The king their father conceived the greater joy at their return, because he had despaired of ever seeing them. He asked what had been the occasion of their stay; but they took care not to acquaint him with it, making no mention either of the black or of Codadad; and only said, that, being curious to see the country, they had spent some time in the neighbouring cities.
In the mean time Codadad lay in his tent, drowned in his own blood, and little differing from a dead man, with the princess his wife, who seemed to be in no much better condition than he. She rent the air with her dismal shrieks, tore her hair, and, bathing her husband’s body with her tears, Alas! Codadad, my dear Codadad, cried she, is it you whom I behold just departing this life? What cruel hands have put you into this condition? May I believe these are your brothers who have treated you so unmercifully? No, they are rather devils, who have taken those shapes to murder you. O barbarous wretches! whosoever you are, how could you make so ungrateful a return for the service he has done you? But why should I complain of your brothers, unfortunate Codadad! I alone am to blame for your death. You would tack your fate upon mine; and all the ill fortune that attends me since I left my father’s palace has fallen upon you. O Heaven! which has condemned me to lead a wandering life and full of calamities, if you will not permit me to have a consort, why do you permit me to find any? Behold, you have now robbed me of two, just as I began to be endeared to them.
By these, and other moving expressions, the unhappy princess of Deryabar vented her sorrow, fixing her eyes on the deplorable Codadad, who could not hear her. But Codadad was not dead; and his consort, observing that he still breathed, ran to a large open town she spied in the plain, to inquire for a surgeon. She was showed one, who went immediately with her: but when they came to the tent, they could not find Codadad, which made them conclude he had been dragged away by some wild beast to devour him. The princess renewed her complaints and lamentations in a most dismal manner. The surgeon took compassion; and, being unwilling to leave her in that miserable condition, proposed to her to return to the town, offering her his house and service.