As when a bird， with widely-spreading wings，Leaveth the sky to settle on the sea.'
So the vessel sailed on her fastest and the wind to her was fairest. Thus far concerning them； but as regards the Mamelukes， they went to Nur al-Din's mansion and， breaking open the doors， entered and searched the whole place， but could find no trace of him and the damsel； so they demolished the house and， returning to the Sultan， reported their proceedings； whereupon quoth he，'Make search for them both， wherever they may be；'and they answered，'Hearing is obeying.'The Wazir Al-Mu'in had also gone home after the Sultan had bestowed upon him a robe of honour， and had set his heart at rest by saying，'None shall take blood-wreak for thee save I；'and he had blessed the King and prayed for his long life and prosperity.Then the Sultan bade proclaim about the city，'Oyez， O ye lieges one and all！It is the will of our lord the Sultan that whoso happeneth on Nur al-Din Ali son of Al-Fazl bin Khakan， and bringeth him to the Sultan， shall receive a robe of honour and one thousand gold pieces； and he who hideth him or knoweth his abiding place and informeth not， deserveth whatsoever pains and penalties shall befal him.'So all began to search for Nur al-Din Ali， but they could find neither trace nor tidings of him.Meanwhile he and his handmaid sailed on with the wind right aft， till they arrived in safety at Baghdad， and the captain said to them，'This is Baghdad and'tis the city where security is to be had： Winter with his frosts hath turned away and Prime hath come his roses to display； and the flowers are a-glowing and the trees are blowing and the streams are flowing.'
So Nur al-Din landed， he and his handmaid and， giving the captain five dinars， walked on a little way till the decrees of Destiny brought them among the gardens， and they came to a place swept and sprinkled， with benches along the walls and hanging jars filled with water.[41]Overhead was a trellis of reed-work and canes shading the whole length of the avenue， and at the upper end was a garden gate， but this was locked.'By Allah，'
quoth Nur al-Din to the damsel，'right pleasant is this place！'；
and she replied，'O my lord sit with me a while on this bench and let us take our ease.'So they mounted and sat them down on the bench， after which they washed their faces and hands； and the breeze blew cool on them and they fell asleep and glory be to Him who never sleepeth！ Not this garden was named the Garden of Gladness[42] and therein stood a belvedere hight the Palace of Pleasure and the Pavilion of Pictures， the whole belonging to the Caliph Harun al-Rashid who was wont， when his breast was straitened with care， to frequent garden and palace and there to sit.The palace had eighty latticed windows and fourscore lamps hanging round a great candelabrum of gold furnished with wax-candles； and， when the Caliph used to enter， he would order the handmaids to throw open the lattices and light up the rooms； and he would bid Ishak bin Ibrahim the cup-companion and the slave-girls to sing till his breast was broadened and his ailments were allayed.Now the keeper of the garden， Shaykh Ibrahim， was a very old man， and he had found from time to time， when he went out on any business， people pleasuring about the garden gate with their bona robas； at which he was angered with exceeding anger.[43]But he took patience till one day when the Caliph came to his garden； and he complained of this to Harun al-Rashid who said，'Whomsoever thou surprisest about the door of the garden， deal with him as thou wilt.'Now on this day the Gardener chanced to be abroad on some occasion and returning found these two sleeping at the gate covered with a single mantilla； whereupon said he，'By Allah， good！These twain know not that the Caliph hath given me leave to slay anyone I may catch at the door； but I will give this couple a shrewd whipping， that none may come near the gate in future.'So he cut a green palm-frond[FN#44] and went up to them and， raising his arm till the white of his arm-pit appeared， was about to strike them， when he bethought himself and said，'O Ibrahim， wilt thou beat them unknowing their case？Haply they are strangers or of the Sons of the Road，[FN#45] and the decrees of Destiny have thrown them here.I will uncover their faces and look at them.'So he lifted up the mantilla from their heads and said，'They are a handsome couple； it were not fitting that I should beat them.'
Then he covered their faces again and， going to Nur al-Din's feet， began to rub and shampoo them，[FN#46] whereupon the youth opened his eyes and， seeing an old man of grave and reverend aspect rubbing his feet， he was ashamed and drawing them in， sat up.Then he took Shaykh Ibrahim's hand and kissed it.Quoth the old man，'O my son， whence art thou？'； and quoth he，'O my lord， we two are strangers，'and the tears started from his eyes.'O my son，'said Shaykh Ibrahim，'know that the Prophet （whom Allah bless and preserve！） hath enjoined honour to the stranger；'and added，'Wilt not thou arise， O my son， and pass into the garden and solace thyself by looking at it and gladden thy heart？''O my lord，'said Nur al-Din，'to whom doth this garden belong？；'and the other replied，'O my son， I have inherited it from my folk.'Now his object in saying this was to set them at their ease and induce them to enter the garden.So Nur al-Din thanked him and rose， he and the damsel， and followed him into the garden； and lo！ it was a garden， and what a garden！The gate was arched like a great hall and over walls and roof ramped vines with grapes of many colours； the red like rubies and the black like ebonies； and beyond it lay a bower of trelliced boughs growing fruits single and composite， and small birds on branches sang with melodious recite， and the thousand-noted nightingale shrilled with her varied shright； the turtle with her cooing filled the site； the blackbird whistled like human wight[47]
