And as I stood
amongst the folk, I heard them open out on the kings and name them,
one after other, till they came to the name of the King of this
city, whereupon the King of the Christians cried out "Alas!" and said,
"None vexeth me in the world, but the King of such a city! Whosoever
will contrive me his slaughter I will give him all. he shall ask."
So I went up to him and said, "An I compass for thee his slaughter,
wilt thou set me free, me and my wife and my children?" The King
replied, "Yes, and I will give thee to boot whatso thou shalt desire."
So we agreed upon this, and he sent me in a galleon to this city,
where I presented myself to the King and he built me this hammam.
"'Now, therefore, I have naught to do but to slay him and return
to the King of the Nazarenes, that I may redeem my children and my
wife and ask a boon of him.' Quoth I: 'And how wilt thou go about to
kill him?' and quoth he, 'By the simplest of all devices, for I have
compounded him somewhat wherein is poison, so when he cometh to the
bath, I shall say to him "Take this paste and anoint therewith thy
parts below the waist for it will cause the hair to drop off.
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