and when laughing his rosy lips should be fresh as the blossom new-blown.”  The Shah was amazed with exceeding amazement to hear the wishes of the three sisters, but chiefly of the youngest and determined in himself that he would gratify them all.  Wherefore quoth he to the Grand Wazir, “Mark well this house And on the morrow bring before me these maidens whom we Heard discoursing;” and quoth the Wazir, “O Asylum of the Universe, I hear but to obey.”  Thereupon the twain walked back to the palace and laid them down to rest.  When morning morrowed, the Minister went for the sisters and brought them to the King, who, after greeting them and heartening their hearts, said to them in kindly tone, “O ye maidens of weal, last night what was it that in merry word and jest ye spake one to other?  Take heed ye tell the Shah every whit in full detail, for all must become known to us; something have we heard, but now the King would have ye recount your discourse to his royal ears.”—­And as the morn began to dawn Shahrazad held her peace till

       The end of the Six Hundred and Sixty-eighth Night

Then said she:—­I have heard, O auspicious King, that at these words of the Shah the sisters, confused and filled with shame, durst not reply but stood before him silent with heads bent low; and despite all questioning and encouragement they could not pluck up courage.  However, the youngest was of passing comeliness in form and feature and forthwith the Shah became desperately enamoured of her; and of his live began reassuring them and saying, “O ye Princesses of fair ones, be not afraid nor troubled in thought; nor let bashfulness or shyness prevent you telling the Shah what three wishes you wished, for fain would he fulfil them all.”  Thereat they threw themselves at his feet and, craving his pardon for their boldness and freedom of speech, told him the whole talk, each one repeating the wish she had wished; and on that very day Khusrau Shah married the eldest sister to his chief Baker, and the second sister to his head Cook, and bade make all things ready for his own wedding with the youngest sister.  So when the preparations for the royal nuptials had been made after costliest fashion, the King’s marriage was celebrated with royal pomp and pageantry, and the bride received the titles of Light of the Harem and Banu of Iran-land.  The other two maidens were likewise married, one to the King’s Baker the other to his Cook, after a manner according to their several degrees in life and with little show of grandeur and circumstance.  Now it had been only right and reasonable that these twain having won each her own wish, should have passed their time in solace and happiness, but the decree of Destiny doomed otherwise; and, as soon as they saw the grand estate whereto their youngest sister had risen, and the magnificence of her marriage-festival, their hearts were fired with envy and jealousy and sore despite and they resolved upon giving the rein to their hatred and malignancy