare the evening meal, and as soon as it was sunset tide they spread the trays and supped their sufficiency until presently night came down upon them. Now the youngest Prince had a bezel'd signet ring which he had taken from the bird Philomelet, and he was so careful of it that he never slept without it. But his brothers awaited until he was drowned in sleep, when coming softly upon him they pinioned him and carried him off and cast him into the well without anyone knowing anything of it. Then as soon as morning morrowed the two eldest Princes arose and commanded the attendants to load, but these said to them,

"Where be our lord?" and said the others, "He is sleeping in the Takhtrawán." So the camel men arose and loaded the loads and the litter and the two Princes sent forwards to the King their sire a messenger of glad tidings who when he found him informed him of the fair news. Accordingly he and all his Lords took horse and rode forth to meet his sons upon the road that he might salam to them and give them joy of their safe return. Now he chanced in their train to catch sight of the caged bird which is called, "the shrilling Philomelet," and he rejoiced at that and asked them, "How did you become masters of him?" Then he enquired anent their brother. Then her sister Dunyazad said, "How sweet and tasteful is your tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and delectable!" She said, "And where is this compared with what I would relate to you on the coming night if the Sovran permits me to survive?"

Now when it was the next night and that was

The Four Hundred and Sixteenth Night

Dunyazad said to her, "In God's name, O my sister, If you be other than sleepy, finish for us your tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night." She replied, "With love and good will!" It has reached me,the director, the right guiding, lord of the counsel which is benefiting and of deeds fair seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Sultan enquired of the two elder sons concerning their younger brother and they said, "We made ourselves masters of the Bird and we have brought him here and we know nothing about our cadet." However, the King who loved his youngest with exceeding love put the question, "Have you not looked after him and have you not been in his company?" 'whereto they answered saying, "A certain wayfarer declared to have seen him on some path or other." When the father heard this from them he cried, "There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great;" and he fell to striking palm upon palm. in this way it befell these, but as regards the case of their brother, when they cast him into the well he awoke from his sleep and he felt himself falling into the depths, so he cried, "I take refuge

The Sultan and His Sons. 197 with the All sufficient Words of Allah from the mischief He has created." And by the blessing of these Holy Names he reached the sole of the well without anything of harm or hurt. Here finding himself pinioned, he strained upon his bonds and loosed them; but the well was deep of bottom and he came upon an arched recess, so he sat in it and exclaimed, "truly we are Allah's and to Him we are returning and I who wrought for them such work am rewarded with the contrary of it; as well the power is unto Allah." And suddenly he heard the sound of speaking at some little distance beside him, and the voice was saying, "O Black of Head, who has come amongst us?" and his comrade responded, "By God, this youth is the son of the Sultan and his best beloved, and the same has released his brothers from sorcery and was carrying them to their homes when they played him false and cast him into this well. However, he has a signet ring with a bezel which if he rub 'twill bespeak him with whatever he desires, and will do what he may wish." So the Prince said in his mind, "I bid the Servant of this Ring to take me out;" after which he rubbed it and the Jinni appeared and cried, "Yea truly, O son of the Sultan, what is it you require of me? Then her sister Dunyazad said, "How sweet is your story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" She said, "And where is this compared with what I should relate to you on the coming night if the Sovran permits me to survive?"

Now when it was the next night and that was

The Four Hundred and Seventeenth Night

Dunyazad said to her, "In God's name, O my sister, If you be other than sleepy, finish for us your tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love and good will!" It has reached me,the director, the right guiding, lord of the counsel which is benefiting and of deeds fair seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Ring bezel said to him, "What do you require of me?" and said the Prince, "I demand that you hoist me out of the well: and this done that you summon for me an host with Pages and Eunuchs and tents and pavilions and ensigns and banners." Whereto the other replied, "Present." Then he brought him forth the well and the youth found close by it all he needed, so he bade them load their belongings upon the beasts and when this was done he set out seeking the city of his sire. And as he drew so near it that it was within shot of eye, he alighted there upon a broad plain and ordered them to pitch the camp. Accordingly they set up the tents and the sitting pavilions while the Farráshes fell to sprinkling water upon the ground afront the abodes and to setting up the ensigns and colours whilst the band of kettledrums went dub a dub and the trumpets blared tantaras. The cooks also began at once to prepare the evening meal.

