Once upon a time there was a man, who was sword-bearer to one of
the Kings, and he loved a damsel of the common sort. One day, he
sent his page to her with a message, as of wont between them, and
the lad sat down with her and toyed with her. She inclined to him
and pressed him to her breast and groped him and kissed him
whereupon he sought carnal connection of her and she consented;
but, as the two were thus, lo! the youth's master knocked at the
door. So she pushed the page through a trapdoor into an
underground chamber there and opened the door to his lord, who
entered hending sword in hand and sat down upon her bed. Then she
came up to him and sported and toyed with him, kissing him and
pressing him to her bosom, and he took her and lay with her.
Presently, her husband knocked at the door and the gallant asked
her, "Who is that?"; whereto she answered, "My husband." Quoth
he, "How shall I do?" Quoth she, "Draw thy sword and stand in the
vestibule and abuse me and revile me; and when my husband comes
in to thee, do thou go forth and wend thy ways." He did as she
bade him; and, when the husband entered, he saw the King's
sword-bearer standing with naked brand in hand, abusing and
threatening his wife; but, when the lover saw him, he was ashamed
and sheathing his scymitar, went forth the house. Said the man to
his wife, "What means this?"; and she replied, "O man, how
blessed is the hour of thy coming! Thou hast saved a True
Believer from slaughter, and it happed after this fashion. I was
on the house-terrace, spinning,
[FN#170] when behold, there came
up to me a youth, distracted and panting for fear of death,
fleeing from yonder man, who followed upon him as hard as he
could with his drawn sword. The young man fell down before me,
and kissed my hands and feet, saying, "O Protector, of thy mercy,
save me from him who would slay me wrongously!" So I hid him in
that underground chamber of ours and presently in came yonder man
to me, naked brand in hand, demanding the youth. But I denied him
to him, whereupon he fell to abusing and threatening me as thou
sawest. And praised be Allah who sent thee to me, for I was
distraught and had none to deliver me!" "Well hast thou done, O
woman!" answered the husband. "Thy reward is with Allah the
Almighty, and may He abundantly requite thy good deed!" Then he
went to the trap door and called to the page, saying, "Come forth
and fear not; no harm shall befal thee." So he came out,
trembling for fear, and the husband said, "Be of good cheer: none
shall I hurt thee;" condoling with him on what had befallen him;
whilst the page called down blessings on his head. Then they both
went forth, nor was that Cornuto nor was the page aware of that
which the woman had contrived. "This, then, O King," said the
Wazir, "is one of the tricks of women; so beware lest thou rely
upon their I words." The King was persuaded and turned from
putting his son to death; but, on the third day, the favourite
came in to him I and, kissing the ground before him, cried, "O
King, do me justice on thy son and be not turned from thy purpose
by thy Ministers' prate, for there is no good in wicked Wazirs,
and be not as the King of Baghdad, who relied on the word of a
certain wicked counsellor of his." Quoth he, "And how was that?"
Quoth she, "There hath been told me, O auspicious and
well-advised King, a tale of
The Kings Son and the Ogress.
