this thy
behaviour? Tell me what aileth thee, that I come to thee and give thee
good-morrow and thou returnest me no answer."

The Lady Bedrulbudour raised her head and said to her, "Blame me not,
O my mother; indeed, it behoved me receive thee with all reverence and
worship, since thou honourest me by coming to me; but I beseech thee
hear the cause of this my case and see how this night I have passed
hath been for me the sorriest of nights. Hardly had we lain down, O
my mother, when one, whose fashion I know not, took up the bed and
transported us to a place dark, foul [397] and mean." Then she told her
mother the queen all that had betided her that night and how they had
taken her 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 [398] the queen heard the princess's story, she said to her, "O my
daughter, beware of [399] telling this tale before any, lest they [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 t