Now when the city folk saw this pomp and circumstance, they held in their minds that the new corner was some Sultan approaching to take their town; so they gathered together and went in to their own King and informed him of it. But he, having heard their words, felt his heart melt and his vitals throb and a certain joy penetrate into his heart, so he said, "Praise to the Lord, there has entered into my heart a certain manner of pleasure, albeit I know not what may be the case and Allah has said in his Holy Book, 'We have heard good news.' " Hereupon he and the Lords of his land took horse and rode till they reached the front of the pavilions where the King dismounted from his steed. Now the Prince his younger son was dressed in a habit that might have belonged to a hidden Hoard, and when he saw his father he recognised him, so he rose and met him and kissed his hands, but his sire knew him not by reason of the case the youth was in, so he supposed him to be a strange Sultan. Presently, the Prince asked him, "Where be your youngest son?" and the King hearing this fell down a fainting, but, soon recovering from his swoon, he said, "truly my son has wasted the blood of his life and has become food for wild beasts." Hereupon the youth laughed aloud

The Sultan and His Sons. 199 and cried, "By God, your son has not suffered anything from the shifts and changes of the World, and he is still in the bonds of life, safe and sound; nor has there befallen him anything of harm whatever." "Where is he?" the said,father: "He stands between your hands," the said,son. So the Sultan looked at him and straightly considering him found that it was his very son who was bespeaking him, and of his delight he threw his arms around his neck and fell with him aswoon to the ground. This lasted for a full told hour; but when he recovered from his fainting he asked his son what had happened him, so he told all that had befallen, to wit how he had become master of the Enchanting Bird Philomelet, and also of the magical clay wherewith he had besprinkled his brethren and others of the city folk who had been turned to stone, all and some, and how they had returned to the shapes whilome they wore. Moreover he recounted to him the presents and offerings which had been made to him and also how, when they arrived at a certain place, his brothers had pinioned him and cast him into the well. And before he finished speaking, lo and behold! the two other Princes came in and when they looked upon his condition and noted the state of prosperity he was in, surrounded as he was by all manner of weal, they felt only increase of envy and malice. But as soon as their sire espied them he cried, "You have betrayed me in my son and have lied to me and, By God, there is no retribution for you on my part save death;" and hereupon the Sultan bade do them die.

Then the youngest Prince made intercession for his brethren and said, "O my sire, whoever does a deed shall meet its deserts," and thus he obtained their pardon. So they passed that night one and all in camp and when morning morrowed they loaded and returned to the city and all were in the most pleasurable condition. Now when the King heard this tale from the owner of the fruit it pleased him and he rejoiced within it and said, "By God, O Shaykh, indeed that has gone from us which we had of cark and care; and in good truth this history deserves that it be written with water of gold upon the pages of men's hearts." Replied the other, "By God,this adventure is marvellous, but I have another more wondrous and pleasurable and delectable than any you have yet heard." the Sultan said, "Needs must you repeat it to us," and the fruit seller said, "God willing—God willing—I will recite it to you on the coming night." Hereupon the Sultan called for a hand maiden who was a model of beauty and loveliness and stature and perfect grace and from the time of his buying her he never had connection with her nor had he once slept with her, and he gave her in honourable gift to the reciter.

Then he set apart for them both an apartment with its furniture and appurtenances and the slave girl rejoiced greatly at that. Now when she went in to her new lord she donned her best of dresses so he lay down beside her and sought carnal copulation, but his prickle would not stand erect, as was its wont, although he knew not the cause of it. Then her sister Dunyazad said, "How sweet and tasteful is your tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and delectable!" She said, "And where is this compared with what I would relate to you on the coming night if the Sovran permits me to survive?"

Now when it was the next night and that was

The Four Hundred and Eighteenth Night

Dunyazad said to her, "In God's name, O my sister, If you be other than sleepy, finish for us your tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love and good will!" It has reached me,the director, the right guiding, lord of the counsel which is benefiting and of deeds fair seeming and worthy celebrating, that the prickle of the Fruiterer would not stand to the handmaid as was the wont of it, so he cried, "truly this is a wondrous business." Then the girl fell to rubbing it up and to toying therewith, her object being to stablish an erection. But the article in question grew not and remained limp, whereupon she said, "O my lord, Allah increase the progress of your pego!" Thereupon she arose and opened a bag wherefrom she drew out kerchiefs and dried aromatic herbs such as are scattered upon corpses; and she also brought a gugglet of water. Presently, she fell to washing the prickle as it were a dead body, and after bathing it she shrouded it with a kerchief: then she cried upon her women and they all bewept the untimely fate of his yard which was still clothed in

The King of Al-Yaman and his Three Sons. 201 the kerchief. And when morning morrowed the Sultan sent after the man and summoned him and said to him, "How passed your night?" So he told him all that had happened him, and concealed from him nothing; and when the Sultan heard this account from him he laughed at him on such wise that from excess of merriment he well near fell upon his back and cried, "By God, if there be such cleverness in that girl, she becomes not any save myself." Accordingly he sent to fetch her as she stood and left the furniture of the place wholly and entirely to the owner of the fruit. And when this was done the Sultan made of him a boon companion for that day from morning to evening and whenever he thought of the handmaid's doings he ordered the man to repeat the tale and he laughed at him and admired the action of the slave girl with the Limpo. When darkness came on they prayed the night prayer and they supped and sat down to converse and to tell anecdotes. Thereupon the King said to the Fruiterer, "Relate us something of that you have heard anent the Kings of old;" and said the other, "Hearing and obeying," and immediately began the