Youth and said, "Exalted be He who created and perfected what He
wrought in the creation of this young man!" Now by the decree of
the Decreer the baker's shop faced the lattice-windows of the
Sultan's Palace and one day of the days the King's daughter
chanced to look out at the window and she saw the Youth standing
with sleeves tucked up from arms which shone like ingots[FN#184]
of silver. Hereat the Princess fell in love with the Youth,--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 Seventy-seventh Night,

Dunyazad said to her, "Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be
other than sleepy finish for us thy tale that we may cut short
the watching of this our latter night!" She replied, "With love
and good will!" It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the
director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting
and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that when the
Sultan's daughter looked out at the window she fell in love with
the youth, and she knew not how to act that she might forgather
with him: so desire afflicted her and extreme fondness and
presently she took to her pillow all for her affection to that
young man. Thereupon her nurse went in to her and found her lying
upon the carpet-bed a-moaning and a-groaning "Ah!" So she
exclaimed, "Thy safety from all whereof thou hast to complain!"
Then she took her hand and felt her pulse but could find in it no