folk that ye are, [FN#403] what befell him last night, that ye envy him.”  Then, when the night came in and it was the season of sleep, Alaeddin arose and entering his chamber, rubbed the lamp, whereupon the genie appeared to him forthright and [FN#404] he bade him bring the princess and her bridegroom, as on the past night, ere the Vizier’s son should take her maidenhead.  The genie delayed not, but was absent a little while; and when it was the appointed time, he returned with the bed and therein the Lady Bedrulbudour and the Vizier’s son.  With the latter he did as he had done the past night, to wit, he took him and couched him in the draught- house, where he deft him parched for excess of fright and dismay; whilst Alaeddin arose and placing the sword between himself and the Lady Bedrulbudour, lay down and slept till the morning, when the genie appeared and restored the twain to their place, leaving Alaeddin full of joy at [the discomfiture of] the Vizier’s son.

When the Sultan arose in the morning, he bethought himself to visit his daughter Bedrulbudour and see an she should do with him as she had done on the past day; so, as soon as he awoke from his sleep, he rose and donning his clothes, went to his daughter’s chamber and opened the door.  Whereupon the Vizier’s son arose forthright and coming down from the bed, fell to donning his clothes, with ribs cracking for cold; for that, when the Sultan entered, it was no great while since the genie had brought them back.  The Sultan went up to his daughter, the Lady Bedrulbudour, as she lay abed, and raising the curtain, gave her good morning and kissed her between the eyes and asked her how she did.  She frowned and returned him no answer, but looked at him sullenly, as she were in sorry case.  He was wroth with her, for that she made him no answer, and thought that something had betided her; so he drew the sword and said to her, “What hath befallen thee?  Either thou shalt tell me what aileth thee or I will do away thy life this very moment.  Is this the respect that is due to my rank and the honour in which thou holdest me, that I bespeak thee and thou answerest me not a word?”

When the Lady Bedrulbudour knew that her father was angry and saw the naked sword in his hand, she was like to swoon for fear; [FN#405] so she raised her head and said to him, “Dear [FN#406] my father, be not wroth with me, neither be thou hasty in thine anger, for that I am excusable in that which thou hast seen from me. [FN#407] Do but hearken what hath betided me and I am well assured that, whenas thou hearest my story of that which hath happened to me these two nights past, thou wilt excuse me and Thy Grace will be moved to compassion upon me, as I know from thy love for me.” [FN#408] Then she acquainted him with all that had befallen her and said to him, “O my father, an thou believe me not, ask my bridegroom and he will resolve Thy Grace of everything, albeit I know not what they did with him, when they