They grew up side by side till they reached the age of seventeen，eating and drinking together and sleeping in one bed，nor ever parting at any time or tide；wherefore all the people envied them. Now when they came to man's estate and were endowed with every perfection，their father was wont，as often as he went on a journey，to make them sit in his stead by turns in the hall of judgement；and each did justice among the folk one day at a time. But it came to pass，by confirmed fate and determined lot，that love for As'ad （son of Queen Hayat alNufus） rose in the heart of Queen Budur，and that affection for Amjad （son of Queen Budur） rose in the heart of Queen Hayat alNufus.[357] Hence it was that each of the women used to sport and play with the son of her sisterwife，kissing him and straining him to her bosom，whilst each mother thought that the other's behaviour arose but from maternal affection. On this wise passion got the mastery of the two women's hearts and they became madly in love with the two youths，so that when the other's son came in to either of them，she would press him to her breast and long for him never to be parted from her；till，at last，when waiting grew longsome to them and they found no path to enjoyment，they refused meat and drink and banished the solace of sleep. Presently，the King fared forth to course and chase，bidding his two sons sit to do justice in his stead，each one day in turn as was their wont.And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Two Hundred and Eighteenth Night，She said，It hath reached me，O auspicious King，that the King fared forth to sport and hunt，bidding his two sons sit to do justice in his stead，each one day by turn，as was their wont.

Now Prince Amjad sat in judgement the first day，bidding and forbidding，appointing and deposing，giving and refusing；and Queen Hayat alNufus，mother of As'ad，wrote to him a letter suing for his favour and discovering to him her passion and devotion；altogether put tiny off the mask and giving him to know that she desired to enjoy him. So she took a scroll and thereon indited these cadences，'From the love deranged the sorrowful and estranged whose torment is prolonged for the longing of thee！ Were I to recount to thee the extent of my care and what of sadness I bear the passion which my heart cloth tear

and all that I endure for weeping and unrest and the rending of my sorrowful breast my unremitting grief and my woe without relief and all my suffering for severance of thee and sadness and love's ardency no letter could contain it；nor calculation could compass it Indeed earth and heaven upon me are strait；and I have no hope and no trust but what from thee I await Upon death I am come nigh and the horrors of dissolution I aby Burning upon me is sore with parting pangs and estrangement galore Were I to set forth the yearnings that possess me more and more no scrolls would suffice to hold such store and of the excess of my pain and pine，I have made the following lines：

Were I to dwell on heartconsuming heat，

Unease and transports in my spins meet，Nothing were left of ink and reeden pen Nor aught of paper；no，not e'en a sheet.

Then Queen Hayat alNufus wrapped up her letter in a niece of costly silk scented with musk and ambergris；and folded it up with her silken hairstrings[358] whose cost swallowed down treasures laid it in a handkerchief and gave it to a eunuch bidding him bear it to Prince Amjad.And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.