IT Is related that there was a Sultan in the land of Al-Yaman who had three male children, two of them by one mother and a third by another. Now that King used to dislike this second wife and her son, so he sent her from him and made her, together with her child, consort with the handmaids of the kitchen, never asking after them for a while of time. One day the two brothers german went in to their sire and said to him, " 'Tis the desire of us to go forth a hunting and a chasing," whereto their father replied, "And have you force enough for such sport?" They said, "Yea, truly, we have!" When he gave to each of them a horse with its furniture of saddle and bridle, and the twain rode off together. But as soon as the third son (who together with his mother had been banished to the kitchen) heard that the other two had gone forth to hunt, he went to his mother and cried, "I also would glad mount and away to the chase like my brethren." His mother responded, saying, "O my son, indeed I am unable to buy you a horse or anything of the kind;" so he wept before her and she brought him a silvern article, which he took and fared forth with it to the bazar, and there, having sold it for a gold piece, he repaired to a neighbouring mill and bought him a lame garron. After this he took a bittock of bread; and, backing the beast without saddle or bridle, he followed upon the footsteps of his brothers through the first day and the second, but on the third he took the opposite route. Presently, he reached a Wady, when behold, he came across a string of pearls and emeralds which

The King of Al-Yaman and his Three Sons. 203 glittered in the sunlight, so he picked it up and set it upon his head and he fared onwards singing for very joy. But when he drew near the town he was met by his two brothers who seized him and beat him and, having taken away his necklace, drove him afar from them. Now he was much stronger and more beautiful than they were, but as he and his mother had been cast off by the King, he durst not offer anything of resistance. Now the two brothers having taken the necklace from him went away joyful, and repairing to their father, showed him the ornament and he rejoiced in them and hending it in his hand marvelled at that. But the youngest son went to his mother with his heart well near broken. Then the Sultan said to his two sons, "You have shown no cleverness in this until you bring me the wearer of this necklace." They answered, "I hear and I obey, and we will set out to find her."

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 that I should relate to you on the coming night if the King permits me to survive?"

Now when it was the next night and that was

The Four Hundred and Twenty seventh 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 sons of the Sultan made them ready for the march by which they might bring back the bird to whom the necklace belonged. So they took them a sufficiency of provision and, farewelling their father, set out for the city in which they judged the bird might be. Such was their case; but as regards their unhappy brother, when he heard the news of their going he took with him a bittock of bread and having bidden adieu to his mother mounted his lame garron and followed upon the traces of his brethren for three days. Presently, he found himself in the midst of the wild and the wold, and he did not stop faring therethrough till he came to a city whose folk were all weeping and wailing and crying and keening. So he accosted an aged man and said to him, "The Peace be upon you!"

And when the other returned his salam and welcomed him he asked saying, "O my uncle, tell me what causes these groans and this grief?" The other replied, "O my son, truly our city is domineered over by a monstrous Lion who every year comes about this time and he has already done on such wise for forty and three years. Now he expects every year as he appears to be provided with a damsel arrayed and adorned in all her finery, and if he chance to come as is his wont and find her not he would assault the city and destroy it. So before the season of his visit they cast lots upon the maidens of the place and whomso these befall, her they decorate and lead forth to a place without the walls that the monster may take her. And this year the sort has fallen upon the King's daughter." When the youth heard these words he held his peace and, having taken seat by the old man for an hour or so, he arose and went forth to the place where the Lion was wont to appear and he took his station there, when behold, the daughter of the King came to him and right heavy was she of heart. But as she found the youth sitting there, she salam'd to him and made friendship with him and asked, "What brought you to this stead?"

