The Arabian Nights Entertainments, vol 1 | Page 8

and spoke to them with a low but quick voice to come
down to her; she would take no denial. They made signs to her that
they were afraid of the genie, and would fain have been excused. Upon
which she ordered them to come down, and, if they did not make haste,
threatened to awake the giant, and bid him kill them.
These words did so much intimidate the princes, that they began to
come down with all possible precaution, lest they should awake the
genie. When they came down, the lady took them by the hand, and
going a little farther with them under the trees, made a very urgent
proposal to them. At first they rejected it, but she obliged them to
accept it by her threats. Having obtained what she desired, she

perceived that each of them had a ring on his finger, which she
demanded of them. As soon as she received them, she went and took a
box out of the bundle, where her toilet was, pulled out a string of other
rings of all sorts, which she showed them, and asked them if they knew
what those jewels meant? No, say they, we hope you will be pleased to
tell us. They are, replies she, the rings of all the men to whom I have
granted my favour; There are full fourscore and eighteen of them,
which I keep in token to remember them; and asked yours for the same
reason, to make up my hundred. So that, continues she, I have had a
hundred gallants already, notwithstanding the vigilance of this wicked
genie, that never leaves me. He is much the nearer for locking me up in
this glass box, and hiding me in the bottom of the sea; I find a way to
cheat him for all his care. You may see by this, that when a woman has
formed a project, there is no husband or gallant that can hinder her
from putting it in execution. Men had better not put their wives under
such restraint, if they have a mind they should be chaste. Having
spoken thus to them, she put their rings upon the same string with the
rest, and, sitting down by the monster as before, laid his head again
upon her lap, and made a sign for the princes to be gone.
They returned immediately by the same way they came; and when they
were out of sight of the lady and the genie, Schahriar says to
Schahzenan, Well, brother, what do you think of this adventure? has
not the genie a very faithful mistress? And do not you agree that there
is no wickedness equal to that of women? Yes, brother, answers the
king of Great Tartary; and you must. agree that the monster is more
unfortunate, and has more reason to complain, than we. Therefore,
since we have found what we sought for, let us return to our dominions,
and let not this hinder us to marry again. For my part, I know a method
by which I think I shall keep inviolable the faith that any woman shall
plight to me. I shall say no more of it at present, but you will hear of it
in a little time, and I am sure you will follow my example. The sultan
agreed with his brother; and, continuing their journey, they arrived in
the camp the third night after they left it.
The news of the sultan's return being spread, the courtiers came betimes
in the morning before his pavilion to wait on him. He ordered them to
enter, received them with a more pleasant air than formerly, and gave
each of them a gratification; after which he told them he would go no

further, ordered them to take horse, and returned speedily to his palace.
As soon as he arrived, he ran to the sultaness's apartment, commanded
her to be bound before him, and delivered her to his grand vizier, with
an order to strangle her; which was accordingly executed by that
minister, without inquiring into her crime. The enraged prince did not
stop here; he cut off the heads of all the sultaness's ladies with his own
hand. After this rigorous punishment, being persuaded that no woman
was chaste, he resolved, in order to prevent the disloyalty of such as he
should afterwards marry, to wed one every night, and have her
strangled next morning. Having imposed this cruel law upon himself,
he swore that he would observe it immediately after the departure of
the king of Tartary, who speedily took leave of him, and, being loaded
with magnificent presents, set forward on his journey.
Schahzenan being gone, Schahriar ordered his grand vizier to bring him
the daughter of one of his generals. The