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Thereupon he bade bring beautiful slave-girls and concubines and singers and players upon instruments of music, whose like are not found but with the Kings: and sent them to Janshah, so haply they might divert him from the love of the lady Shamsah.
When it was the Five Hundred and Twelfth Night, She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that "the lady Shamsah said to Janshah, 'Tell us thy tale; so he related to her all that had befallen him; and, after she had lent attentive ear she sighed and said, 'O my lord, since thou art so fondly in love with me, give me my dress, that I may fly to my folk, I and my sisters, and tell them what affection thou hast conceived for me, and after I will come back to thee and carry thee to thine own country. When he heard this, he wept sore and replied, 'Is it lawful to thee before Allah to slay me wrongfully? She asked, 'O my lord, why should I do such wrongous deed?; and he answered, 'If I give thee thy gear thou wilt fly away from me, and I shall die forthright. Princess Shamsah laughed at this and so did her sisters; then said she to him, 'Be of good cheer and keep thine eyes cool and clear, for I must needs marry thee. So saying, she bent down to him and embraced him and pressing him to her breast kissed him between the eyes and on his cheeks.
Presently they swam out to the middle of the basin leaving their clothes on the bank. Hereupon he sprang to his feet, and running like the darting levee to the basin's brink, snatched up the feather-vest of the youngest damsel, her on whom his heart was set and whose name was Shamsah the Sun-maiden.
When it was the Five Hundred and Fifteenth Night, She pursued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that "King Teghmus said to the lady Shamsah, 'Laud to Allah for that He hath caused thee to reunite me with my son!
So he hastened up to him and kissed his hands; and the Shaykh saluted him and bade him welcome and said to him, 'O my son, what aileth thee that thou returnest to this place, after I sent thee home with the Princess Shamsah, cool of eyes and broad of breast? Janshah wept and told him all that had befallen him and how she had flown away from him, saying, 'An thou love me, come to me in Takni, the Castle of Jewels; at which the old man marvelled and said, 'By Allah, O my son, I know it not, nor, by the virtue of our lord Solomon, have I ever in my life heard its name! Quoth Janshah, 'What shall I do?
Such was the case with Janshah; but as regards Princess Shamsah, when she fled from Janshah, she made straight for the Castle of Jewels and told her father and mother all that had passed between the Prince and herself; how he had wandered the world and seen its marvels and wonders and how fondly he loved her and how dearly she loved him.
The drums beat for glad tidings and the Grandees of the kingdom rejoiced and brought rich gifts and the lookers-on were filled with amazement. Furthermore, they fed the mendicants and Fakirs and held high festival for the space of ten days, and the lady Shamsah joyed with exceeding joy whenas she saw this.
Moreover, it had a thousand turrets builded of precious metals, and stones of price studded and set in the minerals brought from the Main of Murks, and on this account it was named the Castle of Jewels, Takni. It was a vast great castle and the name of its king was King Shahlan, the father of the lady Shamsah and her sisters.
Janshah was terrified at his sight, but returned his salam, and the Marid asked, 'What is thy name? and he answered, 'My name is Janshah, and I have fallen madly in love with a Jinniyah known as Princess Shamsah, who captivated me by her beauty and loveliness; but despite my dear love she fled from the palace wherein I placed her and behold, I am here in quest of her. Herewith he wept with bitter weeping.
Then the King departed to his pavilion and Janshah carried his mother to his own tent, where they sat talking till there came up some of the lady Shamsah's attendants who said, The Princess is now walking hither in order to salute thee. When the Queen heard this, she rose and going to meet Shamsah, saluted her and seated her awhile by her side.
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