When the night was half spent, I arose [and went forth the tent] to do an occasion of mine, and none knew of my case save this woman.  The dogs misdoubted of me and followed me and gave not over besetting me, till I fell on my back into a deep pit, wherein was water, and one of the dogs fell in with me.  The woman, who was then a girl in the first bloom of youth, full of strength and spirit, was moved to pity on me, for that wherein I was fallen, and coming to me with a rope, said to me, “Lay hold of this rope.”  So I laid hold of the rope and clung to it and she pulled me up; but, when I was halfway up, I pulled her [down] and she fell with me into the pit; and there we abode three days, she and I and the dog.

When her people arose in the morning and saw her not, they sought her in the camp, but, finding her not and missing me also, doubted not but she had fled with me.  Now she had four brothers, as they were falcons, and they mounted and dispersed in quest of us.  When the day dawned [on the fourth morning], the dog began to bark and the other dogs answered him and coming to the mouth of the pit, stood howling to him.  My wife’s father, hearing the howling of the dogs, came up and standing at the brink of the pit, [looked in and] beheld a marvel.  Now he was a man of valour and understanding, an elder versed[FN#62] in affairs so he fetched a rope and bringing us both forth, questioned us of our case.  I told him all that had betided and he abode pondering the affair.

Presently, her brothers returned, whereupon the old man acquainted them with the whole case and said to them, “O my sons, know that your sister purposed not aught but good, and if ye slay this man, ye will earn abiding reproach and ye will wrong him, ay, and wrong yourselves and your sister, to boot; for indeed there appeareth no cause [of offence] such as calleth for slaughter, and it may not be denied that this incident is a thing the like whereof may well betide and that he may well have been baffled by the like of this chance.”  Then he turned to me and questioned me of my lineage; so I set forth to him my genealogy and he said, “A man of equal rank, honourable [and] understanding.”  And he offered me [his daughter in] marriage.  I consented to him of this and marrying her, took up my abode with him and God the Most High hath opened on me the gates of weal and fortune, so that I am become the most abounding in substance of the folk of the tribe; and He hath stablished me in that which He hath given me of His bounties.’

The young man marvelled at his story and lay the night with him; and when he arose in the morning, he found his strays.  So he took them and returning [to his family.], acquainted them with what he had seen and that which had betided him.  Nor,” added the vizier, “is this more marvellous or rarer than the story of the king who lost kingdom and wealth and wife and children and God restored them unto him and requited him with a kingdom more magnificent than that which he had lost and goodlier and rarer and greater of wealth and elevation.”