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my sister, how pleasant is thy tale, and how tasteful; how sweet

and how grateful!" She replied, "And what is this compared with

that I could tell thee, the night to come, if I live and the King

spare me?"[FN#59] Then thought the King, "By Allah, I will not

slay her until I hear the rest of her tale, for truly it is

wondrous." So they rested that night in mutual embrace until the

dawn. After this the King went forth to his Hall of Estate, and

the Wazir and the troops came in and the court was crowded, and

the King gave orders and judged and appointed and deposed,

bidding and forbidding during the rest of the day. Then the Divan

broke up, and King Shahryar entered his palace.

When it was the Third Night,