Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 9.djvu/196

170 each of them, on his coming forth, in a suit worth much money. Then he called for the tray of food and they set it before him and he ate, he and his brothers. When his attendants saw the latter and knew them for his brothers, they saluted them and said to him, ‘O our lord, may God give thee joy of thy reunion with thy dear brothers! Where have they been this while?’ Quoth he, ‘It was they whom ye saw in the guise of dogs; praised be God who hath delivered them from prison and grievous torment!’

Then he carried them to the Khalif’s Divan and kissing the earth before the prince, wished him continuance of honour and fortune and cease of evil and enmity. ‘Welcome, O Amir Abdallah!’ said the Khalif. ‘Tell me what hath befallen thee.’ ‘O Commander of the Faithful (whose power God increase!),’ replied he, ‘when I carried my brothers home to my lodging, my heart was at rest concerning them, for that thou hadst pledged thyself to their release and I said in myself, “Kings fail not of aught for which they endeavour, for the divine favour aideth them.” So I did off the collars from their necks, putting my trust in God, and ate with them from the [same] tray, which when my attendants saw, they made light of my wit and said to each other, “He is surely mad! How can the governor of Bassora, who is greater than the vizier, eat with dogs?” Then they threw away what was in the tray, saying, “We will not eat the dogs’ leavings.” And they went on to impeach my reason, whilst I heard what they said, but made them no answer, because of their ignorance that the dogs were my brothers. When the hour of sleep came, I sent them away and addressed myself to sleep; but, ere I could think, the earth clave in sunder and out came Saïdeh, the Red King’s daughter, enraged against me, with eyes like fire.’ And he went on to relate to the Khalif what had