and threw her down before the gate; but as soon as she revived
she got up from the ground and, walking and sitting by turns,
made her way home. There she passed the night till morning, when
she arose and went to Taj al-Muluk and told them all that had
occurred. He was distressed at this grievous news and said, "O
my mother, hard indeed to us is that which hath befallen thee,
but all things are according to fate and man's lot." Replied she,
"Be of good cheer and keep thine eyes cool and clear, for I will
not give over striving till I have brought thee and her together,
and made thee enjoy this wanton who hath burnt my skin with
beating." Asked the Prince "Tell me what caused her to hate men;"
and the old woman answered, "It arose from what she saw in a
dream." "And what was this dream?" "'Twas this: one night, as she
lay asleep, she saw a fowler spread his net upon the ground and
scatter wheat grain round it. Then he sat down hard by, and not
a bird in the neighbourhood but flocked to his toils. Amongst
the rest she beheld a pair of pigeons, male and female; and,
whilst she was watching the net, behold, the male bird's foot
caught in the meshes and he began to struggle; whereupon all the
other birds took fright and flew away. But presently his mate
came back and hovered over him, then alighted on the toils
unobserved by the fowler, and fell to pecking with her beak and
pulling at the mesh in which the male bird's foot was tangled,
till she released the toes and they flew away together. Then the
fowler came up, mended his net and seated himself afar off.
After an hour or so the birds flew back and the female pigeon was
caught in the net; whereupon all the other birds took fright and
scurried away; and the male pigeon fled with the rest and did not
return to his mate, but the fowler came up and took the female
pigeon and cut her throat. The Princess awoke, troubled by her