Answered he, "That which brought you brought me also." Whereto she said, "truly at this hour the Lion shall come to seize me, but as soon as he shall see me he will devour you before me, and thus both of us shall lose our lives; so rise up and depart and save yourself, otherwise you will become mere wasted matter in the belly of the beast." "By God, O my lady," he said, "I am your sacrifice at such a moment as this!" And as they were

The King of Al-Yaman and his Three Sons. 205 speaking, suddenly the world was turned topsy turvy, and dust clouds and sand devils flew around and whirlwinds began to play about them, and lo and behold! the monster made his appearance; and as he approached he was lashing his flanks with his tail like the sound of a kettle drum. Now when the Princess espied him, the tears poured down her cheeks, at which the youth sprang to his feet in haste, and unsheathing his sword, went forth to meet the foe, who at the sight of him gnashed his tusks at him. But the King's son met him bravely, springing nimbly from right to left, at which the Lion raged furiously, and with the design to tear him limb from limb, made a rush at the youth, who smote him with all the force of his forearm and planted between his eyes a sway of scimitar so sore that the blade came out flashing between his thighs, and he fell to the ground slain and bleeding amain. When the Princess saw this derring do of her defender, she rejoiced greatly and fell to wiping with her kerchief the sweat from his brow; and the youth said to her, "Arise and do you fare to your family." "O my lord, and O light of my eyes!" she said, "we twain together will go together as though we were one flesh;" but he rejoined, "This is on no wise possible."

Then he arose from beside her and did not stop faring until he had entered the city, where he rested himself beside a shop. She also sprang up, and faring homewards, went in to her father and mother, showing signs of sore sorrow. When they saw her, their hearts fluttered with fear lest the monster should attack the town and destroy it, whereupon she said to them, "By God, the Lion has been slain and lies there dead." They he asked saying, "What was it killed him?" and she answered, "A handsome youth fair of favour," but they hardly believed her words and both went to visit the place, where they found the monster stone dead. The folk of the city, one and all, presently heard this fair news, and their joy grew great, when the Sultan said to his daughter, "You! Know you the man who slew him?" to which she answered, "I know him." But as all tidings of the youth were cut off, the King let proclaim about the city Then Said her sister Dunyazad, "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 King permits me to survive?"

Now when it was the next night and that was

The Four Hundred and Twenty ninth 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 King let proclaim through the city how none should oppose him or delay to obey his bidding; nay, that each and every, great and small, should come forth and pass before the windows of his daughter's palace. Accordingly the Crier went abroad and cried about the city to that purport, bidding all the subjects muster and defile in front of the Princess's windows; and they continued so doing for three full told days, while she sat continually expecting to sight the youth who had slain the Lion, but to no purpose. At last not a soul remained who had not passed in the review, so the Sultan asked, "Is there anyone who has absented himself?" and they answered, "There is none save a stranger youth who dwells in such and such a place." "Bring him here!" cried the King, "and command him to pass muster," when the others hastened to fetch him; and as soon as he drew near to the window, behold, a kerchief was thrown upon him. Then the Sultan summoned him, and he, when standing in the presence, saluted and made obeisance and blessed the Sovran with the blessings fit for the Caliphs. The Sultan was pleased at that and said, "Are you he who slew the Lion?" and said the other, "I did." Hereupon the King said, "Ask a favour of me, that I grant it to you;" and the Youth said, "I pray of Allah and then of our lord the Sultan that he marry me to his daughter." But the King continued, "Ask of me something of wealth," and all the Lords of the land exclaimed, "By God, he deserves

The King of Al-Yaman and his Three Sons. 207 the Princess who saved her from the Lion and slew the beast." Accordingly the King bade the marriage knot be tied, and let the bridegroom be led in procession to the bride, who rejoiced in him with extreme joy, and he abated her maidenhead and the two lay that night together. But the Prince arose about the latter hours without awaking his bride, and withdrawing her seal ring from her finger, passed his own thereupon and wrote in the palm of her hand, "I am Aláeddín, son of King Such and such, who rules in the capital of Al-Hind, and, given you love me truly, do you come to me, otherwise stay in your father's house." Then he went forth without awaking her and fared through wilds and wolds for a term of ten days, travelling by light and by night, till he drew near a certain city which was domineered over by an Elephant. Now this beast would come every year and take from the town a damsel; and on this occasion it was the turn of the Princess, daughter to the King who governed that country. But as the youth entered the streets he was met by groans and moans and crying and keening; so he asked thereanent and was answered that the Elephant was presently approaching to seize the maiden and devour her. He asked, "To what stead comes he?" and they pointed out to him a place without the city whereto he repaired and took his seat. Suddenly the Princess presented herself before him a weeping and with tears down her cheeks a creeping, when he said to her, "O my lady, there is no harm for you."

