the hands of the cook and that which had betided him [with him]
and what he had suffered from him of beating and bonds and
shackles and pinioning. Moreover, he told him how the cook had
made him his brother's slave and how the latter had sold him in
Hind and he had married the princess and become king and how life
was not pleasant to him till he should foregather with his sister
and how the cook had fallen in with him a second time and
acquainted her with that which had betided him of sickness and
disease for the space of a full-told year.

When he had made an end of his speech, his wife came forward
forthright and told her story, from first to last, how her mother
bought him from the cook's partner and the people of the kingdom
came under his rule; nor did she leave telling till she came, in
her story, to that city [and acquainted the queen with the manner
of her falling in with her lost husband]. When she had made an
end of her story, the cook exclaimed, 'Alack, what impudent liars
there be! By Allah, O king, this woman lieth against me, for this
youth is my rearling[FN#75] and he was born of one of my
slave-girls. He fled from me and I found him again.

When the queen heard the last of the talk, she said to the cook,
'The judgment between you shall not be but in accordance with
justice.' Then she dismissed all those who were present and
turning to her brother, said to him, 'Indeed thy soothfastness is
established with me and the truth of thy speech, and praised be
God who hath brought about union between thee and thy wife! So
now begone with her to thy country and leave [seeking] thy sister
Selma and depart in peace.' But Selim answered, saying, 'By
Allah, by the virtue of the All-knowing King, I will not turn