Quoth the cook, ’Nothing will serve but I must slay thee, O fellow; for, if I spare thee, I shall myself be slain.’  But Selim said, ’O my brother, I will counsel thee somewhat[FN#74] other than this.’  ‘What is it?’ asked the cook.  ’Say and be brief, ere I cut thy throat’ And Selim said, ’[Do thou suffer me to live and] keep me, that I may be a servant unto thee, and I will work at a craft, of the crafts of the skilled workmen, wherefrom there shall return to thee every day two dinars.’  Quoth the cook, ’What is the craft?’ and Selim said, ’The cutting [and polishing] of jewels.’

When the cook heard this, he said in himself, ’It will do me no hurt if I imprison him and shackle him and bring him what he may work at.  If he tell truth, I will let him live, and if he prove a liar, I will slay him.’  So he took a pair of stout shackles and clapping them on Selim’s legs, imprisoned him within his house and set over him one who should guard him.  Then he questioned him of what tools he needed to work withal.  Selim set forth to him that which he required, and the cook went out from him and presently returning, brought him all he needed.  So Selim sat and wrought at his craft; and he used every day to earn two dinars; and this was his wont and usance with the cook, whilst the latter fed him not but half his fill.

To return to his sister Selma.  She awaited him till the last of the day, but he came not; and she awaited him a second day and a third and a fourth, yet there came no news of him, wherefore she wept and beat with her hands on her breast and bethought her of her affair and her strangerhood and her brother’s absence; and she recited the following verses: 

Peace on thee!  Would our gaze might light on thee once more!  So
     should our hearts be eased and eyes no longer sore. 
Thou only art the whole of our desire; indeed Thy love is hid
     within our hearts’ most secret core.

She abode awaiting him thus till the end of the month, but discovered no tidings of him neither happened upon aught of his trace; wherefore she was troubled with an exceeding perturbation and despatching her servants hither and thither in quest of him, abode in the sorest that might be of grief and concern.  When it was the beginning of the new month, she arose in the morning and bidding cry him throughout the city, sat to receive visits of condolence, nor was there any in the city but betook himself to her, to condole with her; and they were all concerned for her, nothing doubting but she was a man.

When three nights had passed over her with their days of the second month, she despaired of him and her tears dried not up.  Then she resolved to take up her abode in the city and making choice of a dwelling, removed thither.  The folk resorted to her from all parts, to sit with her and hearken to her speech and witness her good breeding; nor was it but a little while ere the king of the city died and the folk fell