Whence art thou？ Who is thy father and what hath emboldened thee to debauch my daughter？" "Know， O King，" replied the prince，"that if thou put me to death， thou wilt repent it， for it will be thy ruin and that of all in thy dominions." "How so？" asked the King. "Know，" answered Taj el Mulouk， "that I am the son of King Suleiman Shah， and before thou knowest it， he will be upon thee with his horse and foot." When King Shehriman heard this， he would have forborne to kill Taj el Mulouk and put him in prison，till he should know the truth of his words； but his Vizier said to him， "O King of the age， it is my counsel that thou make haste to slay this gallows-bird， that dares debauch kings" daughters."
So the King said to the headsman， "Strike off his head； for he is a traitor." Accordingly， the headsman took him and binding him fast， raised his hand to the amirs， as if to consult them， a first and a second time， thinking to gain time； but the King said to him， "How long wilt thou consult the amirs？ If thou do so again， I will strike off thine own head." So the headsman raised his hand， till the hair of his armpit appeared， and was about to smite off Taj el Mulouk"s head， when suddenly loud cries arose and the people closed their strops； whereupon the King said to him， "Wait awhile，" and despatched one to learn the news.
Presently， the messenger returned and said， "I see an army like the stormy sea with its clashing billows； the earth trembles with the tramp of their horses， and I know not the reason of their coming." When the King heard this， he was confounded and feared lest his realm should be torn from him； so he turned to his Vizier and said， "Have not any of our troops gone forth to meet this army？" But before he had done speaking， his chamberlains entered with messengers from the approaching host， and amongst them the Vizier who had accompanied Taj el Mulouk. They saluted the King， who rose to receive them and bidding them draw near，enquired the reason of their coming； whereupon the Vizier came forward and said， "Know that he who hath invaded thy realm is no king like unto the Kings and Sultans of time past." "Who is he？"
asked Shehriman， and the Vizier replied， "He is the lord of justice and loyalty， the report of whose magnanimity the caravans have blazed abroad， the Sultan Suleiman Shah， lord of the Green Country and the Two Columns and the mountains of Ispahan， he who loves justice and equity and abhors iniquity and oppression. He saith to thee that his son， the darling of his heart and the fruit of his loins， is with thee and in this thy city； and if he find him in safety， his aim is won and thou shalt have praise and thanks； but if he have disappeared from thy dominions or if aught have befallen him， look thou for ruin and the laying waste of thy realm； for this thy city shall become a desert， in which the raven shall croak. Thus have I done my errand to thee and peace be on thee！" When King Shehriman heard these words， his heart was troubled and he feared for his kingdom： so he cried out for his grandees and viziers and chamberlains and officers； and when they appeared， he said to them， "Out on you！ Go down and search for the young man！" Now the prince was still under the headsman"s hands， but he was changed by the fright he had undergone.
Presently， the Vizier， chancing to look aside， saw the prince on the carpet of blood and knew him； so he threw himself upon him，as did the other envoys. Then they loosed his bonds and kissed his hands and feet， whereupon he opened his eyes and recognizing his father"s Vizier and his friend Aziz， fell down in a swoon，for excess of delight in them. When King Shehriman saw that the coming of the army was indeed on this youth"s account， he was confounded and feared greatly； so he went up to Taj el Mulouk and kissing his head， said to him， with streaming eyes， "O my son，bear me not malice neither blame the sinner for his evil-doing：
but have compassion on my gray hairs and do not lay waste my kingdom." But Taj el Mulouk drew near unto him and kissing his hand， replied， "Fear not： no harm shall come to thee， for indeed thou art to me as my father； but look that nought befall my beloved， the lady Dunya." "O my lord，" replied the King， "fear not for her； nought but joy shall betide her." And he went on to excuse himself to him and made his peace with King Suleiman"s Vizier， to whom he promised much money， if he would conceal from the King what he had seen. Then he bade his officers carry the prince to the bath and clothe him in one of the best of his own suits and bring him back speedily. So they carried him to the bath and brought him back to the presence-chamber， after having clad him in the suit that the King had set apart for him. When he entered， the King rose to receive him and made all his grandees stand in attendance on him. Then he sat down to converse with Aziz and the Vizier and acquainted them with what had befallen him； after which they told him how they had returned to his father and given him to know of his son"s perilous plight and added， "And indeed our coming hath brought thee relief and us gladness." Quoth he， "Good fortune hath attended your every action， first and last."
Meanwhile， King Shehriman went in to his daughter， the Princess Dunya， and found her weeping and lamenting for Taj el Mulouk.
Moreover， she had taken a sword and fixed the hilt in the earth，with the point to her heart between her breasts； and she bent over it， saying， "Needs must I kill myself and not live after my beloved." When her father entered and saw her in this case， he cried out， "O princess of kings" daughters， hold thy hand and have compassion on thy father and the people of thy realm！" Then he came up to her and said， "God forbid that an ill thing should befall thy father for thy sake！" And he told her that her lover was the son of King Suleiman Shah and sought her to wife and that the marriage waited only for her consent； whereat she smiled and said， "Did I not tell thee that he was a king"s son？ By Allah， I must let him crucify thee on a piece of wood worth two dirhems！"
