Now Zal beheld them from his tent...

Now Zal beheld them from his tent, and he questioned them concerning these rose-gatherers. And one uprose and said unto him- "They are slaves sent forth by the moon of Cabul into the garden of flowers." Now when Zal heard this his heart leaped for joy, and he set forth unto the river's bank with only one page to bear him company. And seeing a water-bird fly upwards, he took his bow and shot it through the heart, and it fell among the rose-gatherers.

Then Zal bade the boy cross the water and bring him the bird. And when he had landed, the moon-faced women pressed about him and questioned him, saying- "O youth, tell us the name of him who aimeth thus surely, for verily he is a king among men." Then the boy answering said, "What! know ye not the son of Saum the hero?

The world hath not his equal for strength and beauty." But the girls reproved him, and said, "Not so, boast not thus vainly, for the house of Mihrab holdeth a sun that o'ershines all besides." And the page smiled, and the smile yet lingered on his lips when he came back to Zal. And Zal said- "Why smilest thou, boy? What have they spoken unto thee that thou openest thy lips and showest thy ivory teeth? " Then the boy told unto him the speech of the women.

And Zal said- "Go over yet again and bid them tarry, that they may bear back jewels with their roses." And he chose forth from among his treasures trinkets of pearl and gold, and sent them to the slaves. Then the one who had sworn to serve Rudabeh above the rest craved that she might look upon the face of the hero, for she said- "A secret that is known to three is one no longer." And Zal granted her desire, and she told him of Rudabeh and of her beauty, and his passion burned the more.

And he spake- "Show unto me, I pray thee, the path by which I may behold this fair one, for my heart is filled with longing." Then the slave said, "Suffer that we go back to the house of the women, and we will fill the ears of Rudabeh with praises of the son of Saum, and will entangle her in the meshes of our net, and the lion shall rejoice in his chase of the lamb." Then Zal bade her go forth, and the women returned to the house rejoicing and saying- "The lion entereth the snare spread forth to entrap him, and the wishes of Rudabeh and Zal will be accomplished." But when they were come to the gates the porter chid them that they were gone without while the stranger sojourned in Cabul, and they were troubled and sore afraid for their secret.