Then he repeated to them what his nurse Marjanah had told him of this same slave whose name was AlGhazban；after which they turned to the third prisoner.Now this was the very camel driver[128] whom the people of the Holy City，Jerusalem，hired to carry Zau alMakan and lodge him in the hospital at Damascus of Syria；but he threw him down on the ashes midden and went his way.And they said to him，'Acquaint us with thy case and tell the truth.'So he related to them all that had happened to him with Sultan Zau alMakan；how he had been carried from the Holy City，at the time when he was sick，till they made Damascus and he had been thrown into the hospital；how also the Jerusalem folk had paid the cameleer money to transport the stranger to Damascus，and he had taken it and fled after casting his charge upon the midden by the side of the ashheap of the Hammam.But when he ended his words，Sultan Kanmakan took his sword forthright and cut off his head，saying，'Praised be Allah who hath given me life，that I might requite this traitor what he did with my father，for I have heard this very story from King Zau alMakan himself.'Then the Kings said each to other，'It remaineth only for us to wreak our revenge upon the old woman Shawahi，yclept Zat alDawahi，because she is the prime cause of all these calamities and cast us into adversity on this wise.
Who will deliver her into our hands that we may avenge ourselves upon her and wipe out our dishonour？'And King Rumzan said，'Needs must we bring her hither.'So without stay or delay he wrote a letter to his grandmother，the aforesaid ancient woman，giving her to know therein that he had subdued the kingdoms of Damascus and Mosul and Irak，and had broken up the host of the Moslems and captured their princes，adding，'I desire thee of all urgency to come to me，bringing with thee Queen Sophia，daughter of King Afridun，and whom thou wilt of the Nazarene chiefs，but no armies；for the country is quiet and wholly under our hand.'
And when she read the letter and recognised the handwriting of King Rumzan，she rejoiced with great joy and forthright equipping herself and Queen Sophia，set out with their attendants and journeyed，without stopping，till they drew near Baghdad.Then she foresent a messenger to acquaint the King of her arrival，whereupon quoth Rumzan，'We should do well to don the habit of the Franks and fare forth to meet the old woman，to the intent that we may be assured against her craft and perfidy.'Whereto Kanmakan replied，'Hearing is consenting.'So they clad themselves in Frankish clothes and，when Kuzia Fakan saw them，she exclaimed，'By the truth of the Lord of Worship，did I not know you，I should take you to be indeed Franks！'Then they sallied forth with a thousand horse，King Rumzan riding on before them，to meet the old woman.As soon as his eyes fell on hers，he dismounted and walked towards her and she，recognizing him，dismounted also and embraced him，but he pressed her ribs with his hands，till he well nigh broke them.Quoth she，'What is this，O my son？'But before she had done speaking，up came Kanmakan and Dandan；and the horsemen with them cried out at the women and slaves and took them all prisoners.Then the two Kings returned to Baghdad，with their captives，and Rumzan bade them decorate the city which they did for three days，at the end of which they brought out the old woman Shawahi，highs Zat al Dawahi，with a peaked red turband of palmleaves on her head，diademed with asses' dung and preceded by a herald proclaiming aloud，'This is the reward of those who presume to lay hands on Kings and the sons of Kings！'Then they crucified her on one of the gates of Baghdad；and，when her companions saw what befel her，all embraced in a body the faith of AlIslam.As for Kanmakan and his uncle Rumzan and his aunt Nuzhat alZaman and the Wazir Dandan，they marvelled at the wonderful events that had betided them and bade the scribes chronicle them in books that those who came after might read.Then they all abode for the remainder of their days in the enjoyment of every solace and comfort of life，till there overtook them the Destroyer of all delights and the Sunderer of all societies.And this is the whole that hath come down to us of the dealings of fortune with King Omar bin alNu'uman and his sons Sharrkan and Zau alMakan and his son's son Kanmakan and his daughter Nuzhat alZaman and her daughter Kuzia Fakan.Thereupon quoth Shahryar to Shahrazad，'I desire that thou tell me somewhat about birds；'and hearing this Dunyazad said to her sister，'I have never seen the Sultan light at heart all this while till the present night，and his pleasure garreth me hope that the issue for thee with him may be a happy issue.'Then drowsiness overcame the Sultan，so he slept；[129]And Shahrazad perceived the approach of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the One Hundred and Fortysixth Night，Shahrazad began to relate，in these words，the tale of THE BIRDS AND BEASTS AND THE CARPENTER[130]
Quoth she，It hath reached me，O auspicious King，that in times of yore and in ages long gone before，a peacock abode with his wife on the seashore. Now the place was infested with lions and all manner wild beasts，withal it abounded in trees and streams.
So cock and hen were wont to roost by night upon one of the trees，being in fear of the beasts，and went forth by day questing food. And they ceased not thus to do till their fear increased on them and they searched for some place wherein to dwell other than their old dwelling place；and in the course of their search behold，they happened on an island abounding in streams and trees. So they alighted there and ate of its fruits and drank of its waters. But whilst they were thus engaged，lo！