She said, "O youth, By God! You wastest your life to no purpose and seek your death without cause, so rise up and save yourself, for the Elephant will be here this very hour." And behold, the beast came up to the heart of the waste and he was raising a dust cloud and trumpeting with rage and lashing flanks with tail. But when he arrived at the wonted place he was confronted by the youth who, with heart stronger than granite, hastened to fall upon him and fatigued him and dealt blows without cease; and, when the Elephant charged down upon him, he met the monster with a stroke between the eyes dealt with all the force of his forearm, and the blade came flashing out from between his thighs, when the beast fell to the ground slain and weltering in his blood amain. Thereupon, in the stress of her joy, the Princess arose hurriedly and walked towards the youth 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 King permits me to survive?"

Now when it was the next night and that was

The Four Hundred and Thirties 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 Princess walked hurriedly towards the youth and in the stress of her joy she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him between the eyes and cried, "O my lord, may your hands never palsied grow nor exult over you any foe!" he said to her, "Return to your people!" And she said, "There is no help but that I and you fare together." But he replied, "This matter is not the right counsel," and he went from her at a double quick pace, saying, "O Allah, may none see me!" Until he entered the city and presently seating him beside a tailor's shop fell to conversing with its owner. Presently, the man said, "There is no Majesty and there is no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great: by this time the daughter of the King will have been seized by the Elephant and torn to pieces and devoured, and she the mainstay of

The King of Al-Yaman and his Three Sons. 209 her mother and her father," And behold loud lullilooing flew about the city and one began exclaiming, "truly the Elephant which is wont to come here year by year has been slaughtered by a man quite young in years, and the Sultan has sent a Crier to cry amongst the crowds, 'Let the slayer of the beast come into the presence and crave a boon and marry the maiden.' " So the Youth to the tailor said, "What is to do?" and the other informed him of the truth of the report, whereupon he asked, "If I go to the King will he give her to me?" Answered the tailor, "Who are you that you should intermarry with the daughter of the King?" and the Prince rejoined, "We will go and bespeak him and lie to him saying, I am he who slew the monster." But the other retorted, "O Youth, you are willingly and wilfully going to your death, for If you lie to him he will assuredly cut off your head." Presently, the Prince, who was listening to the Crier, said to his companion, "Up with you and come with us that you may look upon my execution;" and cried the other, "Why so, O you true born son?" whereto the Youth replied, "Needs must I do this!"

Hereupon he and the man arose and went till they came to the palace of the Sultan, where they craved leave to enter, but were forbidden by the Chamberlain, when lo and behold! the Princess looked out from the lattice and saw the Prince together with the tailor. So she threw the kerchief upon his head and cried aloud, "By God, here he be, and 'tis none but he who slew the Elephant and who saved me from him." at this the tailor fell to wondering at the youth, but when the King saw that his daughter had thrown the kerchief upon him, he presently sent to summon him between his hands and asked him how it happened, and heard from him the truth of the tale. Then he said, "By God, truly my daughter was lost, so that this youth well deserves her." Thereupon he tied the marriage tie between the twain and the youth after wedding her went to her in procession and did away her pucelage, and lay the night with her. And presently when day was near, the young Prince arose and seeing her slumbering wrote in the palm of her hand, "I am Such and such, the son of such a King in Such and such a capital; and if you love me truly, come to find me, or otherwise stay in your father's house."

