Coming to give an account to the king of what he had done, he would not suffer the eunuch to speak for him, but began thus himself:  According to what your majesty published in your proclamation, and what you were pleased to confirm to me yourself.  I thought the princess was distracted and therefore had provided all I believed necessary to restore her to her senses, pursuant to the nostrums I have; but, to my great amazement, when I beheld her, I found she had no other disease than that of love, over which my art had no power.  Your majesty, then, may be pleased to consider, that you alone are the physician who can cure her, by giving her the person in marriage whom she desires.

The king, upon hearing this, was very much enraged at the astrologer, and had his head cut off upon the spot.  Now, not to fatigue your majesty with long repetitions, proceeded Scheherazade to the sultan, I will acquaint you, in few words, that so many astrologers, physicians, magicians, and the like, came upon this account, that they in all amounted to about fifty; who, nevertheless, all underwent the same fate, and their heads were set upon poles on every gate of the city.

The story of Marzavan, with the sequel of
that of prince Camaralzaman.

The princess of China’s nurse had a son whose name was Marzavan, and who had been foster-brother to the princess.  Their friendship was so great during their childhood, that they called each other brother and sister, which even continued some time after their separation.

This Marzavan, among other studies, had from his youth been much addicted to judicial astrology, geomancy, and other secret arts, wherein he became exceedingly skilful.  Not content with what he had learned from masters, he travelled; and there was hardly a person of note in any science whom he did not know, so great was his thirst after knowledge.

After several years absence in foreign parts on this account, he returned to the capital city of his native country, China; where, seeing so many heads on the gate by which he entered, he was exceedingly surprised, and, on coming to his lodging, demanded for what reason they had been placed there; but more especially informed himself of the condition of the princess his foster-sister, whom he had not forgotten.  As he could not be made acquainted with one without having an account of the other, he for the present satisfied himself with what he had heard, till such time as he could learn more from his mother, the princess’s nurse.

Although the nurse, mother of Marzavan, was very much employed about the princess, yet she no sooner heard her dear son was returned, but she found time to come and embrace, and stay with him a little.  Having told him, with tears in her eyes, in what a sad condition the princess was, and for what reason the king her father had confined her, he desired to know of his mother, if she could not procure him the sight of her royal mistress, without the king’s knowing any thing of it.  After some pause, she told him she could say nothing to the matter for the present; but if he would meet her next day at the same hour, she would give him an answer.