The minister of the King of Damas said: "O my lord, king of the world, I will lay at the foot of your Majesty's throne the completed story from the beginning. I received a mission from the King Chah Djouhou: 'O my minister,' he said, 'start, I send you to the city of Bagdad, taking my three children to their grandfather, and my wife, the princess Djouher-Manikam, to her mother and her father, the King Haroun-er- Raschid.' I set out, therefore, with the escort which accompanied the princess Djouher-Manikam, and we arrived at our first halting-place. When it was night I erected a tent, and the people of the escort all put up tents around that of the princess. But Satan breathed into my heart a temptation. This thought came to me: 'The wife of the King is wonderfully beautiful, and she has such a pretty name! I will go and ask her to marry me.' So I entered her tent. At that moment she was seated by her sleeping children, occupied in keeping away the mosquitoes. The princess demanded, 'O my minister, why do you come here?' And I answered, 'I have come to ask you to marry me.' The princess said: 'Have you no fear of God the most high? No, I cannot marry you. What would become of me if I should do such a thing?' Then I said, 'If you will not agree to marry me, I will kill one of your children.' The princess answered: 'If you kill my child it will be by the judgment of God, and what can I do but to invoke his name?' Then I killed one of the children. When he was dead I asked again if she would marry me, and I killed another of the children. When this one was dead I asked the same question. The princess answered, 'I cannot marry when I am already married.' I said to her, 'If you will not, then I will kill the third of your children.' The princess Djouher-Manikam answered, 'If you kill my third child, it will be by the judgment of God, and what can I do but invoke his name, for I am only a woman?' So I killed the third child. After the death of this last child of the King, I put again my question to the princess. She would not consent to marry me. I said to her, 'If you don't, I will kill you.' She answered: 'If you kill me, it is the decree of God. But wait awhile, for I wish to wash my garments and cleanse the traces of my children's blood from my body.' I said, 'It is well. We will have the wedding-feast to- morrow.' She left the tent. It was raining in torrents. I could not discover where she went. Such is my story, O king of the world."
The King said, "Minister of the country of Damas, have you any sons?"
He answered, "Yes, my lord, king of the world, I have three sons."
The prince said: "Let your three sons come here, in order that I may give judgment quickly, according to the law instituted by the prophet (may the peace and blessings of God be upon him!). Behold what his law prescribes: The minister killed the children of the princess Djouher- Manikam. It is not, therefore, the minister who should be punished with death, but his children should be slain. The execution of this judgment will be the just application of the law of retaliation between the minister and the princess."
The minister summoned his three sons. As soon as they had come, he pointed them to the King of Roum.
The latter said to his minister, "O minister, where is the Æthiopian whom they brought here?" The Æthiopian robber was brought out, and prostrated himself before the King of Roum.
The King of Roum said to him: "Æthiopian, return to your own country and change your mode of life. You will never see again the woman for whom you are seeking." And the prince gave him a keti of gold.
Then the prince said: "O my minister, where is Biyapri? Let them bring him here." So they brought Biyapri. When he arrived he bowed low before the prince.
The prince said: "Biyapri, go back to your own country and change your conduct. The woman whom you seek you will never see again." And the prince made him a gift of two keti of gold.
The King of Roum then said: "Let all assemble. I am about to pronounce judgment between the King of Bagdad and the minister of Damas." The minister and the officers assembled therefore in the presence of the King, together with many of his subjects.