Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 6.djvu/203

175 kept me in prison two years, after which he released me, and I abode with him another year, till I was restored to favour with him, when I slew him and his subjects submitted to me. I ruled them for a year’s space, till, one night, I lay down to sleep, having thee in my mind, and saw thee, in a dream, fighting against Janshah’s people; wherefore I took these thousand Marids and came to thee.’ And Gherib marvelled at this happy chance. Then he took Janshah’s treasures and those of the slain and appointed a ruler over the city, after which the Marids took up Gherib and the treasure and he lay the same night in the palace of Crystal. He abode Zelzal’s guest six months, at the end of which time he desired to depart; so Zelzal gave him rich presents and despatched three thousand Marids, who brought the spoils of the city of Kerej and added them to those of Janshah. Then Zelzal loaded forty thousand Marids with the treasure and himself taking up Gherib, flew with his host towards the city of Isbanir, where they arrived at midnight.

Gherib looked and seeing the city invested on all sides by a vast army, as it were the swollen sea, said to Zelzal, ‘O my brother, how cometh the city thus beleaguered and what is this army?’ Then he alighted on the roof of his palace and cried out, saying, ‘Ho, Morning Star! Ho, Mehdiyeh!’ Whereupon they started up from sleep in amazement and said, ‘Who calleth us at this hour?’ Quoth he, ‘It is I, your lord, Gherib of the wondrous deeds.’ When the princesses heard their lord’s voice, they rejoiced and so did the eunuchs and women. Then Gherib went down to them and they threw themselves upon him and raised cries of joy, that all the palace rang again and the captains of the army awoke and said, ‘What is to do?’ So they made for the palace and said to the eunuchs, ‘Hath one of the King’s women given birth to a child?’ ‘No,’ answered they; ‘but rejoice, for