Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 7.djvu/316

288 warning her attendants that she would strike off the head of whoever should say, ‘She is alive.’

Presently, the Khalif returned from the chase, and his first enquiry was for the damsel. So there came to him one of his eunuchs, whom Zubeideh had charged to say she was dead, if the Khalif should ask for her, and kissing the ground before him, said, ‘May thy head live, O my lord! Know that Cout el Culoub choked in eating and is dead.’ Whereupon, ‘May God never gladden thee with good news, O wicked slave!’ cried Er Reshid, and entered the palace, where he heard of her death from every one and said, ‘Where is her tomb?’ So they brought him to the burial-place and showed him the pretended tomb, saying, ‘This is it.’ When he saw it, he cried out and wept and embraced it, reciting the following verses:

He abode awhile by the tomb, weeping sore for her, after which he arose and went away, in the utmost distress.

Meanwhile, Zubeideh, seeing that her plot had succeeded, sent for the damsel and locking her up in the chest, said to the eunuch, ‘Make shift to sell this chest and make it a condition with the purchaser that he buy it locked; then give alms with the price.’ So he took it and went forth, to do her bidding.

To return to Khelifeh the fisherman. When the morning arose and lighted [all things] with its radiance, he said to himself, ‘I cannot do better to-day than visit the eunuch who bought the fish of me, for he appointed me to come to him in the palace of the Khalifate.’ So he went forth