Meanwhile Amjed and Asaad were grievously oppressed by the heat and grew sore athirst，so that their tongues hung out and they cried for succour；but none came to their relief and they said，Would God we were dead and at peace from this torment！But we know not whither the treasurers horse hath fled，that he has gone and left us bound.If he would but come back and kill us，it were easier to us than to suffer this torture.'O my brother，'said Asaad，be patient and the relief of God （blessed and exalted be He） will surely come to us；for the horse ran not away save of His favour towards us，and nought irks us but this thirst.'So saying，he stretched himself and strained right and left，till he burst his bonds；then he unbound his brother and taking up the Amirs sword，said，By Allah，we will not go hence，till we know what is come of him！'So they followed the track，till it led them to the wood and they said to one another，Of a surety，the horse and the treasurer have not overgone this wood.'Quoth Asaad，Stay thou here，whilst I enter the wood and search it.'I will not let thee go in alone，'answered Amjed.
We will both go in；so if we escape，we shall escape together，and if we perish，we shall perish together.'So they entered both and found the lion standing over the treasurer，who lay like a sparrow in his grip，calling upon God for help and lifting his hands to heaven.When Amjed saw this，he took the sword and running to the lion，smote him between the eyes and laid him dead on the ground.The Amir arose，marvelling at this，and seeing Amjed and Asaad his lords sons，standing there，cast himself at their feet and exclaimed，By Allah，O my lords，it were foul wrong in me to put you to death！May the man never be who would kill you！Indeed，I will ransom you with my life.'Then he rose and embracing them，enquired how they had loosed their bonds and come thither，whereupon they told him how the bonds of one of them had fallen loose and he had unbound the other，that they might quit their intent，and how they had followed his track till they came upon him.He thanked them for their deed and went with them forth of the wood，where they said to him，O uncle，do our fathers bidding.'God forbid，'answered he，that I should draw near to you with hurt！I mean to take your clothes and clothe you with mine；then will I fill two vials with the lions blood and go back to the King and tell him I have put you to death.But as for you，fare ye forth into the lands，for Gods earth is wide；and know，O my lords，that it irks me to part from you.'At this，they all fell a-weeping；then the two youths put off their clothes and the treasurer covered them with his own.
Moreover，he filled two vials with the lions blood and ****** two parcels of the princes clothes，set them before him on his horses back.Then he took leave of them and ****** his way back to the city，went in to King Kemerezzeman and kissed the earth before him.The King saw him pale and troubled and deeming this came of the slaughter of the two princes （though in truth it came of his adventure with the lion） rejoiced and said to him，Hast thou done the business？Yes，O our lord，'answered the treasurer and gave him the two parcels of clothes and the two vials of blood.'How bore they themselves，'asked the King，and did they give thee any charge？I found them patient and resigned to their fate，'answered the treasurer；and they said to me，'Verily，our father is excusable；bear him our salutation and say to him，Thou art quit of our blood；and repeat to him the following verses：
Women are very devils，made to work us dole and death；Refuge I seek with God Most High from all their craft and scaith.
Prime source are they of all the ills that fall upon mankind，Both in the fortunes of this world and matters of the faith.'
When the King heard this，he bowed his head a long while and knew this to mean that they had wrongfully been put to death.Then he bethought himself of the perfidy of women and the calamities brought about by them，and opening the two parcels fell to turning over his sons clothes and weeping.Presently，he found in the pocket of his son Asaads clothes a letter in Queen Budours hand，enclosing the tresses of her hair，and reading it，knew that the prince had been falsely accused.Then he searched Amjeds clothes and found in his pocket a letter in the handwriting of Queen Heyat en Nufous，enclosing the tresses of her hair；so he opened and read it and knew that Amjed also had been wronged；whereupon he beat hand upon hand and exclaimed，There is no power and no virtue but in God！I have slain my sons unjustly.'And he buffeted his face，crying out，Alas，my sons！Alas，my long grief！'Then he bade build two tombs in one house，which he styled House of Lamentations，'and let grave thereon his sons names；and he threw himself on Amjeds tomb，weeping and groaning and lamenting，and repeated these verses：
O moon，that hast set beneath the earth for aye，For whose loss weep the shining stars of the sky，O wand，after whom no more shall the flexile grace Of the willow-like bending shape enchant the eye，My sight Ive bereft of thee，of my jealousy，And neer shall I see thee again，till I come to die.
Im drowned in the sea of my tears，for sheer unrest；Indeed，for sleepless sorrow in hell am I.
Then he threw himself on Asaads tomb and recited the following verses，whilst the tears poured from his eyes：
Fain had I shared with thee，dear heart，in death and ill；But God，that ordereth all，willed other than my will.
All that I see，my dole makes black，whilst from my eyes All black Ive blotted out with weeping all my fill.[66]
I weep and never stint；mine eyes run never dry；My entrails ulcered are and blood and tears distil.
Sore，sore it irketh me to see thee in a place[67] Where slaves and kings alike foregather，will or nill.
Then he forsook his friends and intimates，and denying himself to his women and his family，shut himself up in the House of Lamentations，where he passed his time in weeping for his sons.