Then without awaking her he fared forth to the city of the Enchanting Bird and did not stop cutting athwart the wilds and the wolds throughout the nights and the days till he arrived at the place in which dwelt the Bird Philomelet whereto the necklace belonged. And she was the property of the Princess the daughter to the Sovran whose seat was in that capital, and it was the greatest of cities and its King was the grandest of the Kings. When he entered the highways he leant against the shop of an Oilman to whom he said, "The Peace be upon you," and the other returned his salutation and seated him beside himself, and the two fell to conversing. Presently, the Prince asked him, "O my lord, what can you tell me concerning a certain Bird and her owner?" and the other made answer, "I know nothing but of oil and of honey and of clarified butter, whereof whatever you require I will give to you." the youth said, "This is no reply to my question," and the oilman said, "I know not nor regard anything save what is by me in my shop." So the Prince rising from beside him left him and went forth to continue his search; but whenever he asked concerning the Bird and its owner, the folk changed the subject and returned him no reply save, "We know not."

This lasted until he accosted a man well stricken in years, whose age was near to an hundred; and he was sitting alone at one side of the city; so the Youth walked up to him and salam'd; and, after the other returned his greeting and kindly welcomed him and seated him near him, the two fell a talking together, and the Prince asked him, "O my uncle, what can you tell me concerning the Bird whose necklet is of precious stones, and what concerning the owner of it?" The aged man held his peace for awhile and presently exclaimed, "O my son, why ask me of this? O my child, truly the Kings and sons of the Kings have sought her in marriage but could not avail; indeed and the lives of folks manifold have been wasted upon her. How, then, can you hope to win her? Nevertheless, O my son, go and buy you seven lambs and slaughter them and skin them, after which do you roast them and cut them all in halves; for she has seven doors at each whereof stands as warder a rending Lion; and at the eighth which guards the maiden and the Bird are posted forty slaves who at all times are there lying. And now I leave you to your luck, O my son." But when the Prince heard these words he asked

The King of Al-Yaman and his Three Sons. 211 his aidance of the Shaykh and went forth from him Then her sister Dunyazad said, "How sweet and tasteful is your tale, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!" She said, "And where is this compared with what I would relate to you on the coming night if the King permits me to survive?"

Now when it was the next night and that was

The Four Hundred and Thirty second 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 Prince craved for the prayers of the Shaykh, who blessed him. Then he went forth from him and bought of the lambs what he had been charged to buy, and these he slaughtered and skinned and roasted and he cut each and every into two halves. He waited until night descended with its darkness and ceased the toing and froing of folk, when he arose and walked to the place pointed out and there he found the Lion whose shape and size equalled the stature of a full grown bull. He threw to him half a lamb and the beast allowed him to pass through that door, and it was the same with the other entrances, all seven of them, until he reached the eighth. Here he found the forty slaves who were bestrewn on the ground bedrowned in sleep; so he went in with soft tread and presently he came upon the Bird Philomelet in a cage encrusted with pearls and precious stones and he saw the Princess who owned him lying asleep upon a couch. at this he wrote upon the palm of her hand, "I am Such and such, son to the King Such and such, of such a city; and I have come in upon you and beheld you bared whilst you were sleeping, and I have also taken away the Bird. However, If you love me and long for me, do you come to me in my own city."

Then he seized the Bird to his prize and fared forth and what he did with the Lions coming that he did when going out. The Veiler veiled him, and he went forth the city and met not a single soul, and he did not stop faring the livelong night till next morning did appear, when he hid in a place seeking repose and ate something of victual. But as soon as the daylight shone bright, he arose and continued his journey, praying Allah for protection on his journey, till it was mid afternoon: then he found, like an oasis in the middle of the waste, certain pastures of the wild Arabs and as he drew near the owner met him and salam'd to him and greeted him and blessed him. So he lay that night with them till dawn when the Shaykh of the encampment who had heard of the stranger came to him and welcomed him and found him a youth fair of form and favour and saw by his side the Enchanting Bird in its cage. He recognised it and wondered at the young man's derring do and cried, "Subhana 'lah—praise be to God—who has committed his secret unto the weakliest of His creation! Truly this Bird has caused on its account to be slain many of the Wazirs and the Kings and the Sultans, yet has that lad mastered it and carried it away. This however is by virtue of his good fortune."

