Arabian Nights: 246th Night: Jullanar of the Sea. - 17

The following night Shahrazad said: 

That the conversation between Jullanar and her brother was overheard by by King Badr who had been lying beside them, half asleep and half awake. "She has jewel-like teeth, sweet lips, black eyes, a soft bod, heavy hips, and a slender waist."
Badr had an obsession with full hipped girls. And the name Jauhara nurtured his obsession.

Jullanar replied to her brother, "You are right, for I have seen her many times when she was a child. But it has been years before.  By God, none but Jauhara is worthy of my son."

"But her father al-Shamandal is powerful, proud and ill-tempered.  Say nothing to your son, until we propose our idea to her father and receive his approval.  If he refuses we will keep quiet and seek another alliance," replied Sayih.

Jullanar replied, "This is an excellent idea."

Next morning the king and his uncle went for a bath.  After they returned, the servants gave them wine. Tables were set for food.

After the food the uncle was ready to depart. He said to his sister and his nephew, "I will miss you, but I beg your leave to return to my mother.  I have been with you for many days, and she is waiting and worrying there about me." The king bade him farewell, and his heart still on fire for full-hipped Jauhara, rode alone till he came to a meadow with a thicket of trees by the banks of a running stream.  He dismounted, intending to sleep under the shade of trees.  But he recalled his uncle's description of Jauhara, and he wept bitterly.

When he had hidden his uncle farewell and mounted the horse, his uncle looked at him, and seeing that he did not look well, feared that the young man had overheard their conversations, and he said to himself, "I will follow Badr, and see what he is going to do."  So he followed him, and when the king dismounted at the bank of the stream, his uncle hid himself.  He, from his safe hiding place, heard the following verses recited by his nephew:

Who will help me with a hard full-
Hipped girl, who is bright as sun
I am her captive and willing slave
Lost in love for al-Shamandal's
Daughter. I will never forget her
I will never love anyone but her.

Uncle Sayih came out of his hiding place and said, "I have heard what you said." 

Badr replied, "As soon as I heard what you said about her, I fell in love with her, and now my heart cleaves to her, and I cannot give her up."

His uncle replied, "Let us return to your mother and tell her about the situation, and tell her that I will take you with me and demand princess Jauhara in marriage.  I have to seek her permission, otherwise she will reproach me for the cause of your separation. I will not undermine her authority, and moreover the city will be left without a king."

Badr replied, "Uncle, I will not return to my mother and consult her, she will not let me go with you.  No, I will not return to her.  And he wept before his uncle, and said, "l will go with you now without telling her, and I will return to her later." When Sayih heard this he was at loss and said, "I can only pray to Almighty God for help." 

When he saw......

Morning overtook and Shahrazad lapsed into silence.



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