Page:The book of wonder voyages (1919).djvu/198

 the rod, saying: 'Be ye present, O servants of these names!' Whereupon the servants of the rod will appear and if there present himself one of the chiefs of the tribes, command him whatso thou will."

So he bade her farewell, and donning the cap and taking the rod entered where his wife was. And his heart ached for her, for he found her bound to the ladder by her hair and almost lifeless. Then he took the cap from his head, and the children saw him and cried out, "O our father!" And their mother asked them, "What remindeth you of your father at this time?" And she thought of her married life with Hasan, and of all that had befallen her since, so that she wept bitterly and her tears ran down upon the ground. Then Hasan could contain himself no longer, and took the cap from his head so that his wife saw him and screamed a scream that startled all in the palace, and said to him, "How camest thou hither? From the sky hast thou dropped? Or through the earth hast thou come up?" And Hasan answered, "O lady of fair ones, I came not save to deliver thee with this rod and this cap." And he told her what had befallen him with the two boys, but whilst he spake the Queen came up and heard his speech, whereupon Hasan donned his cap and was hidden from sight. Then she said to the Princess, "O wanton, who is there with whom thou wast talking?" And Manar replied, "Who should talk with me except these children?" Then the Queen beat her and loosed her and carried her to another room, while Hasan followed