exceeding despite, so that it caused him abstain from meat and
drink, or, if he ate anything, it profited him not.

When his brother saw him on this wise, he doubted not but that
this had betided him by reason of severance from his people and
family and said to him, 'Come, let us go forth a-hunting.' But he
refused to go with him; so the elder brother went forth to the
chase, whilst the younger abode in the pavilion aforesaid. As he
was diverting himself by looking out upon the garden from the
window of the palace, behold, he saw his brother's wife and with
her ten black slaves and as many slave-girls. Each slave laid
hold of a damsel [and swived her] and another slave [came forth
and] did the like with the queen; and when they had done their
occasions, they all returned whence they came. Therewithal there
betided the King of Samarcand exceeding wonder and solacement and
he was made whole of his malady, little by little.

After a few days, his brother returned and finding him healed of
his sickness, said to him, 'Tell me, O my brother, what was the
cause of thy sickness and thy pallor, and what is the cause of
the return of health to thee and of rosiness to thy face after
this?' So he acquainted him with the whole case and this was
grievous to him; but they concealed their affair and agreed to
leave the kingship and fare forth pilgrim-wise, wandering at a
venture, for they deemed that there had befallen none the like of
this which had befallen them. [So they went forth and wandered on
at hazard] and as they journeyed, they saw by the way a woman
imprisoned in seven chests, whereon were five locks, and sunken
in the midst of the salt sea, under the guardianship of an Afrit;
yet for all this that woman issued forth of the sea and opened