Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 7.djvu/287

261 green palace, and the Mountain of Clouds appeared to them afar off; whereupon quoth Abdulcuddous, ‘Rejoice, O Hassan, in good news! For to-night shalt thou be the guest of my nieces.’ At this he rejoiced with an exceeding joy, he and his wife, and they alighted at the pavilion, where they ate and drank and rested; after which they took horse again and rode on till they came in sight of the palace.

As they drew near, the princesses came forth to meet them and saluted them; and their uncle said to them, ‘O daughters of my brother, behold, I have accomplished your brother Hassan’s occasion and have helped him to regain his wife and children.’ So they embraced him and gave him joy of his return in health and safety and of his reunion with his wife and children, and it was a day of festival with them. Then came forward his sister, the youngest princess, and embraced him, weeping sore, whilst he also wept for his long estrangement: after which she complained to him of that which she had suffered for the pangs of separation and weariness of heart in his absence and recited these verses:

When she had made an end of her verses, she rejoiced with an exceeding joy and Hassan said to her, ‘O my sister, I have thee to thank in this matter, over all thy sisters, and may God the Most High vouchsafe thee aid and countenance!’ Then he related to her all that had befallen him in his journey, first and last, and all that he had undergone, telling her what had betided him with his wife’s sister and how he had delivered his wife and children and all that he had seen of marvels and grievous