power. The news of this reached Kanmakan by the merchants； so he returned in haste to Baghdad， riding on the aforesaid stallion，and the news of his coming reached King Sasan， as he sat perplexed upon his throne； whereupon he despatched all the troops and head-men of Baghdad to meet him. So all who were in Baghdad went out to meet the Prince and escorted him to the palace and kissed the threshold， whilst the damsels and eunuchs went in to his mother and gave her the good tidings of his return. She came to him and kissed him between the eyes， but he said to her， "O my mother， let me go to my uncle King Sasan， who hath overwhelmed us with favours and benefits." Then he repaired to the palace，whilst all the people marvelled at the beauty of the stallion and said， "No king is like unto this man." So he went in to King Sasan， who rose to receive him； and Kanmakan saluted him and kissing his hands， offered him the horse as a present. The King bade him welcome， saying， "Welcome and fair welcome to my son Kanmakan！ By Allah， the world hath been straitened on me by reason of thine absence， but praised be God for thy safety！" And Kanmakan called down blessings on him. Then the King looked at the stallion and knowing it for the very horse， Catoul by name，that he had seen in such and such a year， whilst at the leaguer of Constantinople with King Zoulmekan， said to Kanmakan， "I！ thy father could have come by this horse， he would have bought him with a thousand chargers of price： but now let the honour return to thee who deservest it. We accept the steed and return it to thee as a gift， for thou hast more right to it than any man alive， being the prince of cavaliers." Then he bade bring forth for him dresses of honour and led horses and appointed him the chief lodging in the palace， giving him much money and showing him the utmost honour， for that he feared the issue of the Vizier Dendan"s doings. At this Kanmakan rejoiced and despondency and humiliation ceased from him. Then he went to his house and said to his mother， "O my mother， how is it with my cousin？" "By Allah， O my son，" answered she， "my concern for thine absence hath distracted me from any other， even to thy beloved；
especially as she was the cause of thine exile and separation from me." Then he complained to her of his sufferings， saying， "O my mother， go to her and speak with her； haply she will favour me with a sight of her and dispel my anguish." "O my son，" replied his mother， "idle desires abase the necks of men； so put away from thee this thought that will but lead to vexation； for I will not go to her nor carry her such a message." Thereupon he told her what he had heard from the horse-thief concerning Dhat ed Dewahi， how she was then in their land， on her way to Baghdad，and added， "It was she who slew my uncle and grandfather， and needs must I avenge them and wipe out our reproach." Then he left her and repaired to an old woman， by name Saadaneh， a cunning，perfidious and pernicious beldam， past mistress in all kinds of trickery and deceit To her he complained of what he suffered for love of his cousin Kuzia Fekan and begged her to go to her and implore her favour for him. "I hear and obey，" answered the old woman and betaking herself to Kuzia Fekan"s palace， interceded with her in his favour. Then she returned to him and said， "Thy cousin salutes thee and will visit thee this night at the middle hour." At this he rejoiced and sat down to await the fulfilment of his cousin"s promise. At the appointed hour she came to him，wrapped in a veil of black silk， and aroused him from sleep，saying， "How canst thou pretend to love me， when thou art sleeping， heart-free， after the goodliest fashion？" So he awoke and said， "O desire of my heart， by Allah， I slept not but hoping that thine image might visit me in dreams！" Then she chid him tenderly and repeated the following verses：
Wert thou indeed a lover true and leal， Thou hadst not suffered slumber on thee creep.
O thou who feign"st to walk the ways of love， The watch of passion and desire to keep，Son of my uncle， sure the eyes of those Who"re love-distraught know not the taste of sleep.
When he heard his cousin"s words， he was abashed before her and rose and excused himself. Then they embraced and complained to each other of the anguish of separation； and thus they did， till the dawn broke and the day flowered forth over the lands； when she rose to depart. At this， Kanmakan wept and sighed and repeated the following verses：
She came to me， after her pride had driven me to despair， She in whose lips the teeth as the pearls of her necklace were.
I kissed her a thousand times and clipped her close in my arms And lay all night with my cheek pressed close to the cheek of the fair；
Till the day， that must sever our loves， as "twere the blade of a sword That flashes forth of its sheath， gleamed out on us unaware.
Then she took leave of him and returned to her palace. Now she let certain of her damsels into her secret， and one of them told the King， who went in to Kuzia Fekan and drawing his sabre upon her， would have slain her： but her mother Nuzhet ez Zeman entered and said to him， "By Allah， do her no hurt， lest it be noised among the folk and thou become a reproach among the kings of the age！ Thou knowest that Kanmakan is no base-born wretch， but a man of honour and nobility， who would not do aught that could shame him， and she was reared with him. So take patience and be not hasty； for verily the report is spread abroad， among the people of the palace and all the folk of the city， how the Vizier Dendan hath levied troops from all countries and is on his way hither to make Kanmakan king." "By Allah，" said the King， "needs must I cast him into a calamity， such that neither earth shall bear him nor sky shadow him！ I did but speak him fair and entreat him with favour， because of my subjects and officers， lest they should turn to him； but thou shalt see what will betide." Then he left her and went out to order the affairs of the kingdom.