{"collection":"myth-cosmogony","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_5667/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_5667","id":"gutenberg_5667","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/5667","summary":null,"tags":["Category: Adventure","Category: Mythology, Legends & Folklore","Category: Romance","Fairy tales","Tales -- Arab countries"],"text":"This eBook was produced by JC Byers.\n\n\n\nText scanned by JC Byers and proofread by the Distributed\nProofers.\n\n\n\n\n                    The \"Aldine\" Edition of\n\n               The Arabian Nights Entertainments\n\n                   Illustrated by S. L. Wood\n\n              FROM THE TEXT OF DR. JONATHAN SCOTT\n\n                        In Four Volumes\n\n                            Volume 4\n\n\n                             London\n                      Pickering and Chatto\n                              1890\n\n\n\n\n                     Contents of Volume IV.\n\n\nThe Story of the Enchanted Horse\nThe Story of Prince Ahmed, and the Fairy Perie Banou\nThe Story of the Sisters Who Envied Their Younger Sister\nStory of the Three Sharpers and the Sultan\n     The Adventures of the Abdicated Sultan\n     History of Mahummud, Sultan of Cairo\n     Story of the First Lunatic\n     Story of the Second Lunatic\n     Story of the Retired Sage and His Pupil, Related to the\n          Sultan by the Second Lunatic\n     Story of the Broken-backed Schoolmaster\n     Story of the Wry-mouthed Schoolmaster\n     Story of the Sisters and the Sultana Their Mother\nStory of the Bang-eater and the Cauzee\n     Story of the Bang-eater and His Wife\nThe Sultan and the Traveller Mhamood Al Hyjemmee\n     The Koord Robber\n     Story of the Husbandman\n     Story of the Three Princes and Enchanting Bird\n     Story of a Sultan of Yemen and His Three Sons\n     Story of the First Sharper in the Cave\n     History of the Sultan of Hind\nStory of the Fisherman's Son\nStory of Abou Neeut and Abou Neeuteen; Or, the Well-intentioned\n     and the Double-minded\nAdventure of a Courtier, Related by Himself to His Parton, an\nAmeer of Egypt\nStory of the Prince of Sind, and Fatima, Daughter of Amir Bin\nNaomaun\nStory of the Lovers of Syria; Or, the Heroine\nStory of Hyjauje, the Tyrannical Governor of Coufeh, and the\nYoung Syed\nStory of Ins Alwujjood and Wird Al Ikmaun, Daughter of Ibrahim,\n     Vizier to Sultan Shamikh\nThe Adventures of Mazin of Khorassaun\nStory of the Sultan the Dervish, and the Barber's Son\nAdventures of Aleefa Daughter of Mherejaun Sultan of Hind, and\n     Eusuff, Son of Sohul, Sultan of Sind\nAdventures of the Three Princes, Sons of the Sultan of China\nStory of the Good Vizier Unjustly Imprisoned\nStory of the Lady of Cairo and Her Four Gallants\n     The Cauzee's Story\nStory of the Merchant, His Daughter, and the Prince of Eerauk\nAdventures of the Cauzee, His Wife, &c\n     The Sultan's Story of Himself\nConclusion\n\n\n\n\n               THE STORY OF THE ENCHANTED HORSE.\n\n\n\nThe Nooroze, or the new day, which is the first of the year and\nspring, is observed as a solemn festival throughout all Persia,\nwhich has been continued from the time of idolatry; and our\nprophet's religion, pure as it is, and true as we hold it, has\nnot been able to abolish that heathenish custom, and the\nsuperstitious ceremonies which are observed, not only in the\ngreat cities, but celebrated with extraordinary rejoicings in\nevery little town, village, and hamlet.\n\nBut the rejoicings are the most splendid at the court, for the\nvariety of new and surprising spectacles, insomuch that strangers\nare invited from the neighbouring states, and the most remote\nparts, by the rewards and liberality of the sovereign, towards\nthose who are the most excellent in their invention and\ncontrivance. In short, nothing in the rest of the world can\ncompare with the magnificence of this festival.\n\nOne of these festival days, after the most ingenious artists of\nthe country had repaired to Sheerauz, where the court then\nresided, had entertained the king and all the court with their\nproductions, and had been bountifully and liberally rewarded\naccording to their merit and to their satisfaction by the\nmonarch; when the assembly was just breaking up, a Hindoo\nappeared at the foot of the throne, with an artificial horse\nrichly caparisoned, and so naturally imitated, that at first\nsight he was taken for a living animal.\n\nThe Hindoo prostrated himself before the throne; and pointing to the\nhorse, said to the emperor, \"Though I present myself the last before\nyour majesty, yet I can assure you that nothing shewn to-day is so\nwonderful as this horse, on which I beg your majesty would be pleased\nto cast your eyes.\" \"I see nothing more in the horse,\" said the\nemperor, \"than the natural resemblance the workman has given him;\nwhich the skill of another workman may possibly execute as well or\nbetter.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" replied the Hindoo, \"it is not for his outward form and\nappearance that I recommend my horse to your majesty's\nexamination as wonderful, but the use to which I can apply him,\nand which, when I have communicated the secret to them, any other\npersons may make of him. Whenever I mount him, be it where it\nmay, if I wish to transport myself through the air to the most\ndistant part of the world, I can do it in a very short time.\nThis, sir, is the wonder of my horse; a wonder which nobody ever\nheard speak of, and which I offer to shew your majesty, if you\ncommand me.\"\n\nThe emperor of Persia, who was fond of every thing that was\ncurious, and notwithstanding the many prodigies of art he had\nseen had never beheld or heard of anything that came up to this,\ntold the Hindoo, that nothing but the experience of what he\nasserted could convince him: and that he was ready to see him\nperform what he had promised.\n\nThe Hindoo instantly put his foot into the stirrup, mounted his\nhorse with admirable agility, and when he had fixed himself in\nthe saddle, asked the emperor whither he pleased to command him.\n\nAbout three leagues from Sheerauz there was a lofty mountain\ndiscernible from the large square before the palace, where the\nemperor, his court, and a great concourse of people, then were.\n\"Do you see that mountain?\" said the emperor, pointing to it; \"it\nis not a great distance from hence, but it is far enough to judge\nof the speed you can make in going and returning. But because it\nis not possible for the eye to follow you so far, as a proof that\nyou have been there, I expect that you will bring me a branch of\na palm-tree that grows at the bottom of the hill.\"\n\nThe emperor of Persia had no sooner declared his will than the\nHindoo turned a peg, which was in the hollow of the horse's neck,\njust by the pummel of the saddle; and in an instant the horse\nrose off the ground and carried his rider into the air with the\nrapidity of lightning to such a height, that those who had the\nstrongest sight could not discern him, to the admiration of the\nemperor and all the spectators. Within less than a quarter of an\nhour they saw him returning with the palm branch in his hand; but\nbefore he descended, he took two or three turns in the air over\nthe spot, amid the acclamations of all the people; then alighted\non the spot whence he had set off, without receiving the least\nshock from the horse to disorder him. He dismounted, and going up\nto the throne, prostrated himself, and laid the branch of the\npalm-tree at the feet of the emperor.\n\nThe emperor, who had viewed with no less admiration than\nastonishment this unheard-of sight which the Hindoo had\nexhibited, conceived a great desire to have the horse; and as he\npersuaded himself that he should not find it a difficult matter\nto treat with the Hindoo, for whatever sum of money he should\nvalue it at, began to regard it as the most valuable thing in his\ntreasury. \"Judging of thy horse by his outward appearance,\" said\nhe to the Hindoo, \"I did not think him so much worth my\nconsideration. As you have shewn me his merits, I am obliged to\nyou for undeceiving me; and to prove to you how much I esteem it,\nI will purchase him of you, if he is to be sold.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" replied the Hindoo, \"I never doubted that your majesty,\nwho has the character of the most liberal prince on earth, would\nset a just value on my work as soon as I had shewn you on what\naccount he was worthy your attention. I also foresaw that you\nwould not only admire and commend it, but would desire to have\nit. Though I know his intrinsic value, and that my continuing\nmaster of him would render my name immortal in the world; yet I\nam not so fond of fame but I can resign him, to gratify your\nmajesty; however, in making this declaration, I have another to\nadd, without which I cannot resolve to part with him, and perhaps\nyou may not approve of it.\n\n\"Your majesty will not be displeased,\" continued the Hindoo, \"if\nI tell you that I did not buy this horse, but obtained him of the\ninventor, by giving him my only daughter in marriage, and\npromising at the same time never to sell him; but if I parted\nwith him to exchange him for something that I should value beyond\nall else.\"\n\nThe Hindoo was proceeding, when at the word exchange, the emperor\nof Persia interrupted him. \"I am willing,\" said he, \"to give you\nwhatever you may ask in exchange. You know my kingdom is large,\nand contains many great, rich, and populous cities; I will give\nyou the choice of which you like best, in full sovereignty for\nlife.\"\n\nThis exchange seemed royal and noble to the whole court; but was\nmuch below what the Hindoo had proposed to himself, who had\nraised his thoughts much higher. \"I am infinitely obliged to your\nmajesty for the offer you make me,\" answered he, \"and cannot\nthank you enough for your generosity; yet I must beg of you not\nto be displeased if I have the presumption to tell you, that I\ncannot resign my horse, but by receiving the hand of the princess\nyour daughter as my wife: this is the only price at which I can\npart with my property.\"\n\nThe courtiers about the emperor of Persia could not forbear\nlaughing aloud at this extravagant demand of the Hindoo; but the\nprince Firoze Shaw, the eldest son of the emperor, and\npresumptive heir to the crown, could not hear it without\nindignation. The emperor was of a very different opinion, and\nthought he might sacrifice the princess of Persia to the Hindoo,\nto satisfy his curiosity. He remained however undetermined,\nconsidering what he should do.\n\nPrince Firoze Shaw, who saw his father hesitated what answer to\nmake, began to fear lest he should comply with the Hindoo's\ndemand, and regarded it as not only injurious to the royal\ndignity, and to his sister, but also to himself; therefore to\nanticipate his father, he said, \"Sir, I hope your majesty will\nforgive me for daring to ask, if it is possible your majesty\nshould hesitate about a denial to so insolent a demand from such\nan insignificant fellow, and so scandalous a juggler? or give him\nreason to flatter himself a moment with being allied to one of\nthe most powerful monarchs in the world? I beg of you to consider\nwhat you owe to yourself, to your own blood, and the high rank of\nyour ancestors.\"\n\n\"Son,\" replied the emperor of Persia, \"I much approve of your\nremonstrance, and am sensible of your zeal for preserving the\nlustre of your birth; but you do not consider sufficiently the\nexcellence of this horse; nor that the Hindoo, if I should refuse\nhim, may make the offer somewhere else, where this nice point of\nhonour may be waived. I shall be in the utmost despair if another\nprince should boast of having exceeded me in generosity, and\ndeprived me of the glory of possessing what I esteem as the most\nsingular and wonderful thing in the world. I will not say I\nconsent to grant him what he asked. Perhaps he has not well\nconsidered his exorbitant demand: and putting my daughter the\nprincess out of the question, I may make another agreement with\nhim that will answer his purpose as well. But before I conclude\nthe bargain with him, I should be glad that you would examine the\nhorse, try him yourself, and give me your opinion.\"\n\nAs it is natural for us to flatter ourselves in what we desire,\nthe Hindoo fancied, from what he had heard, that the emperor was\nnot entirely averse to his alliance, and that the prince might\nbecome more favourable to him; therefore, he expressed much joy,\nran before the prince to help him to mount, and shewed him how to\nguide and manage the horse.