Then the old man had compassion on him and gave him a horse that he had by him together with something of provisions. The Prince took them from him and returning to his march traversed the wilds and the wolds for days and nights, all of them; and he continued in that case when he drew near his father's capital which rose within eye shot. And as he walked on without heed, behold, his brethren met him and confronted him and fell upon him and, having taken away the Enchanting Bird, reviled him and beat him and shook him off and drove him away. Then they entered the city and sought their sire who received them with fair reception and greeted them and rejoiced in them; after which they presented him with the Bird Philomelet, and said, "Here we bring him to you and there befell us through his account much toil and trouble." But their brother who had really won the prize went to his mother in sadness of heart 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

The King of Al-Yaman and his Three Sons. 213 with that I should relate to you on the coming night if the King permits me to survive?"

Now when it was the next night and that was

The Four Hundred and Thirty third 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 young Prince who had brought the Bird and whom his brothers had beaten and robbed of his prize, went to his mother in sadness of heart and shedding tears. she said, "What is your case and what has befallen you?" So he told her what had happened him and she said, "Sorrow not, O my son; the course of the right shall be made manifest." Then she quieted him and soothed his heart. This is what happened to these persons; but as regards the Princess, the owner of the Bird, when she awoke at dawn of day and opened her eyes, she found her favourite gone and as her glance fell upon the things about her, suddenly she saw something written in the palm of her hand. But as soon as she had read it and comprehended its purport, she cried aloud with a mighty grievous cry which caused the palace women to flock around, and her father to ask what was to do but none could explain it because no one knew.

So the Sultan arose directly and, going in to his daughter, found her buffeting her face for the sake of her Bird and he asked, "What is to do with you?" So she informed him of what had befallen her, adding, "truly he who came into my bower and discovered me bare and looked upon me and wrote upon the palm of my hand, him I am determined to have and none other save that one." her father said, "O my daughter, many sons of the Wazirs and the Kings have sought the bird and have failed; and now do you suppose that he has died;" but the Princess said, "I desire none save the man who found me in sleep and looked upon me, and he is the son of King So and so, reigning in such a capital." Said her father, "Then how stands the case?" and she said, "Needs must I thank him and seek his city and marry him, for assuredly amongst the sons of the Kings, all of them, none can be fairer or more delightsome than he who has craftily devised this entrance to me in so guarded a stead as this. How then can anyone be his peer?"

Hereupon her father bade muster the forces without the city and he brought out for his daughter rarities and presents and mule litters, and they pitched the tents and after three days they loaded the loads for travel. Then they fared for whole days and nights until they drew near the city in which the youth had slain the Elephant and had saved the daughter of the King. So the Sultan set up his encampment with its tents and pavilions close by the walls, to the end that all might take their rest, but when the King of the City saw this he rode forth to visit the stranger, and after greeting asked him the cause of his coming with such a host. The Sultan apprised him of what had happened to his daughter, how she had lost the Enchanting Bird, also how the youth had come into her bower and had written a writ upon the palm of her hand. But when the King heard from him this account he knew and was certified that it was the same Prince who had also slain the Elephant and who had on such wise saved his daughter's life; so he said to the Sultan, "truly he who took the Bird belonging to your Princess has also married my daughter, for he has done such and such deeds."

After which he related to him the slaughter of the Elephant and all that had happened from beginning to end. Now as soon as the Sultan heard these words he cried, "By God, my daughter is excusable and she has shown her insight and her contrivance;" and presently he arose and going in to her related what he had heard from the King of the City, and she wondered at the tale of the youth's adventures and the killing of the Elephant. They nighted in that stead and the tidings soon reached the ears of the youth's wife, the Princess who had been saved from the Elephant, and she said to her sire, "I also needs must go to him and forgather with him." Hereupon the King her father bade muster his troops together with the Lords of the land without the city beside the host of

The King of Al-Yaman and his Three Sons. 215 the chief Sultan, and on the second day both Sovrans bade the loads be loaded for the march. When their bidding was obeyed the twain set out together and travelled for days and nights until they drew near to the capital of the King where the youth had slain the Lion, and they pitched their tents in its neighbourhood. Presently, the Sovran of that capital came out and greeted them and asked them the cause of their coming; so they informed him of their adventures from commencement to conclusion; and he, when certified of the truth of this tale, returned to inform his daughter 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 King permits me to survive?"

