The Storyteller's Daughter

"Returning to the palace, they at once made themselves known to the queen. Great was her joy at the sudden reappearance of both her son and her husband! So great, she only took them to task for their foolishness for a month. After that she subsided, and not long after, all was put to rights. The king ruled wisely for many years, and after him, his son. Neither ever left home again, instead leaving the exploration of the wide world to others.

"But that is a different tale altogether."

And, with these words, Shahrayar fell silent, for his tale was done. "So," he said after a moment, his eyes twinkling as he gazed at Shahrazad. "My tale was one of a king so foolish he almost lost everything for not being able to see what was right in front of him."

"You chose it," Shahrazad said. "Not I."

"So you have said before," Shahrayar replied,’And I notice that once again, it is the women who are most wise."

"It is important for even a tale of magic to ring true," Shahrazad said, her face solemn. Then, she smiled. At this, all within the chamber began to laugh, but Shahrayar laughed loudest of all.

"What shall become of this now?" he asked, holding up the cloth.

"Will it please you to give it to me?" said Shahrazad.

"Gladly," Shahrayar answered. And he rose and put it into her hands. At this, Shahrazad rose also.

With one great motion, she unfurled the cloth, and all within the room cried out.

For now all could see the figures moving through it. The cloth was dark no longer, but spun of finest gold.

"Wait a moment!" Shahrayar cried. "That is not the king's story, it is ours!"

"Even so," said Shahrazad.

And that very night, they took the cloth and hung it in a place of honor behind Shahrayar's throne.

There it stayed through all the days of his reign. Those days were many, and throughout them, all prospered. Shahrayar and Shahrazad were happy together and raised a family of many fine daughters and sons.

Shazaman returned to Samarkand, and with him went 'Ajib, and some years later, Dinarzad. For she forgave 'Ajib his treachery even as she gave him her love. And so they were married. But Shazaman never took another wife, and upon his death, the rule of his great city passed to 'Ajib and Dinarzad. And I think their descendants are living there still.

Nur al-Din Hasan lived long enough to give his younger daughter in marriage, but soon thereafter, he died. Great was the sorrow throughout all the land at his passing, for he had been much loved. Shahrazad and Shahrayar erected a great tomb in his honor and placed Maju in it beside him along with her ebony trunk. So husband and wife were joined together in death as they had been in life. But the ma

When the day came that Shahrayar the king breathed no more, Shahrazad his wife took down the cloth of gold from behind his throne. She bathed his body with her tears, then wrapped the cloth of gold around him. Thus was he buried. And so, though the tales that Shahrazad had told to save her life were remembered, the tale of her own life was not. In time, not even her children remembered it, and the tale of Shahrayar and Shahrazad was lost to all others and kept within her heart alone.

Now, you who have read what has here been told may remember or forget it as you will. The telling of it is over, for with these words "The Tale of the Storyteller’s Daughter" at last is done.

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