father of my children and my father's brother's son and my flesh
and my blood.' Then she wept and the king bowed his head, whilst
his eyes brimmed over with tears at her story.

Then he raised his head to the Magian and said to him, 'Say thy
say, thou also.' So the Magian said, 'This is my slave-girl, whom
I bought with my money from such a land and for so many dinars,
and I made her my favourite[FN#67] and loved her with an
exceeding love and gave her charge over my good; but she betrayed
me in my substance and plotted with one of my servants to slay
me, tempting him by promising him that she would be his wife.
When I knew this of her and was certified that she purposed
treason against me, I awoke [from my heedlessness] and did with
her that which I did, of fear for myself from her craft and
perfidy; for indeed she is a beguiler with her tongue and she
hath taught these two youths this pretence, by way of trickery
and of her perfidy and malice: so be thou not deluded by her and
by her talk.'

'Thou liest, O accursed one,' cried the king and bade lay hands
on him and clap him in irons. Then he turned to the two youths,
his sons, and strained them to his breast, weeping sore and
saying, 'O all ye who are present of cadis and assessors and
officers of state, know that these twain are my sons and that
this is my wife and the daughter of my father's brother; for that
I was king aforetime in such a region.' And he recounted to them
his history from beginning to end, nor is there aught of profit
in repetition; whereupon the folk cried out with weeping and
lamentation for the stress of that which they heard of marvellous
chances and that rare story. As for the king's wife, he caused