Instead of answering these questions, the young man began to weep bitterly.  “Oh, how inconstant is fortune!” cried he:  “She takes pleasure to pull down those men she hath raised up.  Where are they who enjoy quietly the happiness which they hold of her, and whose day is always clear and serene?”

The sultan, moved with compassion to see him in that condition, prayed him forthwith to tell him the cause of his excessive grief.  Alas! my lord, replies the young man, how is it possible but I should grieve?  And why should not my eyes be inexhaustible fountains of tears?  At these words, lifting up his gown, he showed the sultan that he was a man only from his head to the girdle, and that the other half of his body was black marble.  Here Scheherazade broke off, and told the sultan that day appeared.

Schahriar was so much charmed with the story, and became so much in love with Scheherazade, that he resolved to let her live a month.  He got up, however, as usual, without acquainting her with his resolution.

The Twenty-second Night.

Dinarzade was so impatient to hear out the story, that she called her sister next morning sooner than usual, and says to her, Sister, pray continue the wonderful story you began, but could not make an end of yesterday morning.  I agree to it, replied the sultaness; hearken then.

You may easily imagine, continues she, that the sultan was strangely surprised when he saw the deplorable condition of the young man.  That which you show me, says he, as it fills me with horror, whets my curiosity so, that I am impatient to hear your history, which no doubt is very strange, and I am persuaded that the pond and the fishes make some part of it; therefore I conjure you to tell it me.  You will find some comfort in it, since it is certain that unfortunate people find some sort of ease in telling their misfortunes.  I will not refuse you that satisfaction, replies the young man, though I cannot do it without renewing my grief.  But I give you notice beforehand, to prepare your ears, your mind, and even your eyes, for things that surpass all that the most extraordinary imagination can conceive.

The history of the young king of the black
isles.

You must know, my lord, continued he, that my father, who was called Mahmoud, was king of this country.  This is the kingdom of the Black Isles, which takes its name from the four little neighbouring mountains; for those mountains were formerly isles:  The capital where the king my father had his residence, was where that pond you now see is.  The sequel of my history will inform you of all those changes.

The king my father died when he was seventy years of age:  I had no sooner succeeded him, but I married; and the lady I chose to share the royal dignity with me was my cousin.  I had all the reason imaginable to be satisfied in her love to me; and, for my part, I had so much tenderness for her, that nothing was comparable to the good understanding betwixt us, which lasted five years, at the end of which time I perceived the queen my cousin had no more delight in me.