\n\nThe prince mounted without the Hindoo's assisting him; and no\nsooner had he got his feet in both stirrups, but without staying\nfor the artist's advice, he turned the peg he had seen him use,\nwhen instantly the horse darted into the air, quick as an arrow\nshot out of a bow by the most adroit archer; and in a few moments\nthe emperor his father and the numerous assembly lost sight of\nhim. Neither horse nor prince were to be seen. The Hindoo,\nalarmed at what had happened, prostrated himself before the\nthrone, and said, \"Your majesty must have remarked the prince was\nso hasty, that he would not permit me to give him the necessary\ninstructions to govern my horse. From what he saw me do, he was\nambitious of shewing that he wanted not my advice. He was too\neager to shew his address, but knows not the way, which I was\ngoing to shew him, to turn the horse, and make him descend at the\nwish of his rider. Therefore, the favour I ask of your majesty\nis, not to make me accountable for what accidents may befall him;\nyou are too just to impute to me any misfortune that may attend\nhim.\"\n\nThis address of the Hindoo much surprised and afflicted the\nemperor, who saw the danger his son was in to be inevitable, if,\nas the Hindoo said, there was a secret to bring him back,\ndifferent from that which carried him away; and asked, in a\npassion, why he did not call him the moment he ascended?\n\n\"Sir,\" answered the Hindoo, \"your majesty saw as well as I with\nwhat rapidity the horse flew away. The surprise I was then, and\nstill am in, deprived me of the use of my speech; but if I could\nhave spoken, he was got too far to hear me. If he had heard me,\nhe knew not the secret to bring him back, which, through his\nimpatience, he would not stay to learn. But, sir,\" added he,\n\"there is room to hope that the prince, when he finds himself at\na loss, will perceive another peg, and as soon as he turns that,\nthe horse will cease to rise, and descend to the ground, when he\nmay turn him to what place he pleases by guiding him with the\nbridle.\"\n\nNotwithstanding all these arguments of the Hindoo, which carried\ngreat appearance of probability, the emperor of Persia was much\nalarmed at the evident danger of his son. \"I suppose,\" replied\nhe, \"it is very uncertain whether my son may perceive the other\npeg, and make a right use of it; may not the horse, instead of\nlighting on the ground, fall upon some rock, or tumble into the\nsea with him?\"\n\n\"Sir,\" replied the Hindoo, \"I can deliver your majesty from this\napprehension, by assuring you, that the horse crosses seas\nwithout ever falling into them, and always carries his rider\nwherever he may wish to go. And your majesty may assure yourself,\nthat if the prince does but find out the other peg I mentioned,\nthe horse will carry him where he pleases. It is not to be\nsupposed that he will stop any where but where he can find\nassistance, and make himself known.\"\n\n\"Be it as it may,\" replied the emperor of Persia, \"as I cannot\ndepend upon the assurance you give me, your head shall answer for\nmy son's life, if he does not return safe in three days' time, or\nI should hear that he is alive.\" He then ordered his officers to\nsecure the Hindoo, and keep him close prisoner; after which he\nretired to his palace in affliction that the festival of Nooroze\nshould have proved so inauspicious.\n\nIn the mean time the prince was carried through the air with\nprodigious velocity; and in less than an hour's time had ascended\nso high, that he could not distinguish any thing on the earth,\nbut mountains and plains seemed confounded together. It was then\nhe began to think of returning, and conceived he might do this by\nturning the same peg the contrary way, and pulling the bridle at\nthe same time. But when he found that the horse still rose with\nthe same swiftness, his alarm was great. He turned the peg\nseveral times, one way and the other, but all in vain. It was\nthen he grew sensible of his fault, in not having learnt the\nnecessary precautions to guide the horse before he mounted. He\nimmediately apprehended the great danger he was in, but that\napprehension did not deprive him of his reason. He examined the\nhorse's head and neck with attention, and perceived behind the\nright ear another peg, smaller than the other. He turned that\npeg, and presently perceived that he descended in the same\noblique manner as he had mounted, but not so swiftly.\n\nNight had overshadowed that part of the earth over which the\nprince was when he found out and turned the small peg; and as the\nhorse descended, he by degrees lost sight of the sun, till it\ngrew quite dark; insomuch that, instead of choosing what place he\nwould go to, he was forced to let the bridle lie upon the horse's\nneck, and wait patiently till he alighted, though not without the\ndread lest it should be in the desert, a river, or the sea.\n\nAt last the horse stopped upon some solid substance about\nmidnight, and the prince dismounted very faint and hungry, having\neaten nothing since the morning, when he came out of the palace\nwith his father to assist at the festival. He found himself to be\non the terrace of a magnificent palace, surrounded with a\nbalustrade of white marble, breast high; and groping about,\nreached a staircase, which led down into an apartment, the door\nof which was half open.\n\nFew but prince Firoze Shaw would have ventured to descend those\nstairs dark as it was, and in the danger he exposed himself to\nfrom friends or foes. But no consideration could stop him. \"I do\nnot come,\" said he to himself, \"to do anybody harm; and\ncertainly, whoever meets or sees me first, and finds that I have\nno arms in my hands, will not attempt any thing against my life,\nbefore they hear what I have to say for myself.\" After this\nreflection, he opened the door wider, without making any noise,\nwent softly down the stairs, that he might not awaken anybody;\nand when he came to a landing-place on the staircase, found the\ndoor of a great hall, that had a light in it, open.\n\nThe prince stopped at the door, and listening, heard no other noise\nthan the snoring of some people who were fast asleep. He advanced a\nlittle into the room, and by the light of a lamp saw that those\npersons were black eunuchs, with naked sabres laid by them; which was\nenough to inform him that this was the guard-chamber of some sultan or\nprincess; which latter it proved to be.\n\nIn the next room to this the princess lay, as appeared by the light,\nthe door being open, through a silk curtain, which drew before the\ndoor-way, whither prince Firoze Shaw advanced on tip-toe, without\nwaking the eunuchs. He drew aside the curtain, went in, and without\nstaying to observe the magnificence of the chamber, gave his attention\nto something of greater importance. He saw many beds; only one of them\non a sofa, the rest on the floor. The princess slept in the first, and\nher women in the others.\n\nThis distinction was enough to direct the prince. He crept softly\ntowards the bed, without waking either the princess or her women,\nand beheld a beauty so extraordinary, that he was charmed, and\ninflamed with love at the first sight. \"O heavens!\" said he to\nhimself, \"has my fate brought me hither to deprive me of my\nliberty, which hitherto I have always preserved? How can I avoid\ncertain slavery, when those eyes shall open, since, without\ndoubt, they complete the lustre of this assemblage of charms! I\nmust quickly resolve, since I cannot stir without being my own\nmurderer; for so has necessity ordained.\"\n\nAfter these reflections on his situation, and on the princess's\nbeauty, he fell on his knees, and twitching gently the princess's\nsleeve, pulled it towards him. The princess opened her eyes, and\nseeing a handsome man on his knees, was in great surprise; yet\nseemed to shew no sign of fear.\n\nThe prince availed himself of this favourable moment, bowed his\nhead to the ground, and rising said, \"Beautiful princess, by the\nmost extraordinary and wonderful adventure, you see at your feet\na suppliant prince, son of the emperor of Persia, who was\nyesterday morning in his court, at the celebration of a solemn\nfestival, but is now in a strange country, in danger of his life,\nif you have not the goodness and generosity to afford him your\nassistance and protection. These I implore, adorable princess,\nwith confidence that you will not refuse me. I have the more\nground to persuade myself, as so much beauty and majesty cannot\nentertain inhumanity.\"\n\nThe personage to whom prince Firoze Shaw so happily addressed\nhimself was the princess of Bengal, eldest daughter of the Rajah\nof that kingdom, who had built this palace at a small distance\nfrom his capital, whither she went to take the benefit of the\ncountry air. After she had heard the prince with all the candour\nhe could desire, she replied with equal goodness, \"Prince, you\nare not in a barbarous country; take courage; hospitality,\nhumanity, and politeness are to be met with in the kingdom of\nBengal, as well as in that of Persia. It is not merely I who\ngrant you the protection you ask; you not only have found it in\nmy palace, but will meet it throughout the whole kingdom; you may\nbelieve me, and depend on what I say.\"\n\nThe prince of Persia would have thanked the princess for her\ncivility, and had already bowed down his head to return the\ncompliment; but she would not give him leave to speak.\n\"Notwithstanding I desire,\" said she, \"to know by what miracle\nyou have come hither from the capital of Persia in so short a\ntime; and by what enchantment you have been able to penetrate so\nfar as to come to my apartment, and to have evaded the vigilance\nof my guards; yet, as it is impossible but you must want some\nrefreshment, and regarding you as a welcome guest, I will waive\nmy curiosity, and give orders to my women to regale you, and shew\nyou an apartment, that you may rest yourself after your fatigue,\nand be better able to satisfy my curiosity.\"\n\nThe princess's women, who awoke at the first words which the\nprince addressed to the princess, were in the utmost surprise to\nsee a man at the princess's feet, as they could not conceive how\nhe had got thither, without waking them or the eunuchs. They no\nsooner comprehended the princess's intentions, than they were\nready to obey her commands. They each took a wax candle, of which\nthere were great numbers lighted up in the room; and after the\nprince had respectfully taken leave, went before and conducted\nhim into a handsome chamber; where, while some were preparing the\nbed, others went into the kitchen; and notwithstanding it was so\nunseasonable an hour, they did not make prince Firoze Shaw wait\nlong, but brought him presently a collation; and when he had\neaten as much as he chose, removed the trays, and left him to\ntaste the sweets of repose.\n\nIn the mean time, the princess of Bengal was so struck with the\ncharms, wit, politeness, and other good qualities which she had\ndiscovered in her short interview with the prince, that she could\nnot sleep: but when her women came into her room again asked them\nif they had taken care of him, if he wanted any thing; and\nparticularly, what they thought of him?\n\nThe women, after they had satisfied her as to the first queries,\nanswered to the last: \"We do not know what you may think of him,\nbut, for our parts, we are of opinion you would be very happy if\nyour father would marry you to so amiable a youth; for there is\nnot a prince in all the kingdom of Bengal to be compared to him;\nnor can we hear that any of the neighbouring princes are worthy\nof you.\"\n\nThis flattering compliment was not displeasing to the princess of\nBengal; but as she had no mind to declare her sentiments, she\nimposed silence, telling them that they talked without\nreflection, bidding them return to rest, and let her sleep.\n\nThe next day the princess took more pains in dressing and\nadjusting herself at the glass than she had ever done before. She\nnever tired her women's patience so much, by making them do and\nundo the same thing several times. She adorned her head, neck,\narms, and waist, with the finest and largest diamonds she\npossessed. The habit she put on was one of the richest stuffs of\nthe Indies, of a most beautiful colour, and made only for kings,\nprinces, and princesses. After she had consulted her glass, and\nasked her women, one after another, if any thing was wanting to\nher attire, she sent to know, if the prince of Persia was awake;\nand as she never doubted but that, if he was up and dressed, he\nwould ask leave to come and pay his respects to her, she charged\nthe messenger to tell him she would make him the visit, and she\nhad her reasons for this.