according to his custom, he took them with him and led them to
the slaughter-house and bought a meal of entrails and gave
somewhat to each that it might eat thereof, he sat down in sad
thought and groaned aloud and sorrow prevailed upon him till he
was overcome by sleep. The season was the mid-forenoon[FN#386]
and the while he slumbered and was drowned in drowsiness, the Dog
said to the Cat and the Mouse, "O brethren mine, in very deed
this youth, who hath bought us for ten faddahs, leadeth us every
day to this stead and giveth us our rations of food. But he hath
lost his Ring and the Palace wherein was his bride, the daughter
of the Sultan; so let us up and fare forth and seek therefore and
do ye twain mount upon my back so that we can overwander the seas
and the island-skirts." They did as he bade them and he walked
down with them to the waters and swam with them until they found
themselves amiddlemost the main; nor did he cease swimming with
them for about a day and a night until the morning morrowed and
they saw from afar a somewhat that glittered. So they made for it
till they drew near, when they saw that it was the Palace in
question, whereat the Dog continued swimming till such time as he
came ashore and dismounted the Cat and the Mouse. Then he said to
them, "Let us abide here."--And Shahrazad was surprised by 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 how enjoyable and delectable!" Quoth
she, "And where is this compared with that I should relate to you
on the coming night an the King suffer me to survive?" Now when
it was the next night and that was

The Four Hundred and Sixty-seventh Night,