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 saw the good sense of his words and showed their approval.
Then he turned to the princess: 'Tell us the truth, princess; who
told you of this thing? I know it hair by hair, and in and out;