\n\nThe prince of Persia, who by the night's rest had recovered the\nfatigue he had undergone the day before, had just dressed\nhimself, when he received the princess of Bengal's compliments by\none of her women. Without giving the lady who brought the message\nleave to communicate it, he asked her, if it was proper for him\nthen to go and pay his respects to the princess; and when the\nlady had acquitted herself of her errand, he replied, \"It shall\nbe as the princess thinks fit; I came here to be solely at her\npleasure.\"\n\nAs soon as the princess understood that the prince of Persia\nwaited for her, she immediately went to pay him a visit. After\nmutual compliments, the prince asking pardon for having waked the\nprincess out of a profound sleep, and the princess inquiring\nafter his health, and how he had rested, the princess sat down on\na sofa, as did also the prince, though at some distance, out of\nrespect.\n\nThe princess then resuming the conversation, said, \"I would have\nreceived you, prince, in the chamber in which you found me last\nnight; but as the chief of my eunuchs has the liberty of entering\nit, and never comes further without my leave, from my impatience\nto hear the surprising adventure which procured me the happiness\nof seeing you, I chose to come hither, that we may not be\ninterrupted; therefore I beg of you to give me that satisfaction,\nwhich will highly oblige me.\"\n\nPrince Firoze Shaw, to gratify the princess of Bengal, began with\ndescribing the festival of the Nooroze, and mentioned the shows\nwhich had amazed the court of Persia, and the people of Sheerauz.\nAfterwards he came to the enchanted horse; the description of\nwhich, with the account of the wonders which the Hindoo had\nperformed before so august an assembly, convinced the princess\nthat nothing of that kind could be imagined more surprising in\nthe world. \"You may well think, charming princess,\" continued the\nprince of Persia, \"that the emperor my father, who cares not what\nhe gives for any thing that is rare and curious, would be very\ndesirous to purchase such a curiosity. He asked the Hindoo what\nhe would have for him; who made him an extravagant reply, telling\nhim, that he had not bought him, but taken him in exchange for\nhis only daughter, and could not part with him but on the like\ncondition, which was to have his consent to marry the princess my\nsister.\n\n\"The crowd of courtiers, who stood about the emperor my father,\nhearing the extravagance of this proposal, laughed loudly; I for\nmy part conceived such great indignation, that I could not\ndisguise it; and the more, because I saw that my father was\ndoubtful what answer he should give. In short, I believe he would\nhave granted him what he asked, if I had not represented to him\nhow injurious it would be to his honour; yet my remonstrance\ncould not bring him entirely to quit his design of sacrificing\nthe princess my sister to so despicable a person. He fancied he\nshould bring me over to his opinion, if once I could comprehend,\nas he imagined he did, the singular worth of this horse. With\nthis view he would have me mount, and make a trial of him myself.\n\n\"To please my father, I mounted the horse, and as soon as I was\nupon his back, put my hand on a peg, as I had seen the Hindoo do\nbefore, to make the horse mount into the air, without stopping to\ntake instructions of the owner for his guidance or descent. The\ninstant I touched the peg, the horse ascended, as swift as an\narrow shot out of a bow, and I was presently at such a distance\nfrom the earth that I could not distinguish any object. From the\nswiftness of the motion I was for some time unapprehensive of the\ndanger to which I was exposed; when I grew sensible of it, I\nendeavoured to turn the peg the contrary way. But the experiment\nwould not answer my expectation, for still the horse rose, and\ncarried me a greater distance from the earth. At last I perceived\nanother peg, which I turned, and then I grew sensible that the\nhorse descended towards the earth, and presently found myself so\nsurrounded with darkness, that it was impossible for me to guide\nthe machine. In this condition I laid the bridle on his neck, and\ntrusted myself to the will of God to dispose of my fate.\n\n\"At length the horse stopped, I got off his back, and examining\nwhereabouts I might be, perceived myself on the terrace of this\npalace, and found the door of the staircase half open. I came\nsoftly down the stairs, and seeing a door open, put my head into\nthe room, perceived some eunuchs asleep, and a great light in an\nadjoining chamber. The necessity I was under, notwithstanding the\ninevitable danger to which I should be exposed, if the eunuchs\nhad waked, inspired me with the boldness, or rather rashness, to\ncross that room to get to the other.\n\n\"It is needless,\" added the prince, \"to tell you the rest, since\nyou are not unacquainted with all that passed afterwards. But I\nam obliged in duty to thank you for your goodness and generosity,\nand to beg of you to let me know how I may shew my gratitude.\nAccording to the law of nations I am already your slave, and\ncannot make you an offer of my person; there only remains my\nheart: but, alas! princess, what do I say? My heart is no longer\nmy own, your charms have forced it from me, but in such a manner,\nthat I will never ask for it again, but yield it up; give me\nleave, therefore, to declare you mistress both of my heart and\ninclination.\"\n\nThese last words of the prince were pronounced with such an air\nand tone, that the princess of Bengal never doubted of the effect\nshe had expected from her charms; neither did she seem to resent\nthe precipitate declaration of the prince of Persia. Her blushes\nserved but to heighten her beauty, and render her more amiable in\nhis eyes.\n\nAs soon as she had recovered herself, she replied, \"Prince, you\nhave given me sensible pleasure, by telling me your wonderful\nadventure. But, on the other hand, I can hardly forbear\nshuddering, when I think on the height you were in the air; and\nthough I have the good fortune to see you here safe and well, I\nwas in pain till you came to that part where the horse\nfortunately descended upon the terrace of my palace. The same\nthing might have happened in a thousand other places. I am glad\nthat chance has given me the preference to the whole world, and\nof the opportunity of letting you know, that it could not have\nconducted you to any place where you could have been received\nwith greater pleasure.\n\n\"But, prince,\" continued she, \"I should think myself offended, if\nI believed that the thought you mentioned of being my slave was\nserious, and that it did not proceed from your politeness rather\nthan from a sincerity of sentiment; for, by the reception I gave\nyou yesterday, you might assure yourself you are here as much at\nliberty as in the midst of the court of Persia.\n\n\"As to your heart,\" added the princess, in a tone which shewed\nnothing less than a refusal, \"as I am persuaded that you have not\nlived so long without disposing of it, and that you could not\nfail of making choice of a princess who deserves it, I should be\nsorry to give you an occasion to be guilty of infidelity to her.\"\n\nPrince Firoze Shaw would have protested that when he left Persia\nhe was master of his own heart: but, at that instant, one of the\nprincess's ladies in waiting came to tell that a collation was\nserved up.\n\nThis interruption delivered the prince and princess from an\nexplanation, which would have been equally embarrassing to both,\nand of which they stood in need. The princess of Bengal was fully\nconvinced of the prince of Persia's sincerity; and the prince,\nthough the princess had not explained herself, judged\nnevertheless from some words she had let fall, that he had no\nreason to complain.\n\nAs the lady held the door open, the princess of Bengal said to\nthe prince, rising off her seat, as he did also from his, \"I am\nnot used to eat so early; but as I fancied you might have had but\nan indifferent supper last night, I ordered breakfast to be got\nready sooner than ordinary.\" After this compliment she led him\ninto a magnificent hall, where a cloth was laid covered with\ngreat plenty of choice and excellent viands; and as soon as they\nwere seated, many beautiful slaves of the princess, richly\ndressed, began a most agreeable concert of vocal and instrumental\nmusic, which lasted the whole time of eating.\n\nThis concert was so sweet and well managed, that it did not in\nthe least interrupt the prince and princess's conversation. The\nprince served the princess with the choicest of every thing, and\nstrove to outdo her in civility, both by words and actions, which\nshe returned with many new compliments: and in this reciprocal\ncommerce of civilities and attentions, love made a greater\nprogress in both than a concerted interview would have promoted.\n\nWhen they rose, the princess conducted the prince into a large\nand magnificent saloon, embellished with paintings in blue and\ngold, and richly furnished; there they both sat down in a\nbalcony, which afforded a most agreeable prospect into the palace\ngarden, which prince Firoze Shaw admired for the vast variety of\nflowers, shrubs, and trees, which were full as beautiful as those\nof Persia, but quite different. Here taking the opportunity of\nentering into conversation with the princess, he said, \"I always\nbelieved, madam, that no part of the world but Persia afforded\nsuch stately palaces and beautiful gardens; but now I see, that\nother great monarchs know as well how to build mansions suitable\nto their power and greatness; and if there is a difference in the\nmanner of building, there is none in the degree of grandeur and\nmagnificence.\"\n\n\"Prince,\" replied the princess of Bengal, \"as I have no idea of\nthe palaces of Persia, I cannot judge of the comparison you have\nmade of mine. But, however sincere you seem to be, I can hardly\nthink it just, but rather incline to believe it a compliment: I\nwill not despise my palace before you; you have too good an eye,\ntoo good a taste not to form a sound judgment. But I assure you,\nI think it very indifferent when I compare it with the king my\nfather's, which far exceeds it for grandeur, beauty, and\nrichness; you shall tell me yourself what you think of it, when\nyou have seen it: for since a chance has brought you so nigh to\nthe capital of this kingdom, I do not doubt but you will see it,\nand make my father a visit, that he may pay you all the honour\ndue to a prince of your rank and merit.\"\n\nThe princess flattered herself, that by exciting in the prince of\nPersia a curiosity to see the capital of Bengal, and to visit her\nfather, the king, seeing him so handsome, wise, and accomplished\na prince, might perhaps resolve to propose an alliance with him,\nby offering her to him as a wife. And as she was well persuaded\nshe was not indifferent to the prince, and that he would be\npleased with the proposal, she hoped to attain to the utmost of\nher wishes, and preserve all the decorum becoming a princess, who\nwould appear resigned to the will of her king and father; but the\nprince of Persia did not return her an answer according to her\nexpectation.\n\n\"Princess,\" he replied, \"the preference which you give the king\nof Bengal's palace to your own is enough to induce me to believe\nit much exceeds it: and as to the proposal of my going and paying\nmy respects to the king your father, I should not only do myself\na pleasure, but an honour. But judge, princess, yourself, would\nyou advise me to present myself before so great a monarch, like\nan adventurer, without attendants, and a train suitable to my\nrank?\"\n\n\"Prince,\" replied the princess, \"let not that give you any pain;\nif you will but go, you shall want no money to have what train\nand attendants you please: I will furnish you; and we have\ntraders here of all nations in great numbers, and you may make\nchoice of as many as you please to form your household.