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Updated: May 26, 2025
Amjed took him in his arms and fared on with him, halting bytimes to rest, till break of day, when they came to the mountain-top and found there a stream of running water and by it a pomegranate-tree and a prayer-niche.
Behadir arose and wiping away his tears, waited upon them awhile; after which he swept the hall and lighted the lamps; but, as often as he went in and out, the lady railed at him and cursed him, till Amjed was wroth with her and said, 'For God's sake, leave my servant; he is not used to this. Then they sat eating and drinking, whilst Behadir waited upon them, till midnight, when the latter, weary with service and beating, fell asleep in the midst of the hall and snored and snorted; whereupon the lady, who was heated with wine, said to Amjed, 'Arise, take the sword that hangs yonder and cut off this slave's head, or I will be the death of thee. 'What possesses thee to kill my slave? asked Amjed; and she answered, 'Our delight will not be fulfilled but by his death.
But have ye no last wishes or injunctions that I may fulfil or message that I may carry? 'We have no wish, replied Amjed, 'and my only injunction to thee is that thou set my brother undermost, that the blow may fall on me first; and when thou hast slain us and returnest to the King and he asks thee, "What said they before their death?" do thou answer, "Thy sons salute thee and say to thee, 'Thou knewest not if we were innocent or guilty, yet hast thou put us to death and hast not certified thyself of our guilt nor looked into our case." Then do thou repeat to him these verses: Women are very devils, made to work us dole and death; Refuge I seek with God Most High from all their craft and scaith.
So they boarded the vessel and searched it in every part, but found nothing and returned and told Amjed, who mounted again and rode back to his palace, with a troubled mind.
As they sat talking, of a sudden they heard the townsfolk crying aloud and shouting to one another and calling for help, and the chamberlain came in to the King and said to him, 'Some King hath encamped before the city, he and his army, with arms displayed, and we know not who they are nor what they seek. The King took counsel with his Vizier and Asaad, and Amjed said, 'I will go out to him and learn the cause of his coming. So he took horse and riding forth the city, repaired to the stranger's camp, where he found the King and with him many soldiers and mounted officers.
At last, despairing of coming to the end of the road, they retraced their steps and taking the other, that led over the mountain, followed it all that day, till nightfall, when Asaad, weary with much travel, said to Amjed, 'O my brother, I can go no farther, for I am exceeding weak. 'Courage, replied Amjed; 'may be God will send us relief. So they walked on part of the night, till the darkness closed in upon them, when Asaad became beyond measure weary and saying, 'O my brother, I am worn out and spent with walking, threw himself on the ground and wept.
When Amjed saw this, he took the sword and running to the lion, smote him between the eyes and laid him dead on the ground. The Amir arose, marvelling at this, and seeing Amjed and Asaad his lord's sons, standing there, cast himself at their feet and exclaimed, 'By Allah, O my lords, it were foul wrong in me to put you to death! May the man never be who would kill you!
He had fitted up this house for his privy pleasures, that he might make merry therein and be private with whom he would, and had that day bidden one whom he loved and had made this entertainment for him. Amjed at that moment had the cup in his hand and his face turned to the door; and when his eyes met Behadir's, he turned pale and trembled in every nerve.
Then said he to the treasurer, 'I conjure thee by the One God the Omnipotent King and Protector, kill me before my brother Asaad and allay the fire of my heart! But Asaad wept and exclaimed, 'Not so: I will die first; whereupon said Amjed, 'It were best that we embrace each other, so the sword may fall upon us and kill us both at one stroke. So they embraced, face to face, and clipped each other straitly, whilst the treasurer bound them fast with cords, weeping the while.
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.
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