Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 7.djvu/136

118 Meanwhile, Bediya’s grandmother, her son Shehyal being come to her, despatched Merjaneh in quest of Seif el Mulouk; but she found him not and returning to her mistress, said, ‘I found him not in the garden.’ So the old queen sent for the gardeners and questioned them of the prince. Quoth they, ‘We saw him sitting under a tree, and five of the Blue King’s people alighted by him and spoke with him awhile, after which they took him up and stopping his mouth, flew away with him.’ When the old queen heard this, it was no light matter to her and she was exceeding wroth: so she rose to her feet and said to her son, King Shehyal, ‘Art thou a king and shall the Blue King’s people come to our garden and carry off our guests unhindered, and thou alive?’ And she proceeded to provoke him, saying, ‘It behoves not that any transgress against us in thy lifetime.’ ‘O my mother,’ answered he, ‘this man slew the Blue King’s son, who was a genie, and God threw him into his hand. He is a genie and I am a genie: how then shall I go to him and make war on him for the sake of a mortal?’ But she answered, saying, ‘Go to him and demand our guest of him, and if he be still alive and the Blue King deliver him to thee, take him and return; but if he have slain him, take the king alive and all his household and family and bring them to me, that I may slaughter them with my own hand and lay waste his dominions. Except thou do what I bid thee, I will not hold thee quit of my milk and my bringing up of thee shall be counted unlawful.’

So Shehyal rose and assembling his troops, set out, in deference to his mother, desiring to content her and her friends, and in accordance with that which had been fore-ordained from all eternity; nor did they leave journeying till they came to the country of the Blue King, who met them with his army and gave them battle. The Blue King’s host was put to the rout and he and all his sons,