\"\n\nPrince Firoze Shaw penetrated the princess of Bengal's intention,\nand this sensible mark of her love still augmented his passion,\nwhich, notwithstanding its violence, made him not forget his\nduty. Without any hesitation he replied, \"Princess, I should most\nwillingly accept of the obliging offer you make me, for which I\ncannot sufficiently shew my gratitude, if the uneasiness my\nfather must feel on account of my absence did not prevent me. I\nshould be unworthy of the tenderness he has always had for me, if\nI should not return as soon as possible to calm his fears. I know\nhim so well, that while I have the happiness of enjoying the\nconversation of so lovely a princess, I am persuaded he is\nplunged into the deepest grief, and has lost all hopes of seeing\nme again. I trust you will do me the justice to believe, that I\ncannot, without ingratitude, and being guilty of a crime,\ndispense with going to restore to him that life, which a too long\ndeferred return may have endangered already.\n\n\"After this, princess,\" continued the prince of Persia, \"if you\nwill permit me, and think me worthy to aspire to the happiness of\nbecoming your husband, as my father has always declared that he\nnever would constrain me in my choice, I should find it no\ndifficult matter to get leave to return, not as a stranger, but\nas a prince, to contract an alliance with your father by our\nmarriage; and I am persuaded that the emperor will be overjoyed\nwhen I tell him with what generosity you received me, though a\nstranger in distress.\"\n\nThe princess of Bengal was too reasonable, after what the prince\nof Persia had said, to persist any longer in persuading him to\npay a visit to the raja of Bengal, or to ask any thing of him\ncontrary to his duty and honour. But she was much alarmed to find\nhe thought of so sudden a departure; fearing, that if he took his\nleave of her so soon, instead of remembering his promise, he\nwould forget when he ceased to see her. To divert him from his\npurpose, she said to him, \"Prince, my intention of proposing a\nvisit to my father was not to oppose so just a duty as that you\nmention, and which I did not foresee. But I cannot approve of\nyour going so soon as you propose; at least grant me the favour I\nask of a little longer acquaintance; and since I have had the\nhappiness to have you alight in the kingdom of Bengal, rather\nthan in the midst of a desert, or on the top of some steep craggy\nrock, from which it would have been impossible for you to\ndescend, I desire you will stay long enough to enable you to give\na better account at the court of Persia of what you may see\nhere.\"\n\nThe sole end the princess had in this request was, that the\nprince of Persia, by a longer stay, might become insensibly more\npassionately enamoured of her charms; hoping thereby that his\nardent desire of returning would diminish, and then he might be\nbrought to appear in public, and pay a visit to the Rajah of\nBengal. The prince of Persia could not well refuse her the favour\nshe asked, after the kind reception she had given him; and\ntherefore politely complied with her request; and the princess's\nthoughts were directed to render his stay agreeable by all the\namusements she could devise.\n\nNothing went forward for several days but concerts of music,\naccompanied with magnificent feasts and collations in the\ngardens, or hunting-parties in the vicinity of the palace, which\nabounded with all sorts of game, stags, hinds, and fallow deer,\nand other beasts peculiar to the kingdom of Bengal, which the\nprincess could pursue without danger. After the chase, the prince\nand princess met in some beautiful spot, where a carpet was\nspread, and cushions laid for their accommodation. There resting\nthemselves, after their violent exercise, they conversed on\nvarious subjects. The princess took pains to turn the\nconversation on the grandeur, power, riches, and government of\nPersia; that from the prince's replies she might have an\nopportunity to talk of the kingdom of Bengal, and its advantages,\nand engage him to resolve to make a longer stay there; but she\nwas disappointed in her expectations.\n\nThe prince of Persia, without the least exaggeration, gave so\nadvantageous an account of the extent of the kingdom of Persia,\nits magnificence and riches, its military force, its commerce by\nsea and land with the most remote parts of the world, some of\nwhich were unknown even to him; the vast number of large cities\nit contained, almost as populous as that which the emperor had\nchosen for his residence, where he had palaces furnished ready to\nreceive him at all seasons of the year; so that he had his choice\nalways to enjoy a perpetual spring; that before he had concluded,\nthe princess found the kingdom of Bengal to be very much inferior\nto that of Persia in a great many respects. When he had finished\nhis relation, he begged of her to entertain him with a\ndescription of Bengal.\n\nThe princess after much entreaty gave prince Firoze Shaw that\nsatisfaction; but by lessening a great many advantages the\nkingdom of Bengal was well known to have over that of Persia, she\nbetrayed the disposition she felt to accompany him, so that he\nbelieved she would consent at the first proposition he should\nmake; but he thought it would not be proper to make it till he\nhad shewed her so much deference as to stay with her long enough\nto make the blame fall on herself, in case she wished to detain\nhim from returning to his father.\n\nTwo whole months the prince of Persia abandoned himself entirely\nto the will of the princess of Bengal, yielding to all the\namusements she contrived for him, for she neglected nothing to\ndivert him, as if she thought he had nothing else to do but to\npass his whole life with her in this manner. But he now declared\nseriously he could not stay longer, and begged of her to give him\nleave to return to his father; repeating again the promise he had\nmade her to come back soon in a style worthy of her and himself,\nand to demand her in marriage of the Rajah of Bengal.\n\n\"And, princess,\" observed the prince of Persia, \"that you may not\nsuspect the truth of what I say; and that by my asking this\npermission you may not rank me among those false lovers who\nforget the object of their affection as soon as absent from them;\nto shew that my passion is real, and not feigned, and that life\ncannot be pleasant to me when absent from so lovely a princess,\nwhose love to me I cannot doubt is mutual; I would presume, were\nI not afraid you would be offended at my request, to ask the\nfavour of taking you along with me.\"\n\nAs the prince saw that the princess blushed at these words,\nwithout any mark of anger, he proceeded, and said, \"Princess, as\nfor my father's consent, and the reception he will give you, I\nventure to assure you he will receive you with pleasure into his\nalliance; and as for the Rajah of Bengal, after all the love and\ntender regard he has always expressed for you, he must be the\nreverse of what you have described him, an enemy to your repose\nand happiness, if he should not receive in a friendly manner the\nembassy which my father will send to him for his approbation of\nour marriage.\"\n\nThe princess returned no answer to this address of the prince of\nPersia; but her silence, and eyes cast down, were sufficient to\ninform him that she had no reluctance to accompany him into\nPersia. The only difficulty she felt was, that the prince knew\nnot well enough how to govern the horse, and she was apprehensive\nof being involved with him in the same difficulty as when he\nfirst made the experiment. But the prince soon removed her fear,\nby assuring her she might trust herself with him, for that after\nthe experience he had acquired, he defied the Hindoo himself to\nmanage him better. She thought therefore only of concerting\nmeasures to get off with him so secretly, that nobody belonging\nto the palace should have the least suspicion of their design.\n\nThe next morning, a little before day-break, when all the\nattendants were asleep, they went upon the terrace of the palace.\nThe prince turned the horse towards Persia, and placed him where\nthe princess could easily get up behind him; which she had no\nsooner done, and was well settled with her arms about his waist,\nfor her better security, than he turned the peg, when the horse\nmounted into the air, and making his usual haste, under the\nguidance of the prince, in two hours time the prince discovered\nthe capital of Persia.\n\nHe would not alight at the great square from whence he had set\nout, nor in the palace, but directed his course towards a\npleasure-house at a little distance from the capital. He led the\nprincess into a handsome apartment, where he told her, that to do\nher all the honour that was due to her, he would go and inform\nhis father of their arrival, and return to her immediately. He\nordered the housekeeper of the palace, who was then present, to\nprovide the princess with whatever she had occasion for.\n\nAfter the prince had taken his leave of the princess, he ordered\na horse to be saddled, which he mounted, after sending back the\nhousekeeper to the princess, with orders to provide her\nrefreshments immediately, and then set forwards for the palace.\nAs he passed through the streets he was received with\nacclamations by the people, who were overjoyed to see him again.\nThe emperor his father was giving audience, when he appeared\nbefore him in the midst of his council. He received him with\necstacy, and embracing him with tears of joy and tenderness,\nasked him, what was become of the Hindoo's horse.\n\nThis question gave the prince an opportunity of describing the\nembarrassment and danger he was in when the horse ascended into\nthe air, and how he had arrived at last at the princess of\nBengal's palace, the kind reception he had met with there, and\nthat the motive which had induced him to stay so long with her\nwas the affection she had shewn him; also, that after promising\nto marry her, he had persuaded her to accompany him into Persia.\n\"But, sir,\" added the prince, \"I felt assured that you would not\nrefuse your consent, and have brought her with me on the\nenchanted horse, to a palace where your majesty often goes for\nyour pleasure; and have left her there, till I could return and\nassure her that my promise was not in vain.\"\n\nAfter these words, the prince prostrated himself before the\nemperor to obtain his consent, when his father raised him up,\nembraced him a second time, and said to him, \"Son, I not only\nconsent to your marriage with the princess of Bengal, but will go\nand meet her myself, and thank her for the obligation I in\nparticular have to her, and will bring her to my palace, and\ncelebrate your nuptials this day.\"\n\nThe emperor now gave orders for his court to make preparations\nfor the princess's entry; that the rejoicings should be announced\nby the royal band of military music, and that the Hindoo should\nbe fetched out of prison and brought before him. When the Hindoo\nwas conducted before the emperor, he said to him, \"I secured thy\nperson, that thy life, though not a sufficient victim to my rage\nand grief, might answer for that of the prince my son, whom,\nhowever, thanks to God! I have found again: go, take your horse,\nand never let me see your face more.\"\n\nAs the Hindoo had learned of those who brought him out of prison\nthat prince Firoze Shaw was returned with a princess, and was\nalso informed of the place where he had alighted and left her,\nand that the emperor was making preparations to go and bring her\nto his palace; as soon as he got out of the presence, he\nbethought himself of being revenged upon the emperor and the\nprince. Without losing any time, he went directly to the palace,\nand addressing himself to the keeper, told him, he came from the\nprince of Persia for the princess of Bengal, and to conduct her\nbehind him through the air to the emperor, who waited in the\ngreat square of his palace to gratify the whole court and city of\nSheerauz with that wonderful sight.\n\nThe palace-keeper, who knew the Hindoo, and that the emperor had\nimprisoned him, gave the more credit to what he said, because he\nsaw that he was at liberty. He presented him to the princess of\nBengal; who no sooner understood that he came from the prince of\nPersia than she consented to what the prince, as she thought, had\ndesired of her.\n\nThe Hindoo, overjoyed at his success, and the ease with which he\nhad accomplished his villany, mounted his horse, took the\nprincess behind him, with the assistance of the keeper, turned\nthe peg, and instantly the horse mounted into the air.