" The
Minister replied, "O King of the Age, I have not seen my son or
yesterday or today." Hereat the Sultan told him all that had afflicted
the Princess, adding: "'Tis my desire that thou at once seek tidings
of thy son concerning the facts of the case. Peradventure of her
fear my daughter may not be fully aware of what really befell her,
withal I hold all her words to be truthful." So the Grand Wazir arose,
and going forth, bade summon his son and asked him anent all his
lord had told him whether it be true or untrue. The youth replied:
"O my father the Wazir, Heaven forbid that the Lady Badr al-Budur
speak falsely. Indeed all she said was sooth, and these two nights
proved to us the evilest of our nights instead of being nights of
pleasure and marriage joys. But what befell me was the greater evil,
because instead of sleeping abed with my bride, I lay in the wardrobe,
a black hole, frightful, noisome of stench, truly damnable, and my
ribs were bursten with cold." In fine, the young man told his father
the whole tale, adding as he ended it: "O dear father mine, I
implore thee to speak with the Sultan that he may set me free from
this marriage.
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