Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 7.djvu/131

113 nor will I discover my secrets to any but thee. So, by my love for thee, do this my occasion and be not slothful therein.’ ‘O my lady and light of mine eyes,’ replied Merjaneh, ‘tell me what is it thou requirest of me, that I may accomplish it on my head and eyes.’ Quoth Bediya, ‘Take this mortal on thy shoulders and carry him to the garden of Irem and the pavilion of my grandmother, my father’s mother, and be careful of him. When thou hast brought him into her presence and seest him take the slippers and do them worship, and hearest her ask him who he is and how and why he came thither, do thou come forward in haste and salute her and say to her, “O my lady, I am she who brought him hither and he is the king’s son of Egypt. It is he who slew the son of the Blue King and delivered the princess Dauleh Khatoun from the Castle of Japhet son of Noah and brought her back safe to her father: and I have brought him to thee, that he may give thee the glad news of her safety: so be thou gracious to him.”

Then do thou say to her, “God on thee, O my lady, is not this young man handsome?” She will reply, “Yes:” and do thou rejoin, “O my lady, indeed he is accomplished in honour and manhood and valour and he is lord and King of Egypt and possesseth all praiseworthy qualities.” If she say to thee, “What is his occasion?” do thou make answer, “My lady saluteth thee and saith to thee, how long shall she abide at home, a maid and unmarried? Indeed, the time is long upon her. What then is thine intent in leaving her without a husband and why dost thou not marry her in thy lifetime and that of her mother, like other girls?” If she say, “How shall we do to marry her? An she have any one in mind, let her tell us of him, and we will do her will as far as may be,” do thou answer, “O my lady, thy daughter saith to thee, ‘Ye were minded aforetime to marry me to Solomon VOL. VII.