Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 6.djvu/101

81 and Medes.’ ‘O King,’ replied Merdas, ‘he who hath wronged me is none other than a youth whom I reared in my bosom. I found him in his mother’s lap in a certain valley and took her to wife. She brought me a son, whom I named Sehim el Leil, and her own son, whose name was Gherib, grew up on my knees and became a consuming lightning and a great calamity, for he slew El Hemel, prince of the Benou Nebhan, and routed footmen and overcame horsemen. Now I have a daughter, who befits thee alone, and he sought her of me; so I required of him the head of the Ghoul of the Mountain [to her dowry;] wherefore he went to him and engaging him in single combat, made him prisoner and took the castle of Sasa ben Shith ben Sheddad ben Aad, wherein are the treasures of the ancients and the moderns, and the Ghoul is become one of his liegemen. Moreover, I hear that he is become a Muslim and goeth about, summoning the folk to his faith. He is now gone to carry the princess of Persia, whom he delivered from the Ghoul, back to her father, King Sabour, and will not return but with the treasures of the Persians.’

When Agib heard Merdas’s story, he changed colour and was in ill case and made sure of destruction; then he said to Merdas, ‘Is his mother with thee or with him?’ ‘She is with me,’ answered Merdas; ‘in my tents.’ Quoth Agib, ‘What is her name?’ and Merdas said, ‘Her name is Nusreh.’ ‘It is indeed she,’ rejoined Agib and sent for her. When she came before him, he looked on her and knew her and said to her, ‘O accursed woman, where are the two slaves I sent with thee?’ ‘They slew each other on my account,’ replied she; whereupon he drew his sword and smote her and cut her in twain. Then they took her up and cast her out; but trouble entered into Agib’s heart and he said to Merdas, ‘Give me thy daughter

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