of yonder portrait and what girl is this of the daughters of the
kings; else will I take thy head." "By Allah, O king," answered
the painter, "I limned it not, neither know I who she is; but
there came to me a poor man and looked at me. So I said to him,
'Knowest thou the art of painting?' And he replied, 'Yes.'
Whereupon I gave him the gear and said to him, 'Make us a rare
piece of work.' So he wrought yonder portrait and went away and I
know him not neither have I ever set eyes on him save that day."

Therewithal the king bade all his officers go round about in the
thoroughfares and colleges [of the town] and bring before him all
strangers whom they found there. So they went forth and brought
him much people, amongst whom was the man who had painted the
portrait. When they came into the presence, the Sultan bade the
crier make proclamation that whoso wrought the portrait should
discover himself and have whatsoever he desired. So the poor man
came forward and kissing the earth before the king, said to him,
"O king of the age, I am he who painted yonder portrait." Quoth
El Aziz, "And knowest thou who she is?" "Yes," answered the
other; "this is the portrait of Mariyeh, daughter of the king of
Baghdad." The king ordered him a dress of honour and a slave-girl
[and he went his way]. Then said El Abbas, "O father mine, give
me leave to go to her, so I may look upon her; else shall I
depart the world, without fail." The king his father wept and
answered, saying, "O my son, I builded thee a bath, that it might
divert thee from leaving me, and behold it hath been the cause of
thy going forth; but the commandment of God is a
foreordained[FN#61] decree."[FN#62]

Then he wept again and El Abbas said to him, "Fear not for me,