A certain merchant, who was addicted to jealousy, had a wife that
was a model of beauty and loveliness; and of the excess of his
fear and jealousy of her, he would not abide with her in any
town, but built her a pavilion without the city, apart from all
other buildings. And he raised its height and strengthened its
doors and provided them with curious locks; and when he had
occasion to go into the city, he locked the doors and hung the
keys about his neck.
[FN#201] One day, when the merchant was
abroad, the King's son of that city came forth, to take his
pleasure and solace in the open country without the walls, and
seeing the solitary pavilion, stood still to examine it for a
long while. At last he caught sight of a charming lady looking
and leaning out of one of the windows,
[FN#202] and being smitten
with amazement at her grace and charms, cast about for a means of
getting to her, but could find none. So he called up one of his
pages, who brought him ink-case
[FN#203] and paper and wrote her a
letter, setting forth his condition for love of her. Then he set
it on the pile-point of an arrow and shot it at the pavilion, and
it fell in the garden, where the lady was then walking with her
maidens. She said to one of the girls, "Hasten and bring me yon
letter," for she could read writing;
[FN#204] and, when she had
read it and understood what he said in it of his love and
passion, yearning and longing, she wrote him a merciful reply, to
the effect that she was smitten with a yet fiercer desire for
him; and then threw the letter down to him from one of the
windows of the pavilion. When he saw her, he picked up the reply
and after reading it, came under the window and said to her, "Let
me down a thread, that I may send thee this key; which do thou
take and keep by thee." So she let down a thread and he tied the
key to it.
[FN#205] Then he went away and repairing to one of his
father's Wazirs, complained to him of his passion for the lady
and that he could not live without her; and the Minister said,
"And how dost thou bid me contrive?" Quoth the Prince, "I would
have thee set me in a chest
[FN#206] and commit it to the
merchant, feigning to him that it is thine and desiring him to
keep it for thee in his country-house some days, that I may have
my will of her; then do thou demand it back from him." The Wazir
answered, "With love and gladness." So the Prince returned to his
palace and fixing the padlock, the key whereof he had given the
lady, on a chest he had by him, entered therein. Then the Wazir
locked it upon him and setting it on a mule, carried it to the
pavilion of the merchant, who, seeing the Minister, came forth to
him and kissed his hands, saying, "Belike our lord the Wazir hath
some need or business which we may have the pleasure and honour
of accomplishing for him?" Quoth the Minister, "I would have thee
set this chest in the safest and best place within thy house and
keep it till I seek it of thee." So the merchant made the porters
carry it inside and set it down in one of his store-closets,
after which he went out on business. As soon as he was gone, his
wife arose and went up to the chest and unlocked it with the key
the King's son had given her, whereupon there came forth a youth
like the moon. When she saw him, she donned her richest raiment
and carried him to her sitting-saloon, where they abode seven
days, eating and drinking and making merry: and as often as her
husband came home, she put the Prince back into the chest and
locked it upon him. One day the King asked for his son and the
Wazir hurried off to the merchant's place of business and sought
of him the chest.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and
ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Five Hundred and Ninety-second Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when the
Wazir reached the merchant's counting-house he asked for the box.
The man accordingly repaired in haste to his pavilion, contrary
to his custom and knocked at the door. When his wife was ware of
him, she hurried the Prince back into the chest, but, in her
confusion, forgot to lock it. The merchant bade the porters take
it up and carry it to his house in the town. So they took up the
box by the lid, whereupon it flew open and lo! the Prince was
lying within. When the merchant saw him and knew him for the
King's son, he went out to the Wazir and said to him, "Go in,
thou, and take the King's son; for none of us may lay hands on
him." So the Minister went in and taking the Prince, went away
with him. As soon as they were gone, the merchant put away his
wife and swore that he would never marry again. "And," continued
the damsel, "I have heard tell, also, O King, a tale of
The Page who Feigned to Know the Speech of Birds."
