When three nights had passed over her with their days of the
second month, she despaired of him and her tears dried not up.
Then she resolved to take up her abode in the city and making
choice of a dwelling, removed thither. The folk resorted to her
from all parts, to sit with her and hearken to her speech and
witness her good breeding; nor was it but a little while ere the
king of the city died and the folk fell out concerning whom they
should invest with the kingship after him, so that strife was
like to betide between them. However, the men of judgment and
understanding and the folk of experience counselled them to make
the youth king who had lost his brother, for that they doubted
not but Selma was a man. They all consented unto this and
betaking themselves to Selma, proffered her the kingship. She
refused, but they were instant with her, till she consented,
saying in herself, 'My sole desire in [accepting] the kingship is
[to find] my brother.' Then they seated her on the throne of the
kingdom and set the crown on her head, whereupon she addressed
herself to the business of administration and to the ordinance of
the affairs of the people; and they rejoiced in her with the
utmost joy.

Meanwhile, Selim abode with the cook a whole year's space,
earning him two dinars every day; and when his affair was
prolonged, the cook inclined unto him and took compassion on him,
on condition that, if he let him go, he should not discover his
fashion to the Sultan, for that it was his wont every little
while to entrap a man and carry him to his house and slay him and
take his money and cook his flesh and give it to the folk to eat.
So he said to him, 'O youth, wilt thou that I release thee from