for that which He had vouchsafed him of kingship and puissance
and victory over[FN#66] him who had wronged him and thanking Him
who had reunited him with his family.

When the morning morrowed, he assembled the cadis and judges and
assessors and sending for the Magian and the two youths and their
mother, questioned them of their case, whereupon the two young
men began and said, 'We are the sons of the king Such-an-one and
enemies and wicked men got the mastery of out realm; so our
father fled forth with us and wandered at a venture, for fear of
the enemies.' [And they recounted to him all that had betided
them, from beginning to end.] Quoth he, 'Ye tell a marvellous
story; but what hath [Fate] done with your father?' 'We know not
how fortune dealt with him after our loss,' answered they; and he
was silent.

Then he turned to the woman and said to her, 'And thou, what
sayst thou?' So she expounded to him her case and recounted to
him all that had betided her and her husband, first and last, up
to the time when they took up their abode with the old man and
woman who dwelt on the sea-shore. Then she set out that which the
Magian had practised on her of knavery and how he had carried her
off in the ship and all that had betided her of humiliation and
torment, what while the cadis and judges and deputies hearkened
to her speech. When the king heard the last of his wife's story,
he said, 'Verily, there hath betided thee a grievous matter; but
hast thou knowledge of what thy husband did and what came of his
affair?' 'Nay, by Allah,' answered she; 'I have no knowledge of
him, save that I leave him no hour unremembered in fervent
prayer, and never, whilst I live, will he cease to be to me the