The King said, "Minister of the country of Damas, have you any sons?"
He answered, "Yes, my lord, king of the world, I have three sons."
The prince said: "Let your three sons come here, in order that I may give
judgment quickly, according to the law instituted by the prophet (may the peace
and blessings of God be upon him!). Behold what his law prescribes: The
minister killed the children of the princess Djouher- Manikam. It is not,
therefore, the minister who should be punished with death, but his children
should be slain. The execution of this judgment will be the just application of the
law of retaliation between the minister and the princess."
The minister summoned his three sons. As soon as they had come, he pointed
them to the King of Roum.
The latter said to his minister, "O minister, where is the Æthiopian whom they
brought here?" The Æthiopian robber was brought out, and prostrated himself
before the King of Roum.
The King of Roum said to him: "Æthiopian, return to your own country and
change your mode of life. You will never see again the woman for whom you
are seeking." And the prince gave him a keti of gold.
Then the prince said: "O my minister, where is Biyapri? Let them bring him
here." So they brought Biyapri. When he arrived he bowed low before the
prince.
The prince said: "Biyapri, go back to your own country and change your
conduct. The woman whom you seek you will never see again." And the prince
made him a gift of two keti of gold.
The King of Roum then said: "Let all assemble. I am about to pronounce
judgment between the King of Bagdad and the minister of Damas." The minister
and the officers assembled therefore in the presence of the King, together with
many of his subjects.
The King of Roum said: "O my executioner, let the three children of the minister
of Damas be all killed; such is the divine command." So the children of the
minister of Damas were all three killed.