Page:Tales from the Arabic, Vol 1.djvu/236

211 said, “Verily, the king hath been bountiful to me and I would have thee show forth this, so thy father may rejoice in that which he seeth upon thee.” “With all my heart,” answered she and arising forthright, betook herself to the house of her father, who rejoiced in her coming and in that which he saw upon her; and she abode with him a month’s space, and her husband made no mention of her.

Then came her brother to him and said, “O Firouz, an thou wilt not acquaint me with the reason of thine anger against thy wife, come and plead with us before the king.” Quoth he, “If ye will have me plead with you, I will do so.” So they went to the king and found the cadi sitting with him; whereupon quoth the damsel’s brother, “God assist our lord the cadi! I let this man on hire a high-walled garden, with a well in good case and trees laden with fruit; but he beat down its walls and ruined its well and ate its fruits, and now he desireth to return it to me.” The cadi turned to Firouz and said to him, “What sayst thou, O youth?” And he answered, “Indeed, I delivered him the garden in the goodliest of case.” So the cadi said to the brother, “Hath he delivered thee the garden, as he saith?” And the other replied, “No; but I desire to question him of the reason of his returning it.” Quoth the cadi, “What sayst thou, O youth?” And Firouz answered, “I returned it in my own despite, for that I entered it one day and saw the track of the lion; wherefore I feared lest, if I entered it again, the lion should devour me. So that which I did, I did of reverence to him and for fear of him.”

Now the king was leaning back upon the cushion,