Now, as for the Cossid who fared forth with the letter, he stinted not spanning the waste for the space of two months until he made the city of the bereaved King of Al-Irak, and when he asked for the royal whereabouts they pointed out to him a pleasure-garden.  So he repaired thither and went in to him, kissed ground before him, offered his services, prayed for him and lastly handed to him the letter.  The King took it and brake the seal and opened the scroll; but when he read it and comprehended its contents, he rose up and shrieked a loud shriek and fell to the floor in a fainting fit.  So the high officials flocked around him and raised him from the ground, and when he recovered after an hour or so they questioned him concerning the cause of this.  He then related to them the adventures of his wife and children; how they were still in the bonds of life whole and hearty; and forthright he ordered a ship to be got ready for them and stored therein gifts and presents for him who had been the guardian of his Queen and her daughters.  But he knew not what lurked for them in the future.  So the ship sailed away, all on board seeking the desired city, and she reached it without delay, the winds blowing light and fair.  Then she fired the cannon of safe arrival[FN#167] and the Sultan sent forth to enquire concerning her,—­And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say.  Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, “How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and delectable!” Quoth she, “And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?” Now when it was the next night and that was

The Three Hundred and Seventy-first Night,

Dunyazad said to her, “Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!” She replied, “With love and good will!” It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Sultan made enquiries concerning that ship, when behold! the Rais[FN#168] came forth from her to the land and accosting the King handed to him the letter and acquainted him with the arrival of the gifts and presents.  Whereupon he bade all on board her come ashore and be received in the guest-house for a space of three days until the traces of travel should disappear from them.  After that time the Sultan gat ready whatso became his high degree of offerings evening those despatched to him by the father of the damsels and stowed them in the vessel, where he also embarked as much of victual and provaunt as might suffice for all the voyagers.  On the fourth day after sunset the damsels and their mother were borne on board and likewise went the master after they had taken leave of the King and had salam’d to him and prayed for his preservation.  Now in