Sharazad continued: the king said,why did you leave your husband and take your children away from him, coming back to our country? You tried to hide them away from us, but do you think that we don’t know? The Almighty God, Who knows all secrets, has revealed it to us, showing us where you stand and uncovering your shame.’ She then ordered her guards to lay hold of Manar al-Sana, which they did, tying her hands behind her back and loading her with iron fetters. They then hung her up by her hair and gave her a painful beating, cutting open her skin, before throwing her into prison. Nur Al-Huda now wrote to her father, the great king, telling him about Manar al-Sana and saying: ‘A human called Hasan has appeared in our land, and my sister claims that he is her lawful husband, by whom she has had two children. She hid them away from us both and told no one anything about what she had done, until this man, Hasan, arrived here. Then she said that she married him and stayed with him for a long time, before taking her children and leaving without his knowledge. She told his mother to tell him that, if he felt a longing for her, he was to come to the islands of Waq. I detained Hasan here and sent the old woman, Shawahi, to tell my sister to come to me with the children, and she made her preparations and came. I had told the old woman to see that the children got to me before their mother, which she did, and then I sent for the man who claimed to be her husband. When he came and saw the children, he recognized them and they recognized him, as a result of which I was sure that they were his, that she must be his wife and that, as what he said was true, he could not be blamed. I realized that the shame and disgrace belongs to Manar Al-Sana and I was afraid that islanders would think of us as being dishonored. when treacherous harlot came to me, I vented my anger on her and gave her a painful beating, hanging her up by her hair. I have now told you about her; it is for you to decide, and I shall do what you tell me, as you will see that this is a matter which brings disgrace both on us and on you. If the islanders hear of it, they will take it as an example of our degeneracy, and so you should send me a reply quickly.’ Nur al-Huda gave this letter to a courier, who took it to the king. When he read it, his anger with Manar Al-Sana boiled over and he sent a reply to Nur al-Huda telling her that he entrusted the matter to her, giving her power of life or death over