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 cried out with a great cry, for stress whereof the palace was like to fall upon all therein. And he said: "In very sooth this Queen is either my wife or else the likest of all folk to my wife." And when Nur al-Huda heard this she said: "This stranger is either Jinn-mad or out of his mind, for he saith I am his wife," and she laughed, for she was unmarried. Then she asked: "What is it in thy wife that resembleth me?" And Hasan replied, "All that is in thee of beauty and loveliness, elegance and amorous grace. Thou art her very self in the way of speaking, in the fairness of thy favor, and the brilliancy of thy brow." And the Queen was flattered, and said to Shawahi, "Carry him back to the place where he tarried with thee till I examine into this affair, for he is a manly man, and forge tteth not friend or lover." Then she bade Shawahi haste to the abode of her youngest sister, Manar al-Sana, and to tell her to clothe her two sons in the coats of mail their aunt had made them, and send them to her, and after securing the children, to say to Manar, "Thy sister inviteth thee to visit her. And," continued the Queen, "I swear that if my sister prove to be his wife, I will not hinder him from taking her and the children to his own country."

Then the old woman armed herself and taking with her a thousand weaponed horsemen journeyed to the city where dwelt Lady Manar al-Sana. And on reaching the city she went in to the Princess and gave her the Queen's message. And the Princess said, "Verily, I am