Now when it was the next night and that was

The Four Hundred and Thirty fifth 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 third King informed his daughter of the certainty of the tidings, and she also exclaimed, "Needs must I as well as they set out to seek him and forgather with him." So her father returned to the Sultan and the King and told them of the adventures of the youth, and how he was the cause of his daughter's salvation from the Lion which he had slain; and when the twain heard his words they marvelled and cried, "By God, truly this youth is fortunate in all his doings: would Heaven we knew how be his condition with his father and whether he is loved or he is loathed." Then the three fell to talking of the Prince's qualities, and presently the third King arose and gave orders for gathering together the Lords of his land and his army, and he brought out for his daughter mule litters, and gat ready all she might require of rarities and offerings.

Then the three Kings gave orders to load the beasts and fared together, taking with them their three daughters who, whenever they conversed together used to praise the high gifts of the Prince and she who was the mistress of the Bird would say, "You twain have forgathered with him;" and the others would answer, "We passed with him no more than a single night;" after which they would relate to her the slaughter of the Lion and the Elephant. So she wondered and cried, "By God! Truly he is auspicious of fortune." And they did not stop to be in such case for whole days and nights, and nights and days, throughout the length of the journey till they drew near the far famed city which was the bourne of their journey and the object of their wishes. Now this happened about sunset tide, so the three Kings who had alighted together bade their tents and pavilions be set up, and when their behest was obeyed, each and every of the three commanded that the firemen and the linkmen light up their torches and cressets, and they did so, one and all, until that Wady was illumined as by the sheen of day.

But when the city folk saw what was done by the three Kings, their hearts quaked and their flesh quivered, and they cried, "truly for the mighty hosts of these Kings there needs must be a cause of coming." However the strangers nighted in sight until morn grew light, when the three Sovrans forgathered, and sent a messenger with an invite to the Lord of the city, who on receiving him exclaimed, "I hear and I obey!" Then mounting without delay he rode forth till he reached the strangers' camp, where he alighted and went in and greeted them; and they, on similar guise, arose to him and wished him long life, and seated him and fell to conversing with him for a full told hour. But he was whelmed in the ocean of thought, and he kept saying to himself, "Would Heaven I knew what be the cause of the Kings coming to this my country." However, the four Sovrans continued to converse until the noon tide hour, when the trays were dispread for them, and the tables were laid with sumptuous meats in platters and chargers of precious metal, the very basins and ewers being of virgin gold. But when the King of that city beheld this he marvelled, and said in his mind, "By God, there is not with me anything of rarities like these." As soon as they had ended eating what sufficed them, water was brought to them and they washed their hands, after which they were served with confections and coffee and sherberts. soon the three Kings said to their guest,

The King of Al-Yaman and his Three Sons. 217

"You, have you any children?" and he said, "Yes, I have two sons." they said, "Summon them before us that we may look upon them;" so he sent and bade them make act of presence. The Princes donned their finest dresses and perfumed themselves; then they took horse and rode until they had reached their father's palace. But the three Princesses stood to look at them, and she who was owner of the Bird Philomelet asked of the two others, saying, "Is he amongst these twain?" and they answered, "Nay, he is not." She exclaimed, "By God, both of them be fine men," and the others cried, "Indeed, our husband is far fairer and finer than they." But when the Kings saw the two brothers they said to their sire, "truly our need is not with them."

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 would relate to you on the coming night if the King permits me to survive?"

