when anon thou saidst, ’I will smite his neck’?” “And dost thou know,” quoth he, “who may be the person thou so callest?” and quoth she, “Who may he be?” “The Commander of the Faithful, the Caliph Harun al-Rashid in person,” cried her son, “and what other could have done with the Kazi and the Wali and the rest what he did?” When she heard these words, she dried up with dread and cried, “O my son, set me in a place of safety,[FN#182] for he will suffer me no longer to cumber the face of earth by reason of my often speaking at him; nor did I ever cease to address him as ‘Robber.’” Now whilst they were speaking behold, came up the Commander of the Faithful, whereat Alaeddin arose and kissed ground and blessed him, but the ancient dame took to flight and hid her in a closet.  The Caliph seated himself, then he looked around and, not seeing his mother-in-law, said to the Chamberlain, “And where may be thy parent?” “She dreadeth,” replied Alaeddin, ’and standeth in awe of the Caliph’s majesty;” but Harun rejoined, “There is no harm for her.”  Then he bade her be summoned whereat she appeared and kissed ground and prayed for the permanency of his kingship, and he said to her, “Erewhiles thou girdest thy waist to aid me in stealing slaves’ shoon and now thou fliest from thy teacher?” She blushed for shame and exclaimed, “Pardon, O Commander of the Faithful,” and Harun al-Rashid[FN#183] replied, “May Allah pardon the Past.”  Presently he sent for the Princess, the daughter of the Chosroe and, summoning the Kazi, forthright divorced her and gave her in marriage to Alaeddin, his Chamberlain.  Hereupon were spread bride-feasts which gathered together all the Lords of the Empire and the Grandees of Baghdad, and tables and trays of food were laid out during three successive days for the mesquin and the miserable.  The visit of entrance was paid by the two bridegrooms on a single night when both went in unto their wives and took their joy of them, and made perfect their lives with the liveliest enjoyment.  And ever after they passed the fairest of days till such time as came to them the Destroyer of delights and the Severer of societies and all passed away and died.

So praise be to the Ever-Living who dieth not!

Such is the tale which came down to us
in completion and perfection,
and glory be to God, the
Lord of the three Worlds. 
Amen.

M.

The linguist-dame, the duenna and the
king’s son.

We here begin,[FN#184] with the aidance of Allah Almighty, and invite the History of the Tarjumanah[FN#185] and the Kahramanah[FN#186] and the young man, the King’s son, and whatso happed between them of controversy and of contention and interrogation on various matters.