But when the night was half
spent he bethought him that he had forgotten in his palace somewhat
which he should have brought with him, so he returned privily and
entered his apartments, where he found the Queen, his wife, asleep on
his own carpet-bed, embracing with both arms a black cook of loath
-
some aspect and foul with kitchen grease and grime.
When he saw this the world waxed black before his sight and he
said, “If such case happen while I am yet within sight of the city what
will be the doings of this damned whore during my long absence at
my brother’s court?” So he drew his scimitar and, cutting the two in
four pieces with a single blow, left them on the carpet and returned
presently to his camp without letting anyone know of what had
happened.
King Shah Zamán from 1001 nights knows how to deal with adulteresses.
