goodliest fashion and diffused perfumes [from the
censing-vessels] and [burnt] aloes-wood and other perfumes in all
the markets and thoroughfares and rubbed themselves with saffron,
what while the drums beat and the flutes and hautboys sounded and
it was a notable day.

When they came to the palace, King Shehriyar commanded to spread
the tables with beasts roasted [whole] and sweetmeats and all
manner viands and bade the crier make proclamation to the folk
that they should come up to the Divan and eat and drink and that
this should be a means of reconciliation between him and them. So
great and small came up unto him and they abode on that wise,
eating and drinking, seven days with their nights. Then the king
shut himself up with his brother and acquainted him with that
which had betided him with the vizier's daughter [Shehrzad] in
those three years [which were past] and told him what he had
heard from her of saws and parables and chronicles and pleasant
traits and jests and stories and anecdotes and dialogues and
histories and odes and verses; whereat King Shahzeman marvelled
with the utterest of marvel and said, "Fain would I take her
younger sister to wife, so we may be two own brothers to two own
sisters, and they on likewise be sisters unto us; for that the
calamity which befell me was the means of the discovering of that
which befell thee and all this time of three years past I have
taken no delight in woman, save that I lie each night with a
damsel of my kingdom, and when I arise in the morning, I put her
to death; but now I desire to marry thy wife's sister Dinarzad."

When King Shehriyar heard his brother's words he rejoiced with an
exceeding joy and arising forthright, went in to his wife