Page:Tales from the Arabic, Vol 1.djvu/148

128 Turks hath a daughter, whose like there is not in the world, and whatsoever messenger goeth to demand her in marriage, her father slayeth him. Now our king hath no knowledge of this; so, come, let us foregather with him and bring up the talk of her. When his heart is taken with her, we will counsel him to despatch Abou Temam to seek her hand in marriage; whereupon her father will slay him and we shall be quit of him, for we have had enough of his affair.”affair.’ [sic]

Accordingly, they all went in to the king one day (and Abou Temam was present among them,) and mentioned the affair of the damsel, the king’s daughter of the Turks, and enlarged upon her charms, till the king’s heart was taken with her and he said to them, ‘We will send one to demand her in marriage for us; but who shall be our messenger?’ Quoth the viziers, ‘There is none for this business but Abou Temam, by reason of his wit and good breeding;’ and the king said, ‘Indeed, even as ye say, none is fitting for this affair but he.’ Then he turned to Abou Temam and said to him, ‘Wilt thou not go with my message and seek me [in marriage] the king’s daughter of the Turks?’ and he answered, ‘Hearkening and obedience, O king.’

So they made ready his affair and the king conferred on him a dress of honour, and he took with him a present and a letter under the king’s hand and setting out, fared on till he came to the [capital] city of Turkestan. When the king of the Turks knew of his coming, he despatched his officers to receive him and entreated him with honour and lodged him as befitted his rank. Then he entertained