played and made merry with them. As soon as his eyes fell on them, he knew them and crying a great cry fell down a-fainting for excess of joy at the sight of his children.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. When it was the Eight Hundred and Fifteenth Night, She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Hasan's eyes fell upon his two sons, he knew them both and crying a great cry fell down a-fainting. They also knew him[FN#152] and natural affection moved them so that they freed themselves from the Queen's lap and fell upon Hasan, and Allah (to whom belong Might and Majesty,) made them speak and say to him, "O our father!" Whereupon the old woman and all who were present wept for pity and tenderness over them and said, "Praised be Allah, who hath reunited you with your Sire!" Presently, Hasan came to himself and embracing his children, wept till again he swooned away, and when he revived, he recited these verses, "By rights of you, this heart of mine could ne'er aby * Severance from you albeit Union death imply! Your phantom saith to me, 'A-morrow we shall meet!' * Shall I despite the foe the morrow-day espy? By rights of you I swear, my lords, that since the day * Of severance ne'er the sweets of lips enjoyčd I! An Allah bade me perish for the love of you, * Mid greatest martyrs for your love I lief will die. Oft a gazelle doth make my heart her browsing stead * The while her form of flesh like sleep eludes mine eye: If in the lists of Law my bloodshed she deny, * Prove it two witnesses those cheeks of ruddy dye." When Nur al-Huda was assured that the little ones were indeed Hasan's children and that her sister, the Princess Manar al-Sana, was his wife, of whom he was come in quest, she was wroth against her with wrath beyond measure.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. When it was the Eight Hundred and Sixteenth Night,