“By Allah, he who hath wedded the damsel is a beautiful youth:  oh the pity of it that he should die!  Indeed I dissuaded him, saying so-and-so shall befal thee, but I could not deter him.  Now by the rights of Him who raised the firmament without basement, an our Lord deign preserve this Youth and he see the morn in safety, I will assuredly gift him and share with him all my good, for that I have no male issue to succeed me in the sovranty; and this one, if Allah Almighty vouchsafe prolong his days, shall become my heir apparent and inherit after me.  Indeed I deem him to be a son of the Kings who disguiseth himself, or some Youth of high degree who is troubled about worldly goods and who sayeth in himself, ’I will take this damsel to wife that I may not die of want, for verily I am ruined.’  I diverted him from wedding her, but it could not be, and the more I deterred him with words manifold only the more grew his desire and he cried, ‘I am content’; thus speaking after the fashion of one who longeth to perish.  However, let him meet his lot—­either death-doom or deliverance from evil.”  Now when it was eventide the Sultan sent to summon his son-in-law and, seating him beside the throne, fell to talking with him and asking after his case; but he concealed his condition and said, “Thy servant is such whereof ’tis spoken, ’I fell from Heaven and was received by Earth.’  Ask me not, O King of the Age, or of the root or of the branch, for one of the wise and ware hath said:—­

’To tell my root and my name refrain; * The root of the youth is
     what good he gain:[FN#566]
A wight without father full oft shall win * And melting shall
     purify drossy strain.’

And folk are equal but in different degrees."[FN#567] Now when the Sultan heard these words, he wondered at his eloquence and sweetness of speech; withal he marvelled that his son-in-law would not explain to him from what land or from what folk he came.  And the two ceased not their converse until after the hour of night prayers, when the Lords of the land had been dismissed; whereupon the Sultan bade an eunuch take the youth and introduce him to the Princess.  So he arose from him and went with the slave, the King exclaiming the while, “There is no Majesty and there is no Might, save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great:  verily yonder young man wendeth wilfully to his death.”  Now when the bridegroom reached the apartment of the Sultan’s daughter and entered to her—­And Shahrazad was surprised by 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 how 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 Eight Hundred and Seventeenth Night,