bridegroom, leaving her alone, and how after a little there came
another youth and lay down in the place of her bridegroom,
putting a sword between himself and her; "and in the morning"
[quoth she] "he who had brought us thither returned and taking us
up, carried us back to our place here: and hardly had he brought
us hither and left us when my father the Sultan entered and I had
neither heart nor tongue to answer him for stress of fright and
trembling which possessed me. And belike my father is vexed with
me; wherefore I prithee, O my mother, tell him the cause of this
my case, so he be not wroth with me for my failure to answer him
neither blame me, but excuse me."

When [FN#398] the queen heard the princess's story, she said to
her, "O my daughter, beware of [FN#399] telling this tale before
any, lest they [FN#400] say, 'Verily the Sultan's daughter hath
lost her wits.' Marry, thou diddest well in that thou
acquaintedst not thy father with this; and beware, yea [again I
say,] beware, O my daughter, of telling him thereof." "O my
mother," rejoined the Lady Bedrulbudour, "indeed, I bespoke thee
in sober earnest and have not lost my wits; nay, this is what
happened to me, and an thou believe it not from me, ask my
bridegroom." Quoth the queen, "Rise, O my daughter, and put away
these illusions from thy thought; nay, don thy clothes and see
the rejoicing that is toward in the town on thine account and the
festivities that they celebrate in the kingdom for thy sake and
hear the drums and the singing and look upon the decorations, all
in honour of thy nuptials, O my daughter." Accordingly, she
summoned the tirewomen, who dressed the Lady Bedrulbudour and
busked her; whilst the Queen went in to the Sultan and told him
that there had that night betided the princess a dream and