mark upon our door to the end that they may recognise it by day;
for haply the twain may be the King and his Minister." "What
proof hast thou of this?" asked the mother, and the daughter
answered, "Their language and their questioning which were naught
save importunity!" And saying this she went to the door where she
found the sign and mark. Now besides the two houses to the right
and to the left were fifteen doors, so the girl marked them all
with the same mark set by the Wazir.[FN#133] But when Allah had
caused the day to dawn, the King said to the Minister, "Go thou
and look at the sign and make sure of it." The Wazir went as he
was commanded by the Sultan, but he found all the doors marked in
the same way, whereat he marvelled and knew not nor could he
distinguish the door he sought. Presently he returned and
reported the matter of the door-marks to the King who cried, "By
Allah, these girls must have a curious history! But when the
bride-feast is finished we will enquire into the case of the
three men who are weak-witlings and then we will consider that of
the damsels who are not." As soon as the thirtieth feast-day
passed by, he invested with robes of honour all the Lords of his
land and the high Officers of his estate and matters returned to
their customed course. Then he sent to summon the three men who
had professed themselves weak of wits and they were brought into
the presence, each saying of himself, "What can the King require
of us?" When they came before him he bade them be seated and they
sat; then he said to them, "My requirement is that ye relate to
me proofs of the weakness of your minds and the reason of your
maims." Now the first who was questioned was he of the broken
back, and when the enquiry was put to him he said, "Deign to
favour me with an answer O our Lord the Sultan, on a matter which
passed through my mind." He replied, "Speak out and fear not!" So