Arabian Nights: 260th Night: Jullanar of the Sea - 31

The following night Shahrazad said:

King Badr sat at the door of the shop, watching people who passed, and there were plenty of them. Some of them saw, and a few of them came by, and asked the old man, "Shaikh, is this your latest captive and prey?" 
He replied, "No, by God, he is my brother's son. He lives far away. His father was dead, so I brought him here."
"He is handsome young man, Queen Lab is sure to eye him. She would snatch him from you."

The old man replied, "The Queen will not cross me.  She likes me and respects me.  When she knew that he is my son she would not bother him. King Badr lived with him for a full month, eating and drinking, and the old man liked him very much. 

One day, king Badr had been sitting at the door of the shop, as he used to, there marched thousand officers riding Arabian horses with gilded saddles, dressed in uniforms, girded with jeweled girdles, and holding drawn swords.  When they passed by, they saluted the old man and he returned their salutes.  A thousand Mamluks in uniforms, holding drawn gilded swords accompanied them. They also saluted him, and he returned it. Behind the Mamluks marched a thousand girls like moons, dressed in silks and satin robes embroidered with gold, and armed with shields and spears. In their midst had been riding their queen on an Arabian horse with a golden saddle embellished with rubies and jewels.  They halted before the old man and saluted him, and he returned their salute.  The queen came up to the old man and saluted him, and he rose and kissed the ground before her.  She looked at him and said, "O Abu 'Abd-Allah, is this handsome, charming and graceful young man your captive, and when did you catch him?"

The old man replied, "No by God, queen, he is my brother's son who had been long absent. When I could not longer live without seeing him, I brought him here, and I love him very much.  His father is dead.  I am old and alone, and he will help me in my old age, and inherit me after I left."

But morning overtook and Shahrazad paused the story telling.

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