"O my daughter，" answered the King， "have mercy on me， so may God have mercy on thee！" "Harkye，" rejoined she， "make haste and bring him to me without delay." The King replied， "On my head and eyes be it，" and returning in haste to Taj el Mulouk， repeated her words in his ear. So he arose and accompanied the King to the princess， who caught hold of him and embraced him in her father"s presence and kissed him， saying， "Thou hast made me a weary woman！" Then she turned to her father and said to him， "Sawst thou ever any do hurt to the like of this fair creature， more by token that he is a king， the son of a king， and of the free-bon，guarded against abominations？" Therewith Shehriman went out and shutting the door on them with his own hand， returned to the Vizier and the other envoys and bade them report to their King that his son was in health and gladness and enjoying all delight of life with his beloved. So they returned to King Suleiman and acquainted him with this， whereat he rejoiced and exclaimed，"Praised be God who hath brought my son to his desire！"
Meanwhile， King Shehriman despatched largesse of money and victual to King Suleiman"s troops， and choosing out a hundred coursers and a hundred dromedaries and a hundred white slaves and a hundred concubines and a hundred black slaves and a hundred female slaves， sent them all to the King as a present. Then he took horse， with his grandees and chief officers， and rode out of the city in the direction of King Suleiman"s camp. As soon as the latter knew of his approach， he rose and advancing some paces to meet him， took him in his arms and made him sit down beside himself on the royal couch， where they conversed awhile frankly and cheerfully. Then food was set before them， followed by sweetmeats and fruits， and they ate till they were satisfied.
Presently， they were joined by Taj el Mulouk， richly dressed and adorned， and when his father saw him， he rose and embraced him and kissed him. Then the two kings seated him between them，whilst all who were present rose to do him honour； and they sat conversing awhile， after which quoth King Suleiman to King Shehriman， "I wish to have the contract between my son and thy daughter drawn up in the presence of witnesses， that the marriage may be made public， as of wont." "I hear and obey，" answered King Shehriman and summoned the Cadi and the witnesses， who came and drew up the marriage contract between the prince and princess.
Then they gave largesse of money and sweetmeats and burnt perfumes and sprinkled essences. And indeed it was a day of joy and festivity， and the grandees and soldiers rejoiced therein.
Then King Shehriman proceeded to equip his daughter； and Taj el Mulouk said to his father， "Of a truth， this young man Aziz is a man of great worth and generosity and hath done me right noble service， having wearied for me and travelled with me till he brought me to my desire. Indeed， he ceased never to have patience with me and exhort me to patience， till I accomplished my intent；
and he has now companied with us two whole years， cut off from his native land. So now I purpose to equip him with merchandise，that he may depart with a light heart； for his country is near at hand." "It is well seen，" replied his father： so they made ready a hundred loads of the richest and most costly stuffs， which Taj el Mulouk presented to Aziz， saying， "O my brother and my true friend， take these loads and accept them from me， as a gift and token of affection， and go in peace to thine own country." Aziz accepted the presents and kissing the earth before the prince and his father， bade them farewell. Moreover， Taj el Mulouk mounted and brought him three miles on his homeward way， after which Aziz conjured him to turn back， saying， "By Allah， O my lord， were it not for my mother， I would never part from thee！ But leave me not without news of thee." "So be it，" replied Taj el Mulouk. Then the prince returned to the city， and Aziz journeyed on， till he came to his native town and repairing to his mother"s house，found that she had built him a monument in the midst of the courtyard and used to visit it continually. When he entered， he found her， with her hair dishevelled and spread over the tomb，weeping and repeating the following verses：
Indeed， I"m very patient "gainst all that can betide； Yet do I lack of patience thine absence to abide.
Who is there can have patience after his friend and who Bows not the head to parting， that comes with rapid stride？
Then sobs burst up out of her breast， and she repeated these verses also：
What ails me？ I pass by the graveyard， saluting the tomb of my son， And yet no greeting he gives me and answer comes there none.
"How shall I give thee an answer， who lie in the grip of the grave， The hostage of earth and corruption，" replies the beloved one.
"The dust hath eaten my beauties and I have forgotten thee， Shut in from kindred and lovers and stars and moon and sun."
Then Aziz came in to her， and when she saw him， she fell down in a swoon for joy. He sprinkled water on her， till she revived and rising， took him in her arms and strained him to her bosom，whilst he in like manner embraced her. Then they exchanged greetings， and she asked the reason of his long absence，whereupon he told her all that had befallen him from first to last and how Taj el Mulouk had given him a hundred loads of wealth and stuffs. At this she rejoiced， and Aziz abode with his mother in his native town， weeping for what had befallen him with the daughter of Delileh the Crafty， even her who had gelded him.
Meanwhile， Taj el Mulouk went in to his beloved， the Princess Dunya， and did away her maidenhead. Then King Shehriman proceeded to equip his daughter for her journey with her husband and father-in-law and let bring them victual and gifts and rarities.
