riddle, for that
no man had come out of it alive. 'O king!' replied the prince, 'it is
to answer it that I am here; I will not withdraw.'

Mihr-afruz was told that one man more had staked his head on her
question, and that this was one who said he knew the answer. At the
request of the prince, all the officers and notables of the land were
summoned to hear his reply to the princess. All assembled, and the
king and his queen Gul-rukh, and the girl and the prince were there.

The prince addressed Mihr-afruz: 'What is the question you ask?'

'What did the rose do to the cypress?' she rejoined.

The prince smiled, and turned and addressed the assembly.

'You who are experienced men and versed in affairs, did you ever know
or hear and see anything of this matter?'

'No!' they answered, 'no one has ever known or heard or seen aught
about it; it is an empty fancy.'

'From whom, then, did the princess hear of it? This empty fancy it is
that has done many a servant of God to death!'

All saw the good sense of his words and showed their approval. Then he
turned to the princess: 'Tell us the truth, princess; who told you of
this thing? I know it hair by hair, and in and out; but if I tell you
what I know, who is there that can say I speak the truth? You must
produce the person who can confirm my words.'

Her heart sank, for she feared that her long-kept secret was now to be
noised abroad. But she said merely: 'Explain yourself.'

'I shall explain myself fully when you bring here the negro whom you
hide beneath your throne.'

Here the king shouted in wonderment: 'Explain yourself, young man!
What negro does my daughter hide beneath her throne?'

'That,' said the prince, 'you will see if you order to be brought here
the negro who will be found beneath the throne of the princess.'

Messengers were forthwith despatched to the garden-house, and after
awhile they returned bringing a negro whom they had discovered in a
secret chamber underneath the throne of Mihr-afruz, dressed in a dress
of honour, and surrounded with luxury. The king was overwhelmed with
astonishment, but the girl had taken heart again. She had had time to
think that perhaps the prince had heard of the presence of the negro,
and knew no more. So she said haughtily: 'Prince! you have not
answered my riddle.'

'O most amazingly impudent person,' cried he, 'do you not yet repent?'

Then he turned to the people, and told them the whole story of the
rose