"Rosy red Wady hot with summer-glow, * Where twofold tale of common growth was piled. In copse we halted wherein bent to us * Branches, as bendeth nurse o'er weanling-child. And pure cold water quenching thirst we sipped: * To cup-mate sweeter than old wine and mild: From every side it shut out sheen of sun * Screen-like, but wooed the breeze to cool the wild: And pebbles, sweet as maidens deckt and dight * And soft as threaded pearls, the touch beguiled." And as saith another, "And when birdies o'er warble its lakelet, it gars * Longing[FN#7] lover to seek it where morning glows; For likest to Paradise lie its banks * With shade and fruitage and fount that flows." Presently Princess Miriam and Nur al-Din alighted to rest in this Wady,—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. When it was the Eight Hundred and Ninety-first Night, She said, It hat reached me, O auspicious King, that when Princess Miriam and Nur al-Din alighted in that valley, they ate of its fruits and drank of its streams, after turning the stallions loose to pasture: then they sat talking and recalling their past and all that had befallen them and complaining one to other of the pangs of parting and of the hardships suffered for estrangement and love-longing. As they were thus engaged, behold, there arose in the distance a dust-cloud which spread till it walled the world, and they heard the neighing of horses and clank of arms and armour. Now the reason of this was, that after the Princess had been bestowed in wedlock upon the Wazir who had gone in to her that night, the King went forth at daybreak, to give the couple good morrow, taking with him, after the custom of Kings with their daughters, a gift of silken stuffs and scattering gold and silver among the eunuchs and tire-women, that they might snatch at and scramble for it. And he fared on escorted by one of his pages; but when he came to the new palace, he found the Wazir prostrate on the carpet, knowing not his head from his heels; so he searched the place right and left for his daughter, but found her not; whereat he was troubled sore with concern galore and his wits forlore. Then he bade bring hot water and virgin vinegar and frankincense[FN#8] and mingling them together, blew the mixture into the Wazir's nostrils and shook him, whereupon he cast the Bhang forth of his stomach, as it were a bit of cheese. He repeated the process, whereupon the Minister came to himself and the King questioned him of his case and that of his daughter. He replied, "O mighty King, I have no knowledge of her save that she poured me out a cup of wine with her own hand; and from that tide to this I have no recollection of aught nor know I what is come of her." When the King heard this, the light in his eyes became night, and he drew his scymitar and smote the Wazir on the head, then the steel came out gleaming from between his grinder teeth. Then, without an instant