On hearing these words, the old man heaved a heavy sigh, and said, “O friend, my daughter is entangled in great misfortunes; no man can presume to marry her and enjoy her.”  I replied, “I am in hopes you will explain more fully.”  Then that strange man related thus his story;—­“Hear, O prince!  I am a chief and grandee of this unfortunate city; my forefathers were celebrated, and of a great family; God the Most High bestowed on me this daughter; when she became a woman, her beauty and gracefulness and elegance of manners were celebrated; and over the whole country it was said, that in such a person’s house is a daughter, before whose beauty even angels and fairies are abashed; how can a human creature, therefore, be compared to her!  The prince of this city heard these praises, and became enamoured of her by report without seeing her; he quitted food and drink, and became quite restless.

“At last, the king heard of this circumstance, and called me at night in private and mentioned to me how matters stood; he coaxed me so with fine speeches, that at last he got my consent to an alliance [by marriage] with him.  I likewise [naturally] reflected that as a daughter was born to me, she must be married to some one or other; then what can be better, than to marry her to the prince? this the king also entreats.  I accepted the proposal, and took my leave.  From that day the preparations for the marriage were begun by both parties; and on an auspicious hour, all the kazis and muftis, [394] the learned men and the nobles were convened, and the marriage rites were performed; the bride was carried away with great eclat, and all the ceremonies were finished.  At night, when the bridegroom wished to consummate the nuptial rites, such a noise and uproar arose in the palace, that the people without who mounted guard were surprised.  They wished that having opened the door of the room, they might see what was the matter; but it was so fastened from the inside, that they could not open it.  A moment after, the noise of lamentation became less; they then broke open the door from its hinges, and saw the bridegroom with his head severed from his [body], and [his limbs] still quivering; and the bride foamed at the mouth, and rolled senseless in the dust mingled with [her husband’s] blood.

“On seeing this horrible sight, the senses of all present forsook them; that such grief should succeed such felicity!  The dreadful intelligence was conveyed to the king; he flew [to the spot], beating his head; all the officers of state were soon assembled there, but no one’s judgment was of any use in ascertaining the [cause of] this [mysterious] affair; at length the king, in his distracted state, ordered the ill-fated, luckless bride’s head to be cut off likewise.  The moment this order was issued from the king’s lips, the same clamour arose; the king was alarmed, and from fear of his life, he ran off, and ordered the bride to be turned out of the palace.  The female attendants conveyed this [unfortunate] girl to my house.  The account of this strange event soon spread over the whole kingdom, and whoever heard it was amazed; and owing to the prince’s murder, the king himself and all the inhabitants of the city became bitter enemies of my life.