and he took horse with his son and rode out with himthat the folk might see him and rejoice. After awhile the prince enquired for the maker of the horsesaying'O my fatherwhat hath fortune done with him？'May God not bless him，'answered the King'nor the hour in which I set eyes on him！ For he was the cause of thy separation from usO my sonand he hath lain in prison since the day of thy disappearance.'Then he bade release him from prison and sending for himinvested him in a dress of honour and entreated him with the utmost favour and munificencesave that he would not give him his daughter to wife；whereat he was sore enraged and repented of that which he had doneknowing that the prince had learnt the secret of the horse and the manner of its motion. Moreoverthe King said to his son'Methinks thou wilt do well not to mount the horse neither go near it henceforth；for thou knowest not its propertiesand it is perilous for thee to meddle with it.'Now the prince had told his father of his adventure with the King's daughter of Senaaand he said'If the King had been minded to kill theehe had done so；but thine hour was not yet come.'
When the rejoicings were at an endthe people returned to their houses and the King and his son to the palacewhere they sat down and fell to eating and drinking and making merry. Now the King had a handsome slave-girlwho was skilled in playing upon the lute；so she took it and began to play upon it and sing thereto of separation of lovers before the King and his sonand she chanted the following verses：
Think not that absence ever shall win me to forget： For what should I rememberif I'd forgotten you？
Time passesbut my passion for you shall never end： In love of youI swear itI'll die and rise anew.
When the prince heard thisthe fires of longing flamed up in his heart and passion redoubled upon him. Grief and regret were sore upon him and his entrails yearned in him for love of the King's daughter of Senaa；so he rose forthright and eluding his father's noticewent forth the palace to the horse and mounting itturned the peg of ascentwhereupon it flew up into the air with him and soared towards the confines of the sky. Presentlyhis father missed him and going up to the summit of the palacein great concernsaw the prince rising into the air；whereat he was sore afflicted and repented exceedingly that he had not taken the horse and hidden it： and he said in himself'By Allahif but my son return to meI will destroy the horsethat my heart may be at rest concerning my son.'And he fell again to weeping and bewailing himself for his son.
Meanwhilethe prince flew on through the air till he came to the city of Senaa and alighted on the roof as before. Then he went down stealthily and finding the eunuch asleepas of wont，raised the curtain and went onlittle by littletill he came to the door of the princess's chamber and stopped to listen；whenbeholdhe heard her weeping plenteous tears and reciting verseswhilst her women slept round her. Presentlythey heard her weeping and wailing and said'O our mistresswhy wilt thou mourn for one who mourns not for thee？'O little of wit，'answered she'is he for whom I mourn of those who are forgotten？'And she fell again to weeping and wailingtill sleep overcame her.
Now the prince's heart ached for herso he entered and seeing her lying asleepwithout coveringtouched her with his hand；
whereupon she opened her eyes and saw him standing by her.
Quoth he'Why this weeping and mourning？'And when she knew himshe threw herself upon him and embraced him and kissed him and answered'For thy sake and because of my separation from thee.'O my lady，'said he'I have wearied for thee all this time！'But she answered'It is I who have wearied for thee，and hadst thou tarried longerI had surely died！'O my lady，'
rejoined he'what thinkest thou of my case with thy father and how he dealt with me？ Were it not for my love of theeO ravishment of all creaturesI had surely slain him and made him a warning to all beholders；buteven as I love theeso I love him for thy sake.'Quoth she'How couldst thou leave me？
Can life be sweet to me after thee？'Quoth he'Let what has happened suffice now： I am hungry and thirsty.'So she bade her maidens make ready meat and drink[and they sat eating and drinking and conversing] till nigh upon daybreakwhen he rose to take leave of her and departere the eunuch should awake，and she said'Whither goest thou？'To my father's house，'answered he；'and I plight thee my troth that I will come to thee once in every week.'But she wept and said'I conjure theeby God the Supremetake me with thee whither thou goest and make me not taste anew the bitterness of separation from thee.'Quoth he'Wilt thou indeed go with me？'and she answered'Yes.'Then，'said he'arisethat we may depart.'
