dream, and said, 'All males are like this pigeon, worthless
creatures: and men in general lack grace and goodness to women.'"
When the old woman had ended her story, the Prince said to her,
"O my mother, I desire to have one look at her, though it be my
death; so do thou contrive me some contrivance for seeing her."
She replied, "Know then that she hath under her palace windows a
garden wherein she taketh her pleasure; and thither she resorteth
once in every month by the private door. After ten days, the
time of her thus going forth to divert herself will arrive; so
when she is about to visit the garden, I will come and tell thee,
that thou mayst go thither and meet her. And look thou leave not
the garden, for haply, an she see thy beauty and Loveliness, her
heart will be taken with love of thee, and love is the most
potent means of union." He said, "I hear and obey;" whereupon he
and Aziz arose and left the shop and, taking the old woman with
them, showed her the place where they lodged. Then said Taj al-
Muluk to Aziz, "O my brother, I have no need of the shop now,
having fulfilled my purpose of it; so I give it to thee with all
that is in it; for that thou hast come abroad with me and hast
left thy native land for my sake." Aziz accepted his gift and
then they sat conversing, while the Prince questioned him of the
strange adventures which had befallen him, and his companion
acquainted him with the particulars thereof. Presently, they
went to the Wazir and, reporting to him Taj al-Muluk's purpose,
asked him, "What is to be done?" "Let us go to the garden,"
answered he. So each and every donned richest clothes and went
forth, followed by three white slaves to the garden, which they
found thick with thickets and railing its rills. When they saw
the keeper sitting at the gate, they saluted him with the Salam
and he returned their salute. Then the Wazir gave him an hundred