Now when it was the next night and that was

The Four Hundred and Thirty seventh 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 two Kings said to the lord of the city, "truly our need is not in this pair of youths," and the third King added, "By God, indeed these two young men be fair of favour," for that he had not seen the Prince who had taken his daughter's Bird Philomelet. Presently, the two asked the father saying, "You, is there by you no issue other than these two?" and he said, "Yes, I have a son, but I have cast him out and I have placed his mother amongst the handmaids of the kitchen." "Send to fetch him," They said; so he despatched a messenger to bring him into the presence. And he came, as well he was without any finery of dress; but as soon as the two damsels saw him they communed concerning him and he inclined to them and went into their pavilion, when they rose to him and threw their arms round his neck and kissed him between his eyes. Hereupon the mistress of the Bird said to the two others, "Be this he?" and they said, "Yes;" so she also arose and kissed his hand.

But when he had finished greeting them he at once went forth to the assembled Kings, who stood up in honour to him and welcomed him and greeted him; and when his father saw that case he wondered with great wonderment. Then the youth took seat afar from his brothers and addressed them, saying, "Which of the twain was first to take the necklace?" And they held their peace. He resumed speech and said to them, "Which of you killed the Lion and which of you slew the Elephant and which of you embraved his heart and going into the bower of the august damsel, daughter to this Sultan, carried off her Bird Philomelet?" But they answered him not a syllable and were far from offering a reply. So he resumed, "Why did you fall upon me and beat me and take away the Enchanting Bird, when I was able to slay you both? Yet to everything is its own time and this my father had banished me and banished my mother nor did he give her anything of what became her." Saying these words the youth fell upon his two brethren with his sword and striking a single stroke he slew the twain, after which he would have assaulted his sire, and put him to death. However the three Kings forbade him and presently he whose daughter owned the Bird put an end to this by insisting upon the marriage tie with him being tied.

So he went in unto her that very night and the three damsels became his acknowledged spouses. After this his father gave command that his mother be admitted into the Palace and he honoured her and banished the parents of his two elder sons for he was assured that their cadet had done such derring do by slaying the Lion and the Elephant and by bringing into the presence Philomelet the Enchanting Bird and he was certified that the deed had been done by none other. So he set apart a palace for the young Prince and his three Princesses and he gave him a commandment and their joys ever increased. And lastly the three Kings did not stop abiding in that place for forty days after which they devised their departure. 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

The King of Al-Yaman and his Three Sons. 219 on the coming night if the King permits me to survive?"

Now when it was the next night and that was

The Four Hundred and Thirty eighth 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 three Kings desired, one and all of them, to depart and return to their countries and their capitals; and their son in law presented them with gifts and rarities, whereupon they blessed him and went their ways. After this the young Prince, who had become Sovran and Sultan, took seat upon the throne of his realm and by the reign he was obeyed and the servants of Allah for him prayed. Presently, on a day of the days he inclined to the hunt and the chase, so he went off with his suite till they found themselves in the middle of the wildest of wolds where the ruler came upon an underground cavern. He proposed to enter within it, when his followers prevented him and behold, a man came to him from the desert showing the signs of journey and carrying a something of water and victual and his garments were all threadbare.

The King enquired of him saying, "from where have you come and where are you going?" and the other replied, "We be three in this antre who have fled our country; and whenever we require anything of meat and drink, one of us fars forth to fetch what will suffice us of provision for ten days." "And what is the cause of your flying your native land?" asked the King, and the other answered, "truly our tale is wondrous and our adventures are joyous and marvellous." Hereupon the King said, "Walláhi, we will not quit this spot till such time as we shall have heard your histories; and let each one of you three recount to us what befell him, so that we hear it from his own mouth." Hereupon the King commanded sundry of his suite to set forth home and the rest to abide beside him; and he sent a Chamberlain of the Chamberlains that he might go bring from the city something of victual and water and grow candles and all the case required, saying the while to himself,

"truly the hearing of histories is better than hunting and birding, for Perhaps they may solace and gladden the hearts of men." So the Chamberlain went forth and, after an absence of an hour or so he returned bringing all the King had commanded; upon which he and the suite brought in the Larrikin together with his two companions until they led them to the presence and seated the three together. All this while none of the vagabonds knew that the personage before them was King of the city. So they fell to conversing until the next night came on when the Sovran bade them tell their tales of themselves and what had befallen each and every of them. They replied, "I hear and I obey;" and the foremost of them began to recite the