\n\nAt the same time the emperor of Persia, attended by his court,\nwas on the road to the palace where the princess of Bengal had\nbeen left, and the prince of Persia was advanced before, to\nprepare the princess to receive his father; when the Hindoo, to\nbrave them both, and revenge himself for the ill-treatment he had\nreceived, appeared over their heads with his prize.\n\nWhen the emperor of Persia saw the ravisher, he stopped. His\nsurprise and affliction were the more sensible, because it was\nnot in his power to punish so high an affront. He loaded him with\na thousand imprecations, as did also all the courtiers, who were\nwitnesses of so signal a piece of insolence and unparalleled\nartifice and treachery.\n\nThe Hindoo, little moved with their curses, which just reached\nhis ears, continued his way, while the emperor, extremely\nmortified at so great an insult, but more so that he could not\npunish the author, returned to his palace in rage and vexation.\n\nBut what was prince Firoze Shaw's grief at beholding the Hindoo\nhurrying away the princess of Bengal, whom he loved so\npassionately that he could not live without her! At a spectacle\nso little expected he was confounded, and before he could\ndeliberate with himself what measures to pursue, the horse was\nout of sight. He could not resolve how to act, whether he should\nreturn to his father's palace, and shut himself in his apartment,\nto give himself entirely up to his affliction, without attempting\nto pursue the ravisher. But as his generosity, love, and courage,\nwould not suffer this, he continued on his way to the palace\nwhere he had left his princess.\n\nWhen he arrived, the palace-keeper, who was by this time\nconvinced of his fatal credulity, in believing the artful Hindoo,\nthrew himself at his feet with tears in his eyes, accused himself\nof the crime, which unintentionally he had committed, and\ncondemned himself to die by his hand. \"Rise,\" said the prince to\nhim, \"I do not impute the loss of my princess to thee, but to my\nown want of precaution. But not to lose time, fetch me a\ndervish's habit, and take care you do not give the least hint\nthat it is for me.\"\n\nNot far from this palace there stood a convent of dervishes, the\nsuperior of which was the palace-keeper's particular friend. He\nwent to his chief, and telling him that a considerable officer at\ncourt and a man of worth, to whom he had been very much obliged\nand wished to favour, by giving him an opportunity to withdraw\nfrom some sudden displeasure of the emperor, readily obtained a\ncomplete dervish's habit, and carried it to prince Firoze Shaw.\nThe prince immediately pulled off his own dress, put it on, and\nbeing so disguised, and provided with a box of jewels, which he\nhad brought as a present to the princess, left the palace,\nuncertain which way to go, but resolved not to return till he had\nfound out his princess, and brought her back again, or perish in\nthe attempt.\n\nBut to return to the Hindoo; he governed his enchanted horse so\nwell, that he arrived early next morning in a wood, near the\ncapital of the kingdom of Cashmeer. Being hungry, and concluding\nthe princess was so also, he alighted in that wood, in an open\npart of it, and left the princess on a grassy spot, close to a\nrivulet of clear fresh water.\n\nDuring the Hindoo's absence, the princess of Bengal, who knew\nthat she was in the power of a base ravisher, whose violence she\ndreaded, thought of escaping from him, and seeking out for some\nsanctuary. But as she had eaten scarcely any thing on her arrival\nat the palace, was so faint, that she could not execute her\ndesign, but was forced to abandon it and stay where she was,\nwithout any other resource than her courage, and a firm\nresolution rather to suffer death than be unfaithful to the\nprince of Persia. When the Hindoo returned, she did not wait to\nbe entreated, but ate with him, and recovered herself enough to\nanswer with courage to the insolent language he now began to hold\nto her. After many threats, as she saw that the Hindoo was\npreparing to use violence, she rose up to make resistance, and by\nher cries and shrieks drew towards them a company of horsemen,\nwhich happened to be the sultan of Cashmeer and his attendants,\nwho, as they were returning from hunting, happily for the\nprincess of Bengal, passed through that part of the wood, and ran\nto her assistance, at the noise she made.\n\nThe sultan addressed himself to the Hindoo, demanded who he was,\nand wherefore he ill treated the lady? The Hindoo, with great\nimpudence, replied, \"That she was his wife, and what had any one\nto do with his quarrel with her?\"\n\nThe princess, who neither knew the rank nor quality of the person\nwho came so seasonably to her relief, told the Hindoo he was a\nliar; and said to the sultan, \"My lord, whoever you are whom\nHeaven has sent to my assistance, have compassion on a princess,\nand give no credit to that impostor. Heaven forbid that I should\nbe the wife of so vile and despicable a Hindoo! a wicked\nmagician, who has forced me away from the prince of Persia, to\nwhom I was going to be united, and has brought me hither on the\nenchanted horse you behold there.\"\n\nThe princess of Bengal had no occasion to say more to persuade\nthe sultan of Cashmeer that what she told him was truth. Her\nbeauty, majestic air, and tears, spoke sufficiently for her.\nJustly enraged at the insolence of the Hindoo, he ordered his\nguards to surround him, and strike off his head: which sentence\nwas immediately executed.\n\nThe princess, thus delivered from the persecution of the Hindoo,\nfell into another no less afflicting. The sultan conducted her to\nhis palace, where he lodged her in the most magnificent\napartment, next his own, commanded a great number of women slaves\nto attend her, and ordered a guard of eunuchs. He led her himself\ninto the apartment he had assigned her; where, without giving her\ntime to thank him for the great obligation she had received, he\nsaid to her, \"As I am certain, princess, that you must want rest,\nI will take my leave of you till to-morrow, when you will be\nbetter able to relate to me the circumstances of this strange\nadventure;\" and then left her.\n\nThe princess of Bengal's joy was inexpressible at finding herself\ndelivered from the violence of the Hindoo, of whom she could not\nthink without horror. She flattered herself that the sultan of\nCashmeer would complete his generosity by sending her back to the\nprince of Persia when she should have told him her story, and\nasked that favour of him; but she was much deceived in these\nhopes; for her deliverer had resolved to marry her himself the\nnext day; and for that end had ordered rejoicings to be made by\nday-break, by beating of drums, sounding of trumpets, and other\ninstruments expressive of joy; which not only echoed through the\npalace, but throughout the whole city.\n\nThe princess of Bengal was awakened by these tumultuous concerts;\nbut attributed them to a very different cause from the true one.\nWhen the sultan of Cashmeer, who had given orders that he should\nbe informed when the princess was ready to receive a visit, came\nto wait upon her; after he had inquired after her health, he\nacquainted her that all those rejoicings were to render their\nnuptials the more solemn; and at the same time desired her assent\nto the union. This declaration put her into such agitation that\nshe fainted away.\n\nThe women-slaves, who were present, ran to her assistance; and\nthe sultan did all he could to bring her to herself, though it\nwas a long time before they succeeded. But when she recovered,\nrather than break the promise she had made to prince Firoze Shaw,\nby consenting to marry the sultan of Cashmeer, who had proclaimed\ntheir nuptials before he had asked her consent, she resolved to\nfeign madness. She began to utter the most extravagant\nexpressions before the sultan, and even rose off her seat as if\nto attack him; insomuch that he was greatly alarmed and\nafflicted, that he had made such a proposal so unseasonably.\n\nWhen he found that her frenzy rather increased than abated, he\nleft her with her women, charging them never to leave her alone,\nbut to take great care of her. He sent often that day to inquire\nhow she did; but received no other answer than that she was\nrather worse than better. At night she seemed more indisposed\nthan she had been all day, insomuch that the sultan deferred the\nhappiness he had promised himself.\n\nThe princess of Bengal continued to talk wildly, and shew other\nmarks of a disordered mind, next day and the following; so that\nthe sultan was induced to send for all the physicians belonging\nto his court, to consult them upon her disease, and to ask if\nthey could cure her.\n\nThe physicians all agreed that there were several sorts and\ndegrees of this disorder, some curable and others not; and told\nthe sultan, that they could not judge of the princess of Bengal's\nunless they might see her; upon which the sultan ordered the\neunuchs to introduce them into the princess's chamber, one after\nanother, according to their rank.\n\nThe princess, who foresaw what would happen, and feared, that if\nshe let the physicians feel her pulse, the least experienced of\nthem would soon know that she was in good health, and that her\nmadness was only feigned, flew into such a well-dissembled rage\nand passion, that she appeared ready to injure those who came\nnear her; so none of them durst approach her.\n\nSome who pretended to be more skilful than the rest, and boasted\nof judging of diseases only by sight, ordered her some potions,\nwhich she made the less difficulty to take, well knowing she\ncould be sick or well at pleasure, and that they could do her no\nharm.\n\nWhen the sultan of Cashmeer saw that his court physicians could\nnot cure her, he called in the most celebrated and experienced of\nthe city, who had no better success. Afterwards he sent for the\nmost famous in the kingdom, who met with no better reception than\nthe others from the princess, and what they prescribed had no\neffect. Afterwards he dispatched expresses to the courts of\nneighbouring sultans, with the princess's case, to be distributed\namong the most famous physicians, with a promise of a munificent\nreward to any of them who should come and effect her cure.\n\nVarious physicians arrived from all parts, and tried their skill;\nbut none could boast of better success than their predecessors,\nor of restoring the princess's faculties, since it was a case\nthat did not depend on medicine, but on the will of the princess\nherself.\n\nDuring this interval Firoze Shaw, disguised in the habit of a\ndervish, travelled through many provinces and towns, involved in\ngrief; and endured excessive fatigue, not knowing which way to\ndirect his course, or whether he might not be pursuing the very\nopposite road from what he ought, in order to hear the tidings he\nwas in search of. He made diligent inquiry after her at every\nplace he came to; till at last passing through a city of\nHindoostan, he heard the people talk much of a princess of\nBengal, who ran mad on the day of the intended celebration of her\nnuptials with the sultan of Cashmeer. At the name of the princess\nof Bengal, and supposing that there could exist no other princess\nof Bengal than her upon whose account he had undertaken his\ntravels, he hastened towards the kingdom of Cashmeer, and upon\nhis arrival at the capital took up his lodging at a khan, where\nthe same day he was informed of the story of the princess, and\nthe fate of the Hindoo magician, which he had so richly deserved.\nFrom the circumstances, the prince was convinced that she was the\nbeloved object he had sought so long.\n\nBeing informed of all these particulars, he provided himself\nagainst the next day with a physician's habit, and having let his\nbeard grow during his travels, he passed the more easily for the\ncharacter he assumed, went to the palace, impatient to behold his\nbeloved, where he presented himself to the chief of the officers,\nand observed modestly, that perhaps it might be looked upon as a\nrash undertaking to attempt the cure of the princess, after so\nmany had failed; but that he hoped some specifics, from which he\nhad experienced success, might effect the desired relief. The\nchief of the officers told him he was welcome, that the sultan\nwould receive him with pleasure, and that if he should have the\ngood fortune to restore the princess to her former health, he\nmight expect a considerable reward from his master's liberality:\n\"Stay a moment,\" added he, \"I will come to you again\nimmediately.