glad tidings.”  So Tuman returned with all dillgence to Isbanir, the Cities, and entering the palace, kissed ground before the King, who said to him, “What is there of new, O bringer of good news?” Quoth Tuman, “I will not speak thee, till thou give me the gift of glad tidings.”  Quoth the King, “Tell me thy glad tidings and I will content thee.”  So Tuman said, “O King, I bring thee joyful intelligence of the return of Princess Fakhr Taj.”  When Sabur heard his daughter’s name, he fell down fainting and they sprinkled rose-water on him, till he recovered and cried to Tuman, “Draw near to me and tell me all the good which hath befallen her.”  So he came forward and acquainted him with all that had betided the Princess; and Sabur beat hand upon hand, saying, “Unhappy thou, O Fakhr Taj!’’[FN#350] And he bade give Tuman ten thousand gold pieces and conferred on him the government of Isfahan City and its dependencies.  Then he cried out to his Emirs, saying, “Mount, all of you, and fare we forth to meet the Princess Fakhr Taj!”; and the Chief Eunuch went in to the Queen-mother and told her and all the Harim the good news, whereat she rejoiced and gave him a robe of honour and a thousand dinars.  Moreover, the people of the city heard of this and decorated the market streets and houses.  Then the King and Tuman took horse and rode till they had sight of Gharib, when Sabur footed it and made some steps towards Gharib, who also dismounted and advanced to meet him; and they embraced and saluted each other, and Sabur bent over Gharib’s hand and kissed it and thanked him for his favours.[FN#351] They pitched their pavilions in face of each other and Sabur went in to his daughter, who rose and embracing him told him, all that had befallen her and how Gharib had rescued her from the clutches of the Ghul of the Mountain.  Quoth the King, “By thy life, O Princess of fair ones, I will overwhelm him with gifts!”; and quoth she, “O my papa, make him thy son-in-law, that he may be to thee a force against thy foes, for he is passing valiant.”  Her father replied, “O my daughter, knowst thou not that King Khirad Shah seeketh thee in marriage and that he hath cast the brocade[FN#352] and hath given an hundred thousand dinars in settlement, and he is King of Shiraz and its dependencies and is lord of empire and horsemen and footmen?” But when the Princess heard these words she said, “O my papa!  I desire not that whereof thou speakest, and if thou constrain me to that I have no mind to, I will slay myself.”  So Sabur left her and went in to Gharib, who rose to him; and they sat awhile together; but the King could not take his fill of looking upon him; and he said in his mind, “By Allah, my daughter is excusable if she love this Badawi!” Then he called for food and they ate and passed the night together.  On the morrow, they took horse and rode till they arrived at the City of Isbanir and entered, stirrup to stirrup, and it was for them a great day.  Fakhr Taj repaired to her palace and the abiding-place