took thee as the son of the Sultan, dreading for the realm after
thy sire's death." The King went forth from his mother in
astonishment at the penetration of the three youths and, when he
had taken seat in his Palace, he summoned the trio and as soon as
they appeared he asked them; "Which of you was it that said, 'She
who kneaded the bread was in blood'?" Quoth the eldest, "That was
I;" and quoth the King, "What led thee to suspect that she was
menstruous?" He replied, "O my lord, when I took the bannock and
broke off a bittock, the flour fell out in lumps.[FN#13] Now had
the kneader been well, her strength of hand would have remained
and the bread would have been wrought by all the veins; but, when
the blood came, her powers were minished for women's force is in
their hands; and as soon as the monthly period cometh upon them
their strength is lost. Their bodies contain three hundred and
sixty veins all lying hard by one another and the blood of the
catamenia floweth from them all; hence their force becometh
feebleness. And this was my proof of the woman which was
menstruous." Quoth the Sultan, "'Tis well. We accept as certain
thy saying upon this evidence, for it is agreeable to man's
understanding nor can any challenge it; this being from the power
of insight into the condition of womankind. And we are assured of
its soothfastness, for 'tis evident to us without concealment.
But which is he who said of the kid's meat that the beast was
suckled by a bitch? What proof had he of this? How did he learn
it and whence did his intelligence discover it to him?" Now when
the deceased Sultan's second son heard these words, he made
answer. "I, O King of the Age, am he who said that say!" The King
replied, "'Tis well;" and the Prince resumed, "O my lord, that
which showed me the matter of the meat which was to us brought is
as follows. I found the fat of the kid all hard by the bone, and