When it was the Five Hundred and Ninety-seventh Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the King bade his Queen question the bath-woman with fire and grievous blows, they tortured her with all manner tortures, but could not bring her to confess or to accuse any.  Then he commanded to cast her into prison and manacle and fetter her; and they did as he bade.  One day, after this, as the King sat in the inner court of his palace, with the Queen by his side and water flowing around him, he saw the pie fly into a crevice in a corner of the wall and pull out the necklace, whereupon he cried out to a damsel who was with him, and she caught the bird and took the necklace from it.  By this the King knew that the pious bath-woman had been wronged and repented of that he had done with her.  So he sent for her to the presence and fell to kissing her head and with many tears sought pardon of her.  Moreover, he commanded much treasure to be given to her, but she refused and would none of it.  However, she forgave him and went away, swearing never again to enter any one’s house.  So she betook herself to wandering in the mountains and valleys and worshipped God until she died, and Almighty Allah have mercy upon her!  “And for an instance of the malice of the male sex” (continued the damsel), “I have heard, O King, tell this tale of

The Two Pigeons.[FN#219]

A pair of pigeons once stored up wheat and barley in their nest during the winter, and when the summer came, the grain shrivelled and became less; so the male pigeon said to his wife, “Thou hast eaten of this grain.”  Replied she, “No, by Allah, I have never touched it!” But he believed not her words and beat her with his wings and pecked her with his bill, till he killed her.  When the cold season returned, the corn swelled out and became as before, whereupon he knew that he had slain his wife wrongously and wickedly, and he repented whenas repentance availed him naught.  Then he lay down by her side, mourning over her and weeping for grief, and left meat and drink, till he fell sick and died.  “But” (added the damsel), “I know a story of the malice of men more extraordinary than either of these.”  Quoth the King, “Let us hear what thou hast to tell;” and quoth she, “I have heard tell, O King, this

Story of Prince Behram and the Princess Al-Datma.

There was once a King’s daughter, who had no equal in her time for beauty and loveliness and symmetrical stature and grace, brilliancy, amorous lace and the art of ravishing the wits of the masculine race and her name was Al-Datma.  She used to boast, “Indeed there is none like me in this age.”  Nor was there one more accomplished than she in horsemanship and martial exercises and all that behoveth a cavalier.  So all the Kings’ sons sought her to wife; but she would take none of them, saying, “No man shall marry me except he overcome me at lunge of lance