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The father of this young lady is a powerful king, a fierce cavalier, immersed night and day in wars and battles, fearless of death and dreading not ruin, for that he is a masterful tyrant and an irresistible conqueror, lord of troops and armies, continents and islands, cities and villages, and his name is King Ghaiour, lord of the Islands and the Seas and of the Seven Palaces.
'Know that I come to-night from the Islands of the Inland Sea in the parts of Cathay, which are the dominions of King Ghaiour, lord of the Islands and the Seas and the Seven Palaces.
Then King Ghaiour went in to his daughter, Queen Budour, and satisfied his longing for her company, and they all abode a month's space in the City of Ebony; after which the King of China and his daughter returned to their own country with their company, taking prince Amjed with them, whom, as soon as Ghaiour was settled again in his kingdom, he made king in his stead.
The touching of them pleasured him and he moved his hand hither and thither, till he came to a dome abounding in benedictions and movements and said in himself, 'Belike this king is a hermaphrodite, nor male nor female. So he said to her, 'O King, I cannot find that thou hast any manly gear, even as other men; what then moved thee to do thus? When the princess heard this, she laughed till she fell backward, and said, 'O my beloved, how quickly thou hast forgotten the nights we have lain together! Then she made herself known to him and he knew her for his wife, the Lady Budour, daughter of King Ghaiour.
Quoth the King, 'I am called King Ghaiour, lord of the Islands and the Seas and the Seven Castles, and am come out in quest of my daughter Budour, of whom fortune hath bereft me; for she left me and returned not to me, nor have I heard any news of her or her husband Kemerezzeman.
Then said Ghaiour, 'Praised be God, O my son, for safety, since I have foregathered with thee! And Amjed told him that his daughter Budour and her husband Kemerezzeman were well and abode in a city called the City of Ebony.
When Kemerezzeman heard these verses, they brought refreshment and healing to his heart, and he sighed and turning his tongue in his mouth, said to the King, 'O my father, let this young man come and sit by my side. The King, hearing these words from his son, rejoiced exceedingly, though at the first he had been wroth with Merzewan and thought in himself to have stricken off his head: but when he heard Kemerezzeman speak, his anger left him and he arose and drawing Merzewan to him, made him sit down by his son and said to him, 'Praised be God for thy safety! 'May God bless thee, answered Merzewan, 'and preserve thy son to thee! Then said the King, 'From what country comest thou? 'From the Islands of the Inland Sea, replied he, 'the kingdom of King Ghaiour, lord of the Islands and the seas and the Seven Palaces. Quoth the King, 'Maybe thy coming shall be blessed to my son and God vouchsafe to heal him of his malady. 'God willing, rejoined Merzewan, 'all shall yet be well. Then turning to Kemerezzeman, he said to him in his ear, unheard of the King and his court, 'Be of good cheer, O my lord, and take heart and courage.
Is there any one that seeketh? As he was thus crying and the people remonstrating with him, King Ghaiour heard his voice and the clamour of the folk and said to his Vizier, 'Go down and bring me yon astrologer. So the Vizier went down and taking Kemerezzeman from the midst of the crowd, carried him up to the King, before whom he kissed the earth, repeating the following verses: Eight elements of high renown are all comprised in thee; By them may Fortune never cease thy bounder slave to be!
Have ye any tidings of them? When Amjed heard this, he knew that this King was none other than his grandfather, his mother's father, and kissing the earth before him, told him that he was the son of his daughter Budour; whereupon Ghaiour threw himself upon him and they both fell a-weeping.
The prince told him his name and rank and that he was the son of King Shehriman, and related to him the whole story from beginning to end; whereat Ghaiour marvelled and said, 'Verily, your story deserves to be recorded in books and read after you, generation after generation. Then he summoned Cadis and witnesses forthright and married the two lovers; after which he bade decorate the city seven days long.
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