pearls which appeared at either end.  He asked the Princess and her brothers, “What is this dish?  It cannot be meant for food; then wherefore is it placed before the Shah?  Explain to me, I command you, what this thing meaneth.”  They could not give an answer unknowing what reply to make, and as all held their peace the Speaking-Bird answered for them saying, “O King of the Age and the Time, dost thou deem it strange to see a dish of cucumbers stuffed with pearls?  How much stranger then it is that thou wast not astonished to hear that the Queen thy Consort had, contrary to the laws of Allah’s ordinance, given birth to such animals as dog and cat and musk-rat.  This should have caused thee far more of wonder, for who hath ever heard of woman bearing such as these?” Hereat the Shah made answer to the Speaking-Bird, “All that thou sayest is right indeed and I know that such things are not after the law of Almighty Allah; but I believed the reports of the midwives, the wise women who were with the Queen such time she was brought to bed, for they were not strangers but her own sisters, born of the same parents as herself.  How then could I do otherwise than trust their words?” Quoth the Speaking-Bird, “O King of kings, indeed the truth of the matter is not hidden from me.  Albeit they be the sisters of thy Queen, yet seeing the royal favours and affection towards their cadette they were consumed with anger and hatred and despite by reason of their envy and jealousy.  So they devised evil devices against her and their deceits at last succeeded in diverting thy thoughts from her, and in hiding her virtues from thy sight.  Now are their malice and treason made manifest to thee; and, if thou require further proof, do thou summon them and question them of the case.  They cannot hide it from thee and will be reduced to confess and crave thy pardon.”—­And as the morn began to dawn Shahrazad held her peace till

      The end of the Six Hundred and Eighty-seventh Night.

Then said she:—­I have heard, O auspicious King, that the Speaking-Bird also said to Khusrau Shah, “These two royal brothers so comely and stalwart and this lovely Princess, their sister, are thine own lawful children to whom the Queen thy Consort gave birth.  The midwives, thy sisters-in-law, by reason of the blackness of their hearts and faces bore them away as soon as they were born:  indeed every time a child was given to thee they wrapped it in a bit of blanket and putting it in a basket committed it to the stream which floweth by the palace to the intent that it might die an obscure death.  But it so fortuned that the Intendant of thy royal gardens espied these baskets one and all as they floated past his grounds, and took charge of the infants he found therein.  He then caused them to be nursed and reared with all care and, whilst they were growing up to man’s estate, he looked to their being taught every art and science; and whilst his life endured he dealt with them and brought them up in