171
in this and said to his nurse, ‘Hasten and let none know of thee.’ So she arose and going in to the queen, said to her, ‘I have done thine occasion and it is on this wise. This night the king will come in to thee and do thou feign thyself asleep; and if he ask thee of aught, do thou answer him, as if in thy sleep.’ The queen thanked her and the old woman went away and fetching the hoopoe’s heart, gave it to the king.
Hardly was the night come, when he went in to his wife and found her lying back, [apparently] asleep; so he sat down by her side and laying the hoopoe’s heart on her breast, waited awhile, so he might be certified that she slept. Then said he to her, ‘Shah Khatoun, Shah Khatoun, is this my recompense from thee?’ Quoth she, ‘What offence have I committed?’ And he, ‘What offence can be greater than this? Thou sentest after yonder youth and broughtest him hither, on account of the desire of thy heart, so thou mightest do with him that for which thou lustedst.’ ‘I know not desire,’ answered she. ‘Verily, among thy servants are those who are comelier and handsomer than he; yet have I never desired one of them.’ ‘Why, then,’ asked he, ‘didst thou lay hold of him and kiss him!’ And she said, ‘This is my son and a piece of my heart; and of my longing and love for him, I could not contain myself, but sprang upon him and kissed him.’ When the king heard this, he was perplexed and amazed and said to her, ‘Hast thou a proof that this youth is thy son? Indeed, I have a letter from thine uncle King Suleiman Shah, [wherein he giveth me to know] that his uncle Belehwan cut his
