Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 7.djvu/112

94 and laid a naked sword at his back, so that, when he turned, the sword was between them. At last, their victual came to an end and they were reduced to sore distress; their souls were straitened and they besought God the Most High to vouchsafe them deliverance from their strait. It chanced, one night, when Seif was asleep and the princess awake, that the raft fell off towards the land and entered a harbour wherein were ships. The princess saw the ships and heard a man (who was none other than the chief and head of the captains) talking with the sailors; whereby she knew that this was the port of some city and that they were come to an inhabited country. So she rejoiced mightily and waking Seif el Mulouk, bade him ask the captain the name of the city and harbour.

Accordingly Seif arose, rejoicing, and said to the captain, ‘O my brother, how is this harbour called and what are the names of yonder city and its king?’ ‘O fool’s face! O frosty beard!’ replied the captain, ‘if thou knewest not the name of this port and city, how camest thou hither?’ Quoth Seif, ‘I am a stranger and had taken passage in a merchant ship, which was wrecked and sank with all on board; but I saved myself on a plank and made my way hither; wherefore I asked thee the name of the place, and there is no harm in asking.’ Then said the captain, ‘This is the city of Amariyeh and this harbour is called Kemin el Behrein.’ When the princess heard this, she rejoiced with an exceeding joy and said, ‘Praised be God!’ ‘What is to do?’ asked Seif. And she answered, saying, ‘O Seif el Mulouk, rejoice in succour near at hand; for the king of this city is my father’s brother and his name is Aali el Mulouk. Say to the captain, “Is the Sultan of the city, Aali el Mulouk, well?”’