\"\n\nSome time had elapsed since any physician had offered himself;\nand the sultan of Cashmeer with great grief had begun to lose all\nhope of ever seeing the princess restored to health, that he\nmight marry, and shew how much he loved her. He ordered the\nofficer to introduce the physician he had announced.\n\nThe prince of Persia was presented, when the sultan, without\nwasting time in superfluous discourse, after having told him the\nprincess of Bengal could not bear the sight of a physician\nwithout falling into most violent transports, which increased her\nmalady, conducted him into a closet, from whence, through a\nlattice, he might see her without being observed.\n\nThere Firoze Shaw beheld his lovely princess sitting melancholy,\nwith tears in her eyes, and singing an air in which she deplored\nher unhappy fate, which had deprived her, perhaps, for ever, of\nthe object she loved so tenderly.\n\nThe prince was sensibly affected at the melancholy condition in\nwhich he found his dear princess, but he wanted no other signs to\ncomprehend that her disorder was feigned, or that it was for love\nof him that she was under so grievous an affliction. When he came\nout of the closet, he told the sultan that he had discovered the\nnature of the princess's complaint, and that she was not\nincurable; but added withal, that he must speak with her in\nprivate, and alone, as, notwithstanding her violent agitation at\nthe sight of physicians, he hoped she would hear and receive him\nfavourably.\n\nThe sultan ordered the princess's chamber door to be opened, and\nFiroze Shaw went in. As soon as the princess saw him (taking him\nby his habit to be a physician), she rose up in a rage,\nthreatening him, and giving him the most abusive language. He\nmade directly towards her, and when he was nigh enough for her to\nhear him, for he did not wish to be heard by any one else, said\nto her, in a low voice, \"Princess, I am not a physician, but the\nprince of Persia, and am come to procure you your liberty.\"\n\nThe princess, who knew the sound of the voice, and the upper\nfeatures of his face, notwithstanding he had let his beard grow\nso long, grew calm at once, and a secret joy and pleasure\noverspread her face, the effect of seeing the person so much\ndesired so unexpectedly. Her agreeable surprise deprived her for\nsome time of the use of speech, and gave Firoze Shaw time to tell\nher as briefly as possible, how despair had seized him when he\nsaw the Hindoo carry her away; the resolution he afterwards had\ntaken to leave every thing to find her out, and never to return\nhome till he had regained her out of the hands of the perfidious\nwretch; and by what good fortune, at last, after a long and\nfatiguing journey, he had the satisfaction to find her in the\npalace of the sultan of Cashmeer. He then desired the princess to\ninform him of all that happened to her, from the time she was\ntaken away, till that moment when he had the happiness to\nconverse with her, telling her, that it was of the greatest\nimportance to know this, that he might take the most proper\nmeasures to deliver her from the tyranny of the sultan of\nCashmeer.\n\nThe princess informed him how she was delivered from the Hindoo's\nviolence by the sultan, as he was returning from hunting; how she\nwas alarmed the next day, by a declaration he had made of his\nprecipitate design to marry her, without even the ceremony of\nasking her consent; that this violent and tyrannical conduct put\nher into a swoon; after which she thought she had no other way\nthan what she had taken, to preserve herself for a prince to whom\nshe had given her heart and faith; or die, rather than marry the\nsultan, whom she neither loved, nor could ever love.\n\nThe prince of Persia then asked her, if she knew what became of\nthe horse, after the death of the Hindoo magician. To which she\nanswered, that she knew not what orders the sultan had given; but\nsupposed, after the account she had given him of it, he would\ntake care of it as a curiosity.\n\nAs Firoze Shaw never doubted but that the sultan had the horse,\nhe communicated to the princess his design of making use of it to\nconvey them both into Persia; and after they had consulted\ntogether on the measures they should take, they agreed that the\nprincess should dress herself the next day, and receive the\nsultan civilly, but without speaking to him.\n\nThe sultan of Cashmeer was overjoyed when the prince of Persia\nstated to him what effect his first visit had had towards the\ncure of the princess. On the following day, when the princess\nreceived him in such a manner as persuaded him her cure was far\nadvanced, he regarded him as the greatest physician in the world;\nand seeing her in this state, contented himself with telling her\nhow rejoiced he was at her being likely soon to recover her\nhealth. He exhorted her to follow the directions of so skilful a\nphysician, in order to complete what he had so well begun; and\nthen retired without waiting for her answer.\n\nThe prince of Persia, who attended the sultan of Cashmeer out of\nthe princess's chamber, as he accompanied him, asked if, without\nfailing in due respect, he might inquire, how the princess of\nBengal came into the dominions of Cashmeer thus alone, since her\nown country was far distant? This he said on purpose to introduce\nsome conversation about the enchanted horse, and to know what was\nbecome of it.\n\nThe sultan, who could not penetrate into the prince's motive,\nconcealed nothing from him; but informed him of what the princess\nhad related, when he had delivered her from the Hindoo magician:\nadding, that he had ordered the enchanted horse to be kept safe\nin his treasury as a great curiosity, though he knew not the use\nof it.\n\n\"Sir,\" replied the pretended physician, \"the information which\nyour majesty has given your devoted slave affords me a means of\ncuring the princess. As she was brought hither on this horse, and\nthe horse is enchanted, she hath contracted something of the\nenchantment, which can be dissipated only by a certain incense\nwhich I am acquainted with. If your majesty would entertain\nyourself, your court, and the people of your capital, with the\nmost surprising sight that ever was beheld, let the horse be\nbrought into the great square before the palace, and leave the\nrest to me. I promise to show you, and all that assembly, in a\nfew moments time, the princess of Bengal completely restored in\nbody and mind. But the better to effect what I propose, it will\nbe requisite that the princess, should be dressed as\nmagnificently as possible, and adorned with the most valuable\njewels your majesty may possess.\" The sultan would have\nundertaken much more difficult things to have arrived at the\nenjoyment of his desires, which he expected soon to accomplish.\n\nThe next day, the enchanted horse was, by his order, taken out of\nthe treasury, and placed early in the great square before the\npalace. A report was spread through the town that there was\nsomething extraordinary to be seen, and crowds of people flocked\nthither from all parts, insomuch that the sultan's guards were\nplaced to prevent disorder, and to keep space enough round the\nhorse.\n\nThe sultan of Cashmeer, surrounded by all his nobles and\nministers of state, was placed on a scaffold erected on purpose.\nThe princess of Bengal, attended by a number of ladies whom the\nsultan had assigned her, went up to the enchanted horse, and the\nwomen helped her to mount. When she was fixed in the saddle, and\nhad the bridle in her hand, the pretended physician placed round\nthe horse at a proper distance many vessels full of lighted\ncharcoal, which he had ordered to be brought, and going round\nthem with a solemn pace, cast in a strong and grateful perfume;\nthen collected in himself, with downcast eyes, and his hands upon\nhis breast, he ran three times about the horse, making as if he\npronounced some mystical words. The moment the pots sent forth a\ndark cloud of pleasant smell, which so surrounded the princess,\nthat neither she nor the horse could be discerned, watching his\nopportunity, the prince jumped nimbly up behind her, and reaching\nhis hand to the peg, turned it; and just as the horse rose with\nthem into the air, he pronounced these words, which the sultan\nheard distinctly, \"Sultan of Cashmeer, when you would marry\nprincesses who implore your protection, learn first to obtain\ntheir consent.\"\n\nThus the prince delivered the princess of Bengal, and carried her\nthe same day to the capital of Persia, where he alighted in the\nsquare of the palace, before the emperor his father's apartment,\nwho deferred the solemnization of the marriage no longer than\ntill he could make the preparations necessary to render the\nceremony pompous and magnificent, and evince the interest he took\nin it.\n\nAfter the days appointed for the rejoicings were over, the\nemperor of Persia's first care was to name and appoint an\nambassador to go to the Rajah of Bengal with an account of what\nhad passed, and to demand his approbation and ratification of the\nalliance contracted by this marriage; which the Rajah of Bengal\ntook as an honour, and granted with great pleasure and\nsatisfaction.\n\n\n\n\n            THE STORY OF PRINCE AHMED, AND THE FAIRY\n                          PERIE BANOU.\n\n\n\nThere was a sultan who had peaceably filled the throne of India\nmany years, and had the satisfaction in his old age to have three\nsons the worthy imitators of his virtues, who, with the princess\nhis niece, were the ornaments of his court. The eldest of the\nprinces was called Houssain, the second Ali, the youngest Ahmed,\nand the princess his niece Nouronnihar.\n\nThe princess Nouronnihar was the daughter of the younger brother\nof the sultan, to whom in his lifetime he had allowed a\nconsiderable revenue. But that prince had not been married long\nbefore he died, and left the princess very young. The sultan, in\nconsideration of the brotherly love and friendship that had\nalways subsisted between them, besides a great attachment to his\nperson, took upon himself the care of his daughter's education,\nand brought her up in his palace with the three princes; where\nher singular beauty and personal accomplishments, joined to a\nlively wit and irreproachable virtue, distinguished her among all\nthe princesses of her time.\n\nThe sultan, her uncle, proposed to marry her when she arrived at\na proper age, and by that means to contract an alliance with some\nneighbouring prince; and was thinking seriously on the subject,\nwhen he perceived that the three princes his sons loved her\npassionately. This gave him much concern, though his grief did\nnot proceed from a consideration that their passion prevented his\nforming the alliance he designed, but the difficulty he foresaw\nto make them agree, and that the two youngest should consent to\nyield her up to their eldest brother. He spoke to each of them\napart; and remonstrated on the impossibility of one princess\nbeing the wife of three persons, and the troubles they would\ncreate if they persisted in their attachment. He did all he could\nto persuade them to abide by a declaration of the princess in\nfavour of one of them; or to desist from their pretensions, to\nthink of other matches which he left them free liberty to choose,\nand suffer her to be married to a foreign attachment. But as he\nfound them obstinate, he sent for them all together, and said,\n\"My children, since I have not been able to dissuade you from\naspiring to marry the princess your cousin; and as I have no\ninclination to use my authority, to give her to one in preference\nto his brothers, I trust I have thought of an expedient which\nwill please you all, and preserve harmony among you, if you will\nbut hear me, and follow my advice. I think it would not be amiss\nif you were to travel separately into different countries, so\nthat you might not meet each other: and as you know I am very\ncurious, and delight in every thing that is rare and singular, I\npromise my niece in marriage to him who shall bring me the most\nextraordinary rarity; chance may lead you to form your own\njudgment of the singularity of the things which you bring, by the\ncomparison you make of them, so that you will have no difficulty\nto do yourselves justice by yielding the preference to him who\nhas deserved it; and for the expense of travelling, I will give\neach of you a sum suited to your rank, and for the purchase of\nthe rarity you shall search after; which shall not be laid out in\nequipage and attendants, as much display, by discovering who you\nare, would not only deprive you of the liberty to acquit\nyourselves of your charge, but prevent your observing those\nthings which may merit your attention, and may be most useful to\nyou.