agreed to my becoming his wife, while I also consented when I looked upon his handsome and noble face and figure and to his proved affection for me and his goodness of heart.  Accordingly, in due time the marriage was celebrated with royal pomp and circumstance.  But what escape is there from Fate?  On that very night, the night of the wedding, a King of Zanzibar who dwelt hard by that island, and had erewhile practised against the kingdom, seizing his opportunity, attacked us with a mighty army, and having put many to death, bethought him to take me and my husband alive.  But we escaped from his hands and fleeing under the murks of night to the sea-shore found there a fisherman’s boat, which we entered thanking our stars and launched it and floated far away on the current, unknowing whither Destiny was directing us.  On the third day we espied a vessel making us, whereat we rejoiced with joy excessive, deeming her to be some merchantman coming to our aidance.  No sooner had it lain alongside, however, than up there sprang five or six pirates,[FN#244] each brandishing a naked brand in hand, and boarding us tied our arms behind us and carried us to their craft.  They then tare the veil from my face and forthwith desired to possess me, each saying to other, “I will enjoy this wench.”  On this wise wrangling and jangling ensued till right soon it turned to battle and bloodshed, when moment by moment and one by one the ravishers fell dead until all were slain save a single pirate, the bravest of the band.  Quoth he to me, “Thou shalt fare with me to Cairo where dwelleth a friend of mine and to him will I give thee, for erewhile I promised him that on this voyage I would secure for him a fair woman for handmaid.”  Then seeing my husband, whom the pirates had left in bonds he exclaimed, “Who may be this hound?  Is he to thee a lover or a friend?” and I made answer, “He is my wedded husband.” “’Tis well,” cried he:  “in very sooth it behoveth me to release him from the bitter pangs of jealousy and the sight of thee enfolded in another’s fond embrace.”  Whereat the ruffian raised aloft the ill-fated Prince, bound foot and hand, and cast him into the sea, while I shrieked aloud and implored his mercy, but all in vain.  Seeing the Prince struggling and drowning in the waves I cried out and screamed and buffetted my face and tare my hair and would fain have cast myself into the waters but I could not, for he held me fast and lashed me to the mainmast.  Then, pursuing our course with favouring winds we soon arrived at a small port-village where he bought camels and boy-slaves and journeyed on towards Cairo; but when several stages of the road were left behind us, the Abyssinian who dwelt in this castle suddenly overtook us.  From afar we deemed him to be a lofty tower, and when near us could hardly believe him to be a human being.—­ And as the morn began to dawn Shahrazad held her peace till

      The end of the Five Hundred and Ninety-ninth Night.