plundered, a considerable part whereof belonged to the prisoners
Codadad had then liberated. Every man knew and claimed his property. The
prince restored them their own, and divided the rest of the merchandise
among them. Then he said to them: "How will you carry away your goods?
We are here in a desert place, and there is no likelihood of your
getting horses." "My lord," answered one of the prisoners, "the black
robbed us of our camels, as well as of our goods, and perhaps they may
be in the stables of this castle." "That is not unlikely," replied
Codadad; "let us examine." Accordingly they went to the stables, where
they not only found the camels, but also the horses belonging to the
sultan of Harran's sons. All the merchants, overjoyed that they had
recovered their goods and camels, together with their liberty, thought
of nothing but prosecuting their journey; but first repeated their
thanks to their deliverer.

When they were gone, Codadad, directing his discourse to the lady, said:
"What place, madam, do you desire to go to? I intend to bear you company
to the spot you shall choose for your retreat, and I question not but
that all these princes will do the same." The sultan of Harran's sons
protested to the lady, that they would not leave her till she was
restored to her friends.

"Princes," said she, "I am of a country too remote from here; and,
besides that, it would be abusing your generosity to oblige you to
travel so far. I must confess that I have left my native country for
ever. I told you that I was a lady of Grand Cairo; but since you have
shewn me so much favour, I should be much in the wrong in concealing the
truth from you: I am a sultan's daughter. A usurper has possessed
himself of my father's throne, after having murdered him, and I have
been forced to fly to save my life."

Codadad and his brothers requested the princess to tell them her story,
and after thanking them for their repeated protestations of readiness to
serve her, she could not refuse to satisfy their curiosity, and began
the recital of her adventures in the following manner.

"There was in a certain island," said the princess, "a great city called
Deryabar, governed by a magnificent and virtuous sultan, who had no
children, which was the only blessing wanting to make him happy. He
continually addressed his prayers to Heaven, but Heaven only partially
granted his requests, for the queen his wife, after a long expectation,
brought fo