"Call him 'Shahryar,'" said Weber before the king could answer. There was a moment's pause as the king raised an eyebrow and question and the liar smiled in reply, but then the king nodded his assent.

"As good a name as any and an echo of the truth. As for these matches, I agree. There is little sport or honour in the combat we observe."

"Honestly," said the liar, "I don't know why the matches were insisted upon. It's an idle cruelty that serves no purpose but to sate someone's sadism."