of wayfare. So they equipped themselves and set
forth, taking with them the maiden together with five
white slave-girls and ten negresses and as many sturdy
black chattels who loaded the packs upon the mules’
and the camels’ backs. Then they fell to
cutting across the wilds and , each and everyone intent
upon ministering to the maiden, and they ceased not
faring until they drew near the mountain, and they
took station by the cavern-door. Here they unloaded
the bales and burthens and transported them to the
pavilion within the cave, after which the Merchant’s
daughter went in and as she walked forwards fell to
gazing, rightwards and leftwards, until such time
as she had reached the pavilion. Presently she
found it poikilate of corners and columns, and she
was assured that the distance of that mountain from
her father’s town measured the march of a full-told
month. And whenas she had taken seat and had
settled in that pavilion, her father considered the
unapproachable nature of the place and waxed contented
of heart and his mind became right of rede, because
he was certified of his daughter that she was safe
from the tricks of Time and every trickster.[FN#505]
So he tarried beside her for a decade of days, after
which he farewelled her and wended him home, leaving
the damsel in the mountain-cave. Thus fared it
with these; but as regards the case of the Prince
of Al-Irak, his father who owned no issue, or man-child
or girl-child, lay sleeping one night of the nights
when, lo and behold! he heard the words, “All
things befal by Fate and Fortune.” Hereat
he arose from slumber being sore startled and cried,
“Laud to the Lord whom I have heard say[FN#506]
that all things depend upon Doom and Destiny.”
On the next night he slept with his spouse who by
leave of Almighty Allah forthright conceived.
When her pregnancy became manifest the Sovran rejoiced
and he scattered and largessed and doled alms-deeds
to the widows and paupers and the mean and miserable;
and he sued the Creator on high saying, “O Lord
vouchsafe to me a man-boy which may succeed me in the
reign, and deign Thou make him a child of life."[FN#507]
But when the Queen’s time had sped she was seized
by labour-pangs and delivery-pains, after which she
bare a babe—Glory be to God who created
him and confirmed what He had wrought in the creation
of that child who was like unto a slice of the moon!
They committed him to the wet-nurses who fell to suckling
him and tending him and fondling him till the milk-term
was completed, and when his age had reached the sixth
year, his father brought for him a Divine perfect
in knowledge of all the sciences, spiritual and temporal,
and the craft of penmanship and what not. Accordingly,
the boy began to read and study under his learner until
he had excelled him in every line of lore, and he
became a writer deft, doughty in all the arts and
sciences: withal his sire knew not that was doomed
to him of dule and dolours.—And Shahrazad
was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and
ceased to say her permitted say. Then quoth her
sister Dunyazad, “How sweet is thy story, O
sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!”
Quoth she “And where is this compared with that
I would relate to you on the coming night an the King
suffer me to survive?” Now when it was the next
night and that was