Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 5.djvu/129

107 and Shemseh sitting there. When the prince saw them, he rose and went to meet them; and the troops knew him and dismounted, to salute him and kiss his hands; after which they escorted him to his father, who, at sight of his son, threw himself from his horse’s back and clipped him in his arms and wept sore. Then they took horse again and rode till they came to the banks of a river, when the troops alighted and pitched the tents and pavilions and standards, to the sound of trumpets and cymbals and drums and flutes. Moreover, the King caused set up a pavilion of red silk for the princess Shemseh, who put off her feather raiment and entering the pavilion, sat down there.

Presently, the King and his son came in to her, and when she saw Teigmous, she rose and kissed the earth before him. The King sat down and seating Janshah on his right hand and Shemseh on his left, bade her welcome and said to his son, ‘Tell me all that hath befallen thee in thine absence.’ So Janshah related to him all his adventures, whereat he marvelled greatly and turning to the princess, said, ‘Praised be God for that He hath put it into thy heart to reunite me with my son! Verily this is of [His] exceeding bounty! And now I would have thee ask of me what thou wilt, that I may do it in thine honour.’ Quoth she, ‘I ask of thee that thou build me a palace in the midst of a garden, with water running under it.’ And the King answered, ‘I hear and obey.’

As they sat talking, up came Janshah’s mother, attended by all the wives of the Viziers and Amirs and notables of the city. When the prince caught sight of her, he rose and leaving the tent, went to meet her and they embraced a long while, whilst the queen wept for excess of joy and repeated the following verses: