may be the King and his Minister.”  “What proof hast thou of this?” asked the mother, and the daughter answered, “Their language and their questioning which were naught save importunity!” And saying this she went to the door where she found the sign and mark.  Now besides the two houses to the right and to the left were fifteen doors, so the girl marked them all with the same mark set by the Wazir.[FN#133] But when Allah had caused the day to dawn, the King said to the Minister, “Go thou and look at the sign and make sure of it.”  The Wazir went as he was commanded by the Sultan, but he found all the doors marked in the same way, whereat he marvelled and knew not nor could he distinguish the door he sought.  Presently he returned and reported the matter of the door-marks to the King who cried, “By Allah, these girls must have a curious history!  But when the bride-feast is finished we will enquire into the case of the three men who are weak-witlings and then we will consider that of the damsels who are not.”  As soon as the thirtieth feast-day passed by, he invested with robes of honour all the Lords of his land and the high Officers of his estate and matters returned to their customed course.  Then he sent to summon the three men who had professed themselves weak of wits and they were brought into the presence, each saying of himself, “What can the King require of us?” When they came before him he bade them be seated and they sat; then he said to them, “My requirement is that ye relate to me proofs of the weakness of your minds and the reason of your maims.”  Now the first who was questioned was he of the broken back, and when the enquiry was put to him he said, “Deign to favour me with an answer O our Lord the Sultan, on a matter which passed through my mind.”  He replied, “Speak out and fear not!” So the other enquired, “How didst thou know us and who told thee of us and of our weakly wits?” Quoth the King, “’Twas the Darwaysh who went in to you on such a night;” and quoth the broken-backed man, “Allah slay all the Darwayshes who be tattlers and tale-carriers!” Thereupon the Sultan turned to the Wazir and laughing said, “We will not reproach them for aught:  rather let us make fun of them,” adding to the man, “Recite, O Shaykh.”  So he fell to telling

The Story of the Broke-Back Schoolmaster.[FN#134]

I began life, O King of the Age, as a Schoolmaster and my case was wondrous.—­And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say.  Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, “How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and enjoyable and delectable!” Quoth she, “And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?” Now when it was the next night and that was

The Three Hundred and Sixty-third Night,