第54章

wherefore be thou of good cheer and keep thine eyes cool of tear；and hearten thy heart and broaden thy breast and feel naught whatsoever of fear，for no harm shall come to thee.'When Hasan heard this he was abashed and gave the cap to Abu al-Ruwaysh；saying to Abd al-Kaddus，'Accompany me to my own country and I

will give thee the rod.'At this the two elders rejoiced with exceeding joy and made him ready riches and treasures which beggar all deion.He abode with them three days，at the end of which he set out again and the Shaykh Abd al-Kaddus made ready to depart with him.So he and his wife mounted their beasts and Abd al-Kaddus whistled，when，behold，a mighty big elephant trotted up with fore hand and feet on amble from the heart of the desert and he took it and mounted it.Then they farewelled Abu al-Ruwaysh who disappeared within his cavern；and they fared on across country，traversing the land in its length and breadth wherever Abd al-Kaddus guided them by a short cut and an easy way，till they drew near the land of the Princesses；whereupon Hasan rejoiced at finding himself once more near his mother，and praised Allah for his safe return and reunion with his wife and children after so many hardships and perils；and thanked Him for His favours and bounties，reciting these couplets；'Haply shall Allah deign us twain unite * And lockt in strict embrace we'll hail the light：

And wonders that befel me I'll recount，* And all I suffered from the Severance-blight：

And fain I'll cure mine eyes by viewing you * For ever yearned my heart to see your sight：

I hid a tale for you my heart within * Which when we meet o'morn I'll fain recite：

I'll blame you for the deeds by you were done * But while blame endeth love shall stay in site.'

Hardly had he made an end of these verses，when he looked and behold，there rose to view the Green Dome[179] and the jetting Fount and the Emerald Palace，and the Mountain of Clouds showed to them from afar；whereupon quoth Abd al-Kaddus，'Rejoice，O Hasan，in good tidings： to-night shalt thou be the guest of my nieces！'At this he joyed with exceeding joy and as also did his wife，and they alighted at the domed pavilion，where they took their rest[180] and ate and drank；after which they mounted horse again and rode on till they came upon the palace.As they drew near，the Princesses who were daughters of the King，brother to Shaykh Abd al-Kaddus，came forth to meet them and saluted them and their uncle who said to them，'O daughters of my brother；behold，I have accomplished the need of this your brother Hasan and have helped him to regain his wife and children.'So they embraced him and gave him joy of his return in safety and health and of his reunion with his wife and children，and it was a day of festival[181] with them.Then came forward Hasan's sister；the youngest Princess，and embraced him，weeping with sore weeping，whilst he also wept for his long desolation： after which she complained to him of that which she had suffered for the pangs of separation and weariness of spirit in his absence and recited these two couplets；'After thy faring never chanced I'spy * A shape，but did thy form therein descry：

Nor closed mine eyes in sleep but thee I saw，* E'en as though dwelling'twixt the lid and eye.'

When she had made an end of her verses，she rejoiced with joy exceeding and Hasan said to her，'O my sister，I thank none in this matter save thyself over all thy sisters，and may Allah Almighty vouchsafe thee aidance and countenance！'Then he related to her all that had past in his journey，from first to last，and all that he had undergone，telling her what had betided him with his wife's sister and how he had delivered his wife and wees and he also described to her all that he had seen of marvels and grievous perils，even to how Queen Nur al-Huda would have slain him and his spouse and children and none saved them from her but the Lord the Most High.Moreover，he related to her the adventure of the cap and the rod and how Abd al-Kaddus and Abu al-Ruwaysh had asked for them and he had not agreed to give them to the twain save for her sake；wherefore she thanked him and blessed him wishing him long life；and he cried，'By Allah，I shall never forget all the kindness thou hast done me from incept to conclusion.'--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

When it was the Eight Hundred and Thirty-first Night； She said，It hath reached me，O auspicious King，that when Hasan foregathered with the Princesses，he related to his sister all that he had endured and said to her，'Never will I forget what thou hast done for me from incept to conclusion.'Then she turned to his wife Manar al-Sana and embraced her and pressed her children to her breast，saying to her，'O daughter of the Supreme King，was there no pity in thy bosom，that thou partedst him and his children and settedst his heart on fire for them？ Say me；didst thou desire by this deed that he should die？'The Princess laughed and answered，'Thus was it ordained of Allah （extolled and exalted be He！） and whoso beguileth folk，him shall Allah begule.'[182]Then they set on somewhat of meat and drink；and they all ate and drank and made merry.They abode thus ten days in feast and festival，mirth and merry-making，at the end of which time Hasan prepared to continue his journey.So his sister rose and made him ready riches and rarities，such as defy deion.Then she strained him to her bosom，because of leavetaking，and threw her arms round his neck whilst he recited on her account these couplets；'The solace of lovers is naught but far，* And parting is naught save grief singular：

And ill-will and absence are naught but woe，* And the victims of Love naught but martyrs are；

And how tedious is night to the loving wight * From his true love parted'neath evening star！

His tears course over his cheeks and so * He cries，'O tears be there more to flow？'