12 illustration(s) from this book












When his brother returned from his excursion, and they had saluted each
other, and King Shahriyár observed his brother Sháh-Zemán, that his
colour had returned, that his face had recovered the flush of health,
and that he ate with appetite, after his late abstinence, he was
surprised, and said, O my brother, when I saw thee last, thy countenance
was sallow, and now thy colour hath returned to thee: acquaint me with
thy state.--As to the change of my natural complexion, answered
Sháh-Zemán, I will inform thee of its cause; but excuse my explaining to
thee the return of my colour.--First, said Shahriyár, relate to me the
cause of the change of thy proper complexion, and of thy weakness: let
me hear it.--Know then, O my brother, he answered, that when thou
sentest thy Wezeer to me to invite me to thy presence, I prepared myself
for the journey, and when I had gone forth from the city, I remembered
that I had left behind me the jewel that I have given thee; I therefore
returned to my palace for it, and there I found my wife sleeping in my
bed, and attended by a black male slave; and I killed them both, and
came to thee: but my mind was occupied by reflections upon this affair,
and this was the cause of the change of my complexion, and of my
weakness: now, as to the return of my colour, excuse my informing thee
of its cause.--But when his brother heard these words, he said, I
conjure thee by Allah that thou acquaint me with the cause of the return
of thy colour:--so he repeated to him all that he had seen. I would see
this, said Shahriyár, with my own eye.--Then, said Sháh-Zemán, give out
that thou art going again to the chase, and conceal thyself here with
me, and thou shalt witness this conduct, and obtain ocular proof of it.
[Illustration]