Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 7.djvu/132

114 (on whom be peace!) and wrought him my portrait on a tunic. But he had no lot in me; so he sent the tunic to the King of Egypt and he gave it to his son, who saw my portrait wroughten thereon and fell in love with me: wherefore he left kingdom and father and mother and turning his back on the world and all that is therein, went forth at a venture, a wanderer, love-distraught, and hath suffered the utmost perils and hardships for my sake.’ Now thou seest his beauty and grace, and her heart is enamoured of him; so, if ye have a mind to marry her, marry her to this young man and forbid her not from him, for he is a passing goodly youth and King of Egypt, nor wilt thou find a comelier than he; and if ye will not give her to him, she will slay herself and marry none, neither man nor genie.” And look, O my minnie Merjaneh,’ [sic] continued Bediya el Jemal, ‘how thou mayst do with my grandmother, to win her consent, and beguile her with soft words, so haply she may do my desire.’ Quoth the damsel, ‘O my lady, upon my head and eyes, I will serve thee and do what shall content thee.’

Then she took Seif el Mulouk on her shoulders and said to him, ‘Shut thine eyes.’ He did so and she flew up with him into the sky; and after awhile she said to him, ‘O king’s son, open thine eyes.’ He opened them and found himself in a garden, which was none other than the garden of Irem; and she showed him the pavilion and bade him enter; whereupon he pronounced the name of God and entering, saw the old queen sitting on the couch, attended by her waiting-women. So he drew near her with courtesy and reverence and taking the sandals, did as Bediya had enjoined him. Quoth the old woman, ‘Who art thou and whence comest thou and who brought thee hither? Wherefore dost thou take the sandals and kiss them and when didst thou ask a favour of me and I did not grant it thee?’