saying, "Expend ye this upon your livelihood." She took the bag which held two thousand dinars and kissed his right hand, feeling yet the more convinced that he must be the Sultan: so she proved her respect by the fewness of her words as she stood between his hands to do him service. Also she privily winked at her sisters and mother and said to them by signs, "Verily this be the Monarch and that his Minister." The others then arose and followed suit as the sister had done, when the Sultan turned to the Wazir and said, "The case is changed: assuredly they have comprehended it and ascertained it;" presently adding to the girl, "O damsel, we be only Darwaysh folk and yet you all stand up in our service as if we were sovrans. I beseech you do not on this wise." But the youngest sister again came forwards and kissed the ground before him and blessed him and recited this couplet: "Fair fate befal thee to thy foe's despite: * White be thy days and his be black as night.[FN#150] By Allah, O King of the Age, thou art the Sultan and that is the Minister." The Sovran asked, "What cause hast thou for supposing this?" and she answered, "From your grand demeanour and your majestic mein; for such be the qualities of Kings which cannot be concealed." Quoth the Monarch, "Thou hast spoken sooth; but, tell me, how happeneth it that you wone here without men protectors?" and quoth she, "O my lord the King, our history is wondrous and were it graven with graver-needles upon the eye-corners it were a warning to whoso would be warned." He rejoined, "What is it?" and she began the Story of the Three Sisters and Their Mother.[FN#151]