Page:Alaeddin and the Enchanted Lamp.djvu/282

234 he bade forthright take the carcase and burn it and scatter its ashes [to the winds]. Then he embraced Alaeddin and fell to kissing him and said to him, “Excuse me, O my son, for that I was going to bereave thee of thy life, through the wickedness of yonder accursed sorcerer who cast thee into this pit; and indeed, O my son, I was excusable in that which I did with thee, inasmuch as I saw myself bereft of my daughter and mine only one, who is dearer to me than my kingdom, and thou knowest how fathers’ hearts yearn upon their children, more by token that I have but the Lady Bedrulbudour.” And he went on to excuse himself to him and kiss him; and Alaeddin said to him, “O Lord of the Age, thou didst with me nothing contrary to the law and I also was guiltless of offence; but the thing came all of that vile Maugrabin enchanter.” Then the Sultan bade decorate the city and hold festival and rejoicings and commanded the crier to cry in the city that that day was a great festival, wherefore rejoicings should be holden in all the realm during the space of a month, [to wit,] thirty days’ time, for the return of the Lady Bedrulbudour his daughter and her husband Alaeddin.