\"\n\nAs the three princes were always submissive and obedient to the\nsultan's will, and each flattered himself fortune might prove\nfavourable to him, and give him possession of the princess\nNouronnihar, they all consented to the proposal. The sultan gave\nthem the money he promised; and that very day they issued orders\nfor the preparations for their travels, and took leave of their\nfather, that they might be ready to set out early next morning.\nThey all went out at the same gate of the city, each dressed like\na merchant, attended by a trusty officer, habited as a slave, and\nall well mounted and equipped. They proceeded the first day's\njourney together; and slept at a caravanserai, where the road\ndivided into three different tracks. At night when they were at\nsupper together, they all agreed to travel for a year, to make\ntheir present lodging their rendezvous; and that the first who\ncame should wait for the rest; that as they had all three taken\nleave together of the sultan, they might return in company. The\nnext morning by break of day, after they had embraced and wished\neach other reciprocally good success, they mounted their horses,\nand took each a different road.\n\nPrince Houssain, the eldest brother, who had heard wonders of the\nextent, power, riches, and splendour of the kingdom of Bisnagar,\nbent his course towards the Indian coast; and after three months'\ntravelling, joining himself to different caravans, sometimes over\ndeserts and barren mountains, and sometimes through populous and\nfertile countries, arrived at Bisnagar, the capital of the\nkingdom of that name, and the residence of its maharajah. He\nlodged at a khan appointed for foreign merchants; and having\nlearnt that there were four principal divisions where merchants\nof all sorts kept their shops, in the midst of which stood the\ncastle, or rather the maharajah's palace, on a large extent of\nground, as the centre of the city, surrounded by three courts,\nand each gate distant two leagues from the other, he went to one\nof these quarters the next day.\n\nPrince Houssain could not view this quarter without admiration.\nIt was large, divided into several streets, all vaulted and\nshaded from the sun, but yet very light. The shops were all of\nthe same size and proportion; and all who dealt in the same sort\nof goods, as well as all the artists of the same profession,\nlived in one street.\n\nThe number of shops stocked with all kinds of merchandizes, such\nas the finest linens from several parts of India, some painted in\nthe most lively colours, and representing men, landscapes, trees,\nand flowers; silks and brocades from Persia, China, and other\nplaces; porcelain from Japan and China; foot carpets of all\nsizes; surprised him so much, that he knew not how to believe his\neyes: but when he came to the shops of the goldsmiths and\njewellers (for those two trades were exercised by the same\nmerchants), he was in a kind of ecstasy, at beholding such\nprodigious quantities of wrought gold and silver, and was dazzled\nby the lustre of the pearls, diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and\nother precious stones exposed to sale. But if he was amazed at\nseeing so many treasures in one place, he was much more surprised\nwhen he came to judge of the wealth of the whole kingdom, by\nconsidering, that except the brahmins, and ministers of the\nidols, who profess a life retired from worldly vanity, there was\nnot an Indian, man or woman, through the extent of the kingdom,\nbut wore necklaces, bracelets, and ornaments about their legs and\nfeet, made of pearls, and precious stones, which appeared with\nthe greater lustre, as they were blacks, which colour admirably\nset off their brilliancy.\n\nAnother object which prince Houssain particularly admired was the\ngreat number of flower-sellers who crowded the streets; for the\nIndians are such great lovers of flowers that not one will stir\nwithout a nosegay of them in his hand, or a garland of them on\nhis head; and the merchants keep them in pots in their shops, so\nthat the air of the whole quarter, however extensive, is\nperfectly perfumed.\n\nAfter prince Houssain had passed through that quarter, street by\nstreet, his thoughts fully employed on the riches he had seen, he\nwas much fatigued; which a merchant perceiving, civilly invited\nhim to sit down in his shop. He accepted his offer; but had not\nbeen seated long, before he saw a crier pass with a piece of\ncarpeting on his arm, about six feet square, and crying it at\nthirty purses. The prince called to the crier, and asked to see\nthe carpeting, which seemed to him to be valued at an exorbitant\nprice, not only for the size of it, but the meanness of the\nmaterials. When he had examined it well, he told the crier that\nhe could not comprehend how so small a piece of carpeting, and of\nso indifferent an appearance, could be set at so high a price.\n\nThe crier, who took him for a merchant, replied, \"Sir, if this\nprice seems so extravagant to you, your amazement will be greater\nwhen I tell you, I have orders to raise it to forty purses, and\nnot to part with it under.\" \"Certainly,\" answered prince\nHoussain, \"it must have something very extraordinary in it, which\nI know nothing of.\" \"You have guessed right, sir,\" replied the\ncrier, \"and will own it when you come to know, that whoever sits\non this piece of carpeting may be transported in an instant\nwherever he desires to be, without being stopped by any\nobstacle.\"\n\nAt this account, the prince of the Indies, considering that the\nprincipal motive of his tour was to carry the sultan his father\nhome some singular rarity, thought that he could not meet with\nany which would afford him more satisfaction. \"If the carpeting,\"\nsaid he to the crier, \"has the virtue you attribute to it, I\nshall not think forty purses too much; but shall make you a\npresent besides.\" \"Sir,\" replied the crier, \"I have told you the\ntruth; and it will be an easy matter to convince you of it, as\nsoon as you have made the bargain for forty purses, on condition\nI shew you the experiment. But as I suppose you have not so much\nwith you, and to receive them, I must go with you to the khan\nwhere you lodge; with the leave of the master of this shop we\nwill go into the back warehouse, where I will spread the\ncarpeting; and when we have both sat down, and you have formed\nthe wish to be transported into your apartment at the khan, if we\nare not conveyed thither, it shall be no bargain, and you shall\nbe at your liberty. As to your present, as I am paid for my\ntrouble by the seller, I shall receive it as a favour, and feel\nmuch obliged by your liberality.\"\n\nOn this assurance of the crier, the prince accepted the\nconditions, and concluded the bargain; then having obtained the\nmaster's leave, they went into his back-shop, where they both sat\ndown on the carpeting; and as soon as the prince had formed his\nwish to be transported into his apartment at the khan, he in an\ninstant found himself and the crier there: as he wanted not a\nmore convincing proof of the virtue of the carpeting, he counted\nto the crier forty purses of gold, and gave him twenty pieces for\nhimself.\n\nIn this manner prince Houssain became the possessor of the\ncarpeting, and was overjoyed that at his arrival at Bisnagar he\nhad found so rare a curiosity, which he never doubted must of\ncourse gain him the possession of Nouronnihar. In short, he\nthought it impossible for the princes, his younger brothers, to\nmeet with any thing to be compared with it. It was in his power,\nby sitting on this carpeting, to be at the place of rendezvous\nthat very day; but as he would be obliged to wait there for his\nbrothers, as they had agreed, and as he was desirous of seeing\nthe maharajah of Bisnagar and his court, and to inform himself of\nthe strength, laws, customs, and religion of the kingdom, he\nchose to make a longer abode in this capital, and to spend some\nmonths in satisfying his curiosity.\n\nIt was the custom of the maharajah of Bisnagar to give all\nforeign merchants access to his person once a week; so that in\nhis assumed character prince Houssain saw him often: and as this\nprince was of an engaging presence, sensible and accomplished, he\ndistinguished himself among the merchants,  and was preferred\nbefore them all by the maharajah, who addressed himself to him to\nbe informed of the person of the sultan of the Indies, and of the\ngovernment, strength, and riches of his dominions.\n\nThe rest of his time the prince employed in viewing what was most\nremarkable in and about the city; and among the objects which\nwere most worthy of admiration, he visited a temple remarkable\nfor being built all of brass. It was ten cubits square, and\nfifteen high; but its greatest ornament was an idol of the height\nof a man, of massive gold; its eyes were two rubies, set so\nartificially, that it seemed to look at those who viewed it, on\nwhich side soever they turned: besides this, there was another\nnot less curious, in the environs of the city, in the midst of a\nlawn of about ten acres, which was like a delicious garden full\nof roses and the choicest flowers, surrounded by a low wall,\nbreast high, to keep out the cattle. In the midst of this lawn\nwas raised a terrace, a man's height, and covered with such\nbeautiful cement, that the whole pavement seemed to be but one\nsingle stone, most highly polished. A temple was erected in the\nmiddle of this terrace, having a spire rising about fifty cubits\nhigh from the building, which might be seen for several leagues\nround. The temple was thirty cubits long, and twenty broad; built\nof red marble, highly polished. The inside of the spire was\nadorned with three compartments of fine paintings: and there was\nnot a part in the whole edifice but what was embellished with\npaintings, or relievos, and gaudy idols from top to bottom.\n\nEvery night and morning there were superstitious ceremonies\nperformed in this temple, which were always succeeded by sports,\nconcerts of music, dancing, singing, and feasts. The brahmins of\nthe temple, and the inhabitants of this suburb, had nothing to\nsubsist on but the offerings of pilgrims, who came in crowds from\nthe most distant parts of the kingdom to perform their vows.\n\nPrince Houssain was also spectator of a solemn festival, which\nwas celebrated every year at the court of Bisnagar, at which all\nthe governors of provinces, commanders of fortified places, all\nheads and magistrates of towns, and the brahmins most celebrated\nfor their learning, were usually present; and some lived so far\noff, that they were four months in coming. This assembly,\ncomposed of such innumerable multitudes of Hindoos encamped in\nvariously coloured tents, on a plain of vast extent, was a\nsplendid sight, as far as the eye could reach. In the centre of\nthis plain was a square of great length and breadth, closed on\none side by a large scaffolding of nine stories, supported by\nforty pillars, raised for the maharajah and his court, and those\nstrangers whom he admitted to audience once a week: within, it\nwas adorned and furnished magnificently with rich carpets and\ncushions; and on the outside were painted landscapes, wherein all\nsorts of beasts, birds, and insects, even flies and gnats, were\ndrawn very naturally. Other scaffolds of at least four or five\nstories, and painted almost all with the same fanciful\nbrilliancy, formed the other three sides. But what was more\nparticular in these scaffolds, they could turn, and make them\nchange their fronts so as to present different decorations to the\neye every hour.\n\nOn each side of the square, at some little distance from each\nother, were ranged a thousand elephants, sumptuously caparisoned,\neach having upon his back a square wooden stage, finely gilt,\nupon which were musicians and buffoons. The trunks, ears, and\nbodies of these elephants were painted with cinnabar and other\ncolours, representing grotesque figures.