Asked the Prince, “And who mayest thou be to her, O my lord?” and answered the other, “I am her father and she is my daughter and hers is a marvel-tale, I swear by the All-might of Him who made the Heavens and the Earth.”  Then he fell to recounting anent the Voice which came to him on the night of her being conceived in her mother’s womb and all that had since befallen her, keeping concealed[FN#553] only the matter of the babe which she had borne in the tent.  But when the Prince knew that the wayfarer was her sire who was travelling to seek him, he rejoiced in the glad tidings of forgathering with the damsel and on the morning of the second day all marched off together and made for the Merchant’s city.  And they stinted not wayfaring and forcing their marches until they drew near it, and as soon as they entered it, the Merchant, before going to his home, led the Prince with him and sought the Kazi by whose aid the marriage-tie, after due settlement of the dowry, might be tied between him and the damsel.  This done, he conducted him to a place of concealment and presently went in to his daughter and her mother who saluted him and asked him the news.  Hereupon he gave them to know that he had brought the King’s son and had made ready to knot the knot of wedlock between him and her.  As soon as the damsel heard these tidings she fainted for excess of her happiness, and when she revived her mother arose and prepared her person and adorned her and made her don her most sumptuous of dresses.  And when night fell they led the bridegroom in procession to her and the couple embraced and each threw arms round the neck of other for exceeding desire and their embraces lasted till dawn-tide.[FN#554] After that the times waxed clear to them and the days were serene until one chance night of the nights when the Prince was sitting beside his bride and conversing with her concerning various matters when suddenly she fell to weeping and wailing.  He was consterned thereat and cried, “What causeth thee cry, O dearling of my heart and light of mine eyes?” and she, “How shall I not cry when they have parted me from my boy, the life-blood of my liver!” “And thou, hast thou a babe?” asked he and she answered, “Yes indeed, my child and thy child, whom I conceived by thee while we abode in the cavern.  But when my father[FN#555] took me therefrom and was leading me home we encountered about midway a burning heat, so we halted and pitched two tents for myself and my sire; then, as I sat within mine the labour-pangs came upon me and I bare a babe as the moon.  But my parent feared to carry it with us lest our honour be smirched by tittle-tattle, so we left the little one in the tent with two hundred gold pieces under its head, that whoso might come upon it and take it and tend it might therewith be repaid.”  In fine, she told her spouse the whole tale concerning her infant and declared that she had no longer patience to be parted from it.  Her bridegroom consoled her and promised her with the