Shehrzad and Shehriyar.[FN#145]

King Shehriyar marvelled [at this story[FN#146]] and said “By Allah, verily, injustice slayeth its folk!"[FN#147] And he was edified by that wherewith Shehrzad bespoke him and sought help of God the Most High.  Then said he to her, “Tell me another of thy stories, O Shehrzad; let it be a pleasant one and this shall be the completion of the story-telling.”  “With all my heart,” answered Shehrzad.  “It hath reached me, O august King, that a man once said to his fellows, ’I will set forth to you a means[FN#148] of security[FN#149] against vexation.[FN#150] A friend of mine once related to me and said, “We attained [whiles] to security[FN#151] against vexation,[FN#152]and the origin of it was other than this; to wit, it was as follows.[FN#153]

The two kings and the vizier’s
daughters.[FN#154]

[Aforetime] I journeyed in [many] lands and climes and towns and visited the great cities and traversed the ways and [exposed myself to] dangers and hardships.  Towards the last of my life, I entered a city [of the cities of China],[FN#155] wherein was a king of the Chosroes and the Tubbas[FN#156] and the Caesars.[FN#157] Now that city had been peopled with its inhabitants by means of justice and equitable dealing; but its [then] king was a tyrant, who despoiled souls and [did away] lives; there was no wanning oneself at his fire,[FN#158] for that indeed he oppressed the true believers and wasted the lands.  Now he had a younger brother, who was [king] in Samarcand of the Persians, and the two kings abode a while of time, each in his own city and place, till they yearned unto each other and the elder king despatched his vizier in quest of his younger brother.

When the vizier came to the King of Samarcand [and acquainted him with his errand], he submitted himself to the commandment [of his brother and made answer] with ‘Hearkening and obedience.’  Then he equipped himself and made ready for the journey and brought forth his tents and pavilions.  A while after midnight, he went in to his wife, that he might take leave of her, and found with her a strange man, sleeping with her in one bed.  So he slew them both and dragging them out by the feet, cast them away and set forth incontinent on his journey.  When he came to his brother’s court, the latter rejoiced in him with an exceeding joy and lodged him in the pavilion of entertainment, [to wit, the guest-house,] beside his own palace.  Now this pavilion overlooked a garden belonging to the elder king and there the younger brother abode with him some days.  Then he called to mind that which his wife had done with him and remembered him of her slaughter and bethought him how he was a king, yet was not exempt from the vicissitudes of fortune; and this wrought upon him with an exceeding despite, so that it caused him abstain from meat and drink, or, if he ate anything, it profited him not.