journey of the city and bade his troops encamp in [a place there
called] the Green Meadow. So they pitched the tents there, till
the country was straitened with them, and set up for the king a
pavilion of green brocade, broidered with pearls and jewels.

When El Aziz had sat awhile, he summoned the mamelukes of his son
El Abbas, and they were five-and-twenty in number, besides half a
score slave-girls, as they were moons, five of whom the king had
brought with him and other five he had left with the prince's
mother. When the mamelukes came before him, he cast over each of
them a mantle of green brocade and bade them mount like horses of
one and the same fashion and enter Baghdad and enquire concerning
their lord El Abbas. So they entered the city and passed through
the [streets and] markets, and there abode in Baghdad nor old man
nor boy but came forth to gaze on them and divert himself with
the sight of their beauty and grace and the goodliness of their
aspect and of their clothes and horses, for that they were even
as moons. They gave not over going till they came to the royal
palace, where they halted, and the king looked at them and seeing
their beauty and the goodliness of their apparel and the
brightness of their faces, said, "Would I knew of which of the
tribes these are!" And he bade the eunuch bring him news of them.

So he went out to them and questioned them of their case,
whereupon, "Return to thy lord," answered they, "and question him
of Prince El Abbas, if he have come unto him, for that he left
his father King El Aziz a full-told year agone, and indeed
longing for him troubleth the king and he hath levied a part of
his army and his guards and is come forth in quest of his son, so
haply he may light upon tidings of him." Quoth the eunuch, "Is