Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 6.djvu/204

176 King Gherib hath returned to you.’ So they rejoiced, and Gherib came forth to his comrades, who threw themselves upon him and kissed his hands and feet, returning thanks to God the Most High. Then he sat down on his throne, with his officers about him, and questioned them of the beleaguering army. ‘O King,’ answered they, ‘they sat down before the city three days ago, and we know not what they want; for we have had with them neither battle nor speech.’

Now the name of the commander of the besieging army was Murad Shah and he had with him a hundred thousand horse and three thousand foot, besides two hundred tribesmen of the Jinn; and the manner of his coming was on this wise. When the two men, whom Sabour had charged to drown his daughter Fekhr Taj, let her go, bidding her flee for her life, she went forth distracted, knowing not whither to go and saying, ‘Where is thine eye, O Gherib, that thou mayst see my case?’ and wandered on from place to place and country to country, till she came to a valley abounding in trees and streams, in whose midst stood a lofty and strong-builded castle, as it were one of the pavilions of Paradise. So she betook herself thither and entering the castle, found it hung and carpeted with stuffs of silk, and therein were a hundred beautiful damsels and great plenty of gold and silver vessels. When the damsels saw her, they came up to her and saluted her, deeming her of the damsels of the Jinn, and asked her of her case. Quoth she, ‘I am the King’s daughter of the Persians,’ and told them all that had befallen her; which when they heard, they wept over her and condoled with her, saying, ‘Take comfort and be of good cheer, for here shalt thou have meat and drink and raiment, and we all are thy handmaids.’ She called down blessings on them and they brought her food, of which she ate till she was satisfied. Then said she to them, ‘Who is the owner of this palace