er, I might have prevented some disagreeable
reflections, which may have been occasioned by a match you may
have thought unequal." "No, sir," answered the princess, "the
opinion I at first conceived of you heightened every moment, and
you did not stand in need of the extraction you now discover to
make me happy."

The princes congratulated Codadad on his birth, and expressed
much satisfaction at being made acquainted with it. But in
reality, instead of rejoicing, their hatred of so amiable a
brother was increased. They met together at night, whilst
Codadad and the princess his wife lay asleep in their tent.
Those ungrateful, those envious brothers, forgetting that had it
not been for the brave son of Pirouze they must have been
devoured by the black, agreed among themselves to murder him.
"We have no other course to choose," said one of them, "for the
moment our father shall come to understand that this stranger of
whom he is already so fond, is our brother, and that he alone has
been able to destroy a giant, whom we could not all of us
together conquer, he will declare him his heir, to the prejudice
of all his brothers, who will be obliged to obey and fall down
before him." He added much more, which made such an impression
on their envious and unnatural minds, that they immediately
repaired to Codadad, then asleep, stabbed him repeatedly, and
leaving him for dead in the arms of the princess of Deryabar,
proceeded on their journey for the city of Harran, where they
arrived the next day.

The sultan their father conceived the greater joy at their
return, because he had despaired of ever seeing them again: he
asked what had been the occasion of their stay? But they took
care not to acquaint him with it, making no mention either of the
black or of Codadad; and only said, that, being curious to see
different countries, they had spent some time in the neighbouring
cities.

In the mean time Codadad lay in his tent weltering in his blood,
and little differing from a dead man, with the princess his wife,
who seemed to be in not much better condition than himself. She
rent the air with her dismal shrieks, tore her hair, and bathing
her husband's body with her tears, "Alas! Codadad, my dear
Codadad," cried she, "is it you whom I behold just departing this
life? What cruel hands have put you into this condition? Can I
believe these are your brothers who have treated you so
unmercifully, those brothers whom thy valo