Meanwhile， the two young men sat talking and the prince said to Aziz， "It may be some one will come from the Princess Dunya." So he abode in expectation of this days and nights， whilst his heart was troubled and he knew neither sleep nor rest： for desire had gotten the mastery of him and passion and longing were sore upon him， so that he forewent the solace of sleep and abstained from meat and drink； yet ceased he not to be like the full moon. One day， as he sat in the shop， there came up an old woman， followed by two slave-girls. She stopped before Taj el Mulouk and observing his grace and elegance and symmetry， marvelled at his beauty and sweated in her clothes， exclaiming， "Glory to Him who created thee out of vile water and made thee a ravishment to all who look upon thee！" And she fixed her eyes on him and said，"This is sure no mortal， but a noble angel." Then she drew near and saluted him， whereupon he returned her salute and （being prompted thereto by Aziz） rose to his feet to receive her and smiled in her face after which he made her sit down by his side and fanned her， till she was rested and refreshed， when she turned to him and said， "O my son， O thou that art perfect in graces and charms， art thou of this country？" "By Allah， O my lady，" answered he in the sweetest and pleasantest of voices， "I was never in this country in my life till now， nor do I sojourn here save for my diversion." "May all honour and prosperity attend thee！" rejoined she. "What stuffs has thou brought with thee？ Show me something handsome； for the fair should bring nothing but what is fair." When he heard her words， his heart fluttered and he knew not what she meant； but Aziz made a sign to him， and he replied， "I have everything thou canst desire， and amongst the rest goods that befit none but kings and kings"
daughters； so tell me for whom thou seekest the stuff， that I may show thee what will befit her." This he said， that he might learn the meaning of her words； and she rejoined， "I want a stuff fit for the Princess Dunya， daughter of King Shehriman." When the prince heard the name of his beloved， he rejoiced greatly and said to Aziz， "Give me such a bale." So Aziz brought it and opened it before Taj el Mulouk， who said to the old woman，"Choose what will suit her； for these are goods only to be found with me." So she chose goods worth a thousand dinars and said，"How much is this？" And ceased not the while to talk with him and rub the inside of her thighs with the palm of her hand. "Shall I haggle with the like of thee about this paltry price？" answered he. "Praised be God who hath brought me acquainted with thee！"
"The name of God be upon thee！" exclaimed she. "I commend thy fair face to the protection of the Lord of the Daybreak！ Fair face and pleasant speech！ Happy the woman who lies in thy bosom and clasps thy waist in her arms and enjoys thy youth， especially if she be fair and graceful like unto thee！" At this， Taj el Mulouk laughed till he fell backward and said （in himself）， "O Thou who fulfillest desires by means of dissolute old women！ They are indeed the accomplishers of desires！" Then said she， "O my son， what is thy name？" And he answered， "My name is Taj el Mulouk."[FN#148] "This is a name of kings and kings" sons，"
rejoined she； "and thou art clad in a merchant"s habit." Quoth Aziz， "For the love his parents and family bore him and the value they set on him， they named him thus." "Thou sayst sooth，"
replied the old woman. "May God guard you both from the evil eye and the malice of the enemy and the envious， though hearts be broken by your charms！" Then she took the stuff and went away，amazed at the prince"s beauty and grace and symmetry， and going in to the Princess Dunya， said to her， "O my lady， I have brought thee some handsome stuff." "Show it me，" said the princess. "Here it is，" answered the old woman； "turn it over， O my treasure， and examine it." So the princess looked at the stuff and was amazed at its beauty and said， "O my nurse， this is indeed handsome stuff！ I have never seen its like in our city." "O my lady，"
replied the nurse， "he who sold it me is handsomer still. It would seem as if Rizwan had left the gates of Paradise open and this youth had come out. I would he might sleep this night with thee and lie between thy breasts！ He hath come hither with these stuffs for amusement"s sake， and he is a ravishment to all who set eyes on him." The princess laughed at her words and said，"Allah afflict thee， O pernicious old woman！ Thou dotest and there is no sense left in thee. Give me the stuff， that I may look at it anew." So she gave it her， and she examined it again and seeing that though small， it was of great value， was moved to admiration， for she had never in her life seen its like， and exclaimed， "By Allah， this is a handsome stuff." "O my lady，"
said the old woman， "if thou sawest him who sold it to me， thou wouldst know him for the handsomest of all that be upon the face of the earth." Quoth the princess， "Didst thou ask him if he had any need， that we might satisfy it？" The nurse shook her head and answered， "God keep thy sagacity！ Assuredly he has a want， may thy skill not fail thee. What man is free from wants？" "Go back to him，" rejoined the princess； "salute him for me， and say to him， "Our land and town are honoured by thy visit， and if thou hast any need， we will fulfil it to thee， on our head and eyes.""
So the old woman returned to Taj el Mulouk， and when he saw her，his heart leapt for joy and he rose to his feet and taking her hand， seated her by his side. As soon as she was rested she told him what the princess had said， whereat he rejoiced exceedingly；
his breast dilated and gladness entered his heart， and he said in himself， "Verily， I have gotten my desire." Then said he to the old woman， "Belike thou wilt take her a message from me and bring me her answer." "I hear and obey，" replied she. So he said to Aziz， "Bring me inkhorn and paper and a pen of brass." Aziz brought him what he sought， and he took the pen and wrote the following verses： I send thee， O my hope， a letter， to complain Of all my soul endures for parting and its pain.
