he king your son; and the only news I can tell you will augment
both your grief and mine. I no sooner saw him arrive in our
territories, than I rejoiced; yet when I came to understand he
had come away without your knowledge, I began to participate with
you the concern you must needs suffer." Then she related to her
with what zeal King Saleh went to demand the Princess Jehaun-ara
in marriage for King Beder, and what had happened, till her son
disappeared. "I have sought diligently after him," added she,
"and the king my son, who is but just gone to govern the kingdom
of Samandal, has done all that lay in his power. All our
endeavours have hitherto proved unsuccessful, but we must hope
nevertheless to see him again, perhaps when we least expect it."

Queen Gulnare was not satisfied with this hope: she looked upon
the king her son as lost, and lamented him bitterly, laying all
the blame on the king his uncle. The queen her mother made her
consider the necessity of not yielding too much to grief. "The
king your brother," said she, "ought not, it is true, to have
talked to you so inconsiderately about that marriage, nor ever
have consented to carry away the king my grandson, without
acquainting you; yet, since it is not certain that the king of
Persia is absolutely lost, you ought to neglect nothing to
preserve his kingdom for him: lose then no more time, but return
to your capital; your presence there will be necessary, and it
will not be difficult for you to preserve the public peace, by
causing it to be published, that the king of Persia was gone to
visit his grandmother."

This was sufficient to oblige Queen Gulnare to yield. She took
leave of the queen her mother, and returned to the palace of the
capital of Persia before she had been missed. She immediately
despatched persons to recall the officers she had sent after the
king, to tell them that she knew where his majesty was, and that
they should soon see him again. She also caused the same report
to be spread throughout the city, and governed, in concert with
the prime minister and council, with the same tranquillity as if
the king had been present.

To return to King Beder, whom the Princess Jehaun-ara's
waiting-woman had left in the island before mentioned; that
monarch was not a little surprised when he found himself alone,
and under the form of a bird. He esteemed himself yet more
unhappy, in that he knew not where he was, or in what part of the
world the ki