's country.

When the Lady Jamila heard that Prince Almas was near, she went out,
with many a fair handmaid, to give him loving reception. Their meeting
was joyful, and they went together to the garden-palace. Jamila summoned
all her notables, and in their presence her marriage with the prince was
solemnised. A few days later she entrusted her affairs to her wazir, and
made preparation to go with the prince to his own country. Before she
started she restored all the men whom her sister, Latifa, had bewitched,
to their own forms, and received their blessings, and set them forward
to their homes. The wicked Latifa herself she left quite alone in her
garden-house. When all was ready they set out with all her servants and
slaves, all her treasure and goods, and journeyed at ease to the city of
King Quimus.

When King Quimus heard of the approach of such a great company, he sent
out his wazir to give the prince honourable meeting, and to ask what had
procured him the favour of the visit. The prince sent back word that he
had no thought of war, but he wrote: 'Learn and know, King Quimus,
that I am here to end the crimes of your insolent daughter who has
tyrannously done to death many kings and kings sons, and has hung their
heads on your citadel. I am here to give her the answer to her riddle.'
Later on he entered the city, beat boldly on the drums, and was
conducted to the presence.

The king entreated him to have nothing to do with the riddle, for that
no man had come out of it alive. 'O king!' replied the prince, 'it is to
answer it that I am here; I will not withdraw.'

Mihr-afruz was told that one man more had staked his head on her
question, and that this was one who said he knew the answer. At the
request of the prince, all the officers and notables of the land were
summoned to hear his reply to the princess. All assembled, and the king
and his queen Gul-rakh, and the girl and the prince were there.

The prince addressed Mihr-afruz: 'What is the question you ask?'

'What did the rose do to the cypress?' she rejoined.

The prince smiled, and turned and addressed the assembly.

'You who are experienced men and versed in affairs, did you ever know or
hear and see anything of this matter?'

'No!' they answered, 'no one has ever known or heard or seen aught about
it; it is an empty fancy.'

'From whom, then, did the princess hear of it? This empty fancy it is
that has done many a servant of God to death!'

All