\n\nBut what prince Houssain most of all admired, as a proof of the\nindustry, address, and inventive genius of the Hindoos, was to\nsee the largest of these elephants stand with his four feet on a\npost fixed into the earth, and standing out of it above two feet,\nplaying and beating time with his trunk to the music. Besides\nthis, he admired another elephant as large as the former, placed\nupon a plank, laid across a strong beam about ten feet high, with\na sufficiently heavyweight at the other end, which balanced him,\nwhile he kept time, by the motions of his body and trunk, with\nthe music, as well as the other elephant. The Hindoos, after\nhaving fastened on the counterpoise, had drawn the other end of\nthe board down to the ground, and made the elephant get upon it.\n\nPrince Houssain might have made a longer stay in the kingdom and\ncourt of Bisnagar, where he would have been agreeably diverted by\na great variety of other wonders, till the last day of the year,\nwhereon he and his brothers had appointed to meet. But he was so\nwell satisfied with what he had seen, and his thoughts ran so\nmuch upon the object of his love, that after such success in\nmeeting with his carpet, reflecting on the beauty and charms of\nthe princess Nouronnihar increased every day the violence of his\npassion, and he fancied he should be the more easy and happy the\nnearer he was to her. After he had satisfied the master of the\nkhan for his apartment, and told him the hour when he might come\nfor the key, without mentioning how he should travel, he shut the\ndoor, put the key on the outside, and spreading the carpet, he\nand the officer he had brought with him sat down upon it, and as\nsoon as he had formed his wish, were transported to the\ncaravanserai at which he and his brothers were to meet, and where\nhe passed for a merchant till their arrival.\n\nPrince Ali, the second brother, who had designed to travel into\nPersia, in conformity with the intention of the sultan of the\nIndies, took that road, having three days after he parted with\nhis brothers joined a caravan; and in four months arrived at\nSheerauz, which was then the capital of the empire of Persia; and\nhaving in the way contracted a friendship with some merchants,\npassed for a jeweller, and lodged in the same khan with them.\n\nThe next morning, while the merchants opened their bales of\nmerchandises, prince Ali, who travelled only for his pleasure,\nand had brought nothing but necessaries with him, after he had\ndressed himself, took a walk into that quarter of the town where\nthey sold precious stones, gold and silver works, brocades,\nsilks, fine linens, and other choice and valuable articles, and\nwhich was at Sheerauz called the bezestein. It was a spacious and\nwell-built street, arched over, within the arcades of which were\nshops. Prince Ali soon rambled through the bezestein, and with\nadmiration judged of the riches of the place by the prodigious\nquantities of the most precious merchandises exposed to view.\n\nBut among the criers who passed backwards and forwards with\nseveral sorts of goods, offering to sell them, he was not a\nlittle surprised to see one who held in his hand an ivory tube,\nof about a foot in length, and about an inch thick, which he\ncried at forty purses. At first he thought the crier mad, and to\ninform himself, went to a shop, and said to the merchant who\nstood at the door, \"Pray, sir, is not that man\" (pointing to the\ncrier, who cried the ivory tube at forty purses) \"mad? If he is\nnot, I am much deceived.\" \"Indeed, sir,\" answered the merchant,\n\"he was in his right senses yesterday; and I can assure you he is\none of the ablest criers we have, and the most employed of any,\nas being to be confided in when any thing valuable is to be sold;\nand if he cries the ivory tube at forty purses, it must be worth\nas much or more, on some account or other which does not appear.\nHe will come by presently, when we will call him, and you shall\nsatisfy yourself: in the mean time sit down on my sofa, and rest\nyourself.\"\n\nPrince Ali accepted the merchant's obliging offer, and presently\nafterwards the crier arrived. The merchant called him by his\nname, and pointing to the prince, said to him, \"Tell that\ngentleman, who asked me if you were in your right senses, what\nyou mean by crying that ivory tube, which seems not to be worth\nmuch, at forty purses? I should indeed be much amazed myself, if\nI did not know you were a sensible man.\" The crier, addressing\nhimself to prince Ali, said, \"Sir, you are not the only person\nthat takes me for a madman, on account of this tube; you shall\njudge yourself whether I am or no, when I have told you its\nproperty; and I hope you will value it at as high a price as\nthose I have shewed it to already, who had as bad an opinion of\nme as you have.\n\n\"First, sir,\" pursued the crier, presenting the ivory tube to the\nprince, \"observe, that this tube is furnished with a glass at\nboth ends; by looking through one of them, you will see whatever\nobject you wish to behold.\" \"I am,\" said the prince, \"ready to\nmake you all proper reparation for the reflection I have cast\nupon you, if you can make the truth of what you advance appear;\nand\" (as he had the ivory tube in his hand, after he had looked\nat the two glasses), he said, \"shew me at which of these ends I\nmust look, that I may be satisfied.\" The crier presently shewed\nhim, and he looked through; wishing, at the same time, to see the\nsultan his father, whom he immediately beheld in perfect health,\nsitting on his throne, in the midst of his council. Next, as\nthere was nothing in the world so dear to him, after the sultan,\nas the princess Nouronnihar, he wished to see her; and instantly\nbeheld her laughing, and in a gay humour, with her women about\nher.\n\nPrince All wanted no other proof to persuade him that this tube\nwas the most valuable article, not only in the city of Sheerauz,\nbut in all the world; and believed, that if he should neglect to\npurchase it, he should never meet with an equally wonderful\ncuriosity. He said to the crier, \"I am very sorry that I have\nentertained so erroneous an opinion of you, but hope to make\namends by buying the tube, for I should be sorry if any body else\nhad it; so tell me the lowest price the owner has fixed; and do\nnot give yourself any farther trouble to hawk it about, but go\nwith me and I will pay you the money.\" The crier assured him,\nwith an oath, that his last orders were to take no less than\nforty purses; and if he disputed the truth of what he said, he\nwould carry him to his employer. The prince believed him, took\nhim to the khan where he lodged, told him out the money, and\nreceived the tube.\n\nPrince Ali was overjoyed at his purchase; and persuaded himself,\nthat as his brothers would not be able to meet with any thing so\nrare and admirable, the princess Nouronnihar must be the\nrecompense of his fatigue and travels. He thought now of only\nvisiting the court of Persia incognito, and seeing whatever was\ncurious in and about Sheerauz, till the caravan with which he\ncame might be ready to return to the Indies. He satisfied his\ncuriosity, and when the caravan took its departure, the prince\njoined the former party of merchants his friends, and arrived\nhappily without any accident or trouble, further than the length\nof the journey and fatigue of travelling, at the place of\nrendezvous, where he found prince Houssain, and both waited for\nprince Ahmed.\n\nPrince Ahmed took the road of Samarcand, and the day after his\narrival, went, as his brothers had done, into the bezestein;\nwhere he had not walked long before he heard a crier, who had an\nartificial apple in his hand, cry it at five-and-thirty purses.\nHe stopped the crier, and said to him, \"Let me see that apple,\nand tell me what virtue or extraordinary property it possesses,\nto be valued at so high a rate?\" \"Sir,\" replied the crier, giving\nit into his hand, \"if you look at the mere outside of this apple\nit is not very remarkable; but if you consider its properties,\nand the great use and benefit it is of to mankind, you will say\nit is invaluable, and that he who possesses it is master of a\ngreat treasure. It cures all sick persons of the most mortal\ndiseases, whether fever, pleurisy, plague, or other malignant\ndistempers; for even if the patient is dying, it will recover him\nimmediately, and restore him to perfect health: and this merely\nby the patient's smelling to it.\"\n\n\"If one may believe you,\" replied prince Ahmed, \"the virtues of\nthis apple are wonderful, and it is indeed invaluable: but what\nground has the purchaser to be persuaded that there is no\nexaggeration in the high praises you bestow on it?\" \"Sir,\"\nreplied the crier, \"the truth is known by the whole city of\nSamarcand; but without going any farther, ask all these merchants\nyou see here, and hear what they say; you will find several of\nthem will tell you they had not been alive this day had they not\nmade use of this excellent remedy; and that you may the better\ncomprehend what it is, I must tell you it is the fruit of the\nstudy and experience of a celebrated philosopher of this city,\nwho applied himself all his lifetime to the knowledge of the\nvirtues of plants and minerals, and at last attained to this\ncomposition, by which he performed such surprising cures, as will\nnever be forgotten; but died suddenly himself, before he could\napply his own sovereign remedy; and left his wife and a great\nmany young children behind in very indifferent circumstances,\nwho, to support her family, and to provide for her children, has\nresolved to sell it.\"\n\nWhile the crier was detailing to prince Ahmed the virtues of the\nartificial apple, many persons came about them, and confirmed\nwhat he declared; and one amongst the rest said he had a friend\ndangerously ill, whose life was despaired of; which was a\nfavourable opportunity to shew the experiment. Upon which prince\nAhmed told the crier he would give him forty purses for the apple\nif it cured the sick person by smelling to it.\n\nThe crier, who had orders to sell it at that price, said to\nprince Ahmed, \"Come, sir, let us go and make the experiment, and\nthe apple shall be yours; and I say this with the greater\nconfidence, as it is an undoubted fact that it will always have\nthe same effect, as it already has had whenever it has been\napplied to save from death so many persons whose lives were\ndespaired of.\" In short, the experiment succeeded; and the\nprince, after he had counted out to the crier forty purses, and\nhad received the apple from him, waited with the greatest\nimpatience for the departure of a caravan for the Indies. In the\nmean time he saw all that was curious at and about Samarcand, and\nprincipally the valley of Sogd, which is reckoned by the Arabians\none of the four paradises of this world, for the beauty of its\nfields, gardens, and palaces, and for its fertility in fruit of\nall sorts, and all the other pleasures enjoyed there in the fine\nseason.\n\nAhmed joined himself to the first caravan that set out for the\nIndies, and notwithstanding the inevitable inconveniences of so\nlong a journey, arrived in perfect health at the caravanserai,\nwhere the princes Houssain and Ali waited for him.\n\nAli, who had arrived some time before Ahmed, asked Houssain how\nlong he had been there? who told him, \"Three months;\" to which he\nreplied, \"Then certainly you have not been very far.\" \"I will\ntell you nothing now,\" said prince Houssain, \"of where I have\nbeen, but only assure you, I was above three months travelling to\nthe place I went to.\" \"But then,\" replied prince Ali, \"you made a\nshort stay there.\" \"Indeed, brother,\" said prince Houssain, \"you\nare mistaken; I resided at one place above four months, and might\nhave stayed longer.\" \"Unless you flew back,\" returned Ali again,\n\"I cannot comprehend how you can have been three months here, as\nyou would make me believe.\"\n\n\"I tell you the truth,\" added Houssain, \"and it is a riddle which\nI shall not explain to you, till our brother Ahmed joins us; when\nI will let you know what rarity I have purchased in my travels. I\nknow not what you have got, but believe it to be some trifle,\nbecause I do not perceive that your baggage is increased.\" \"And\npray what have you brought?\" demanded prince Ali, \"for I can see\nnothing but an ordinary piece of carpeting, with which you cover\nyour sofa; and therefore I think I may return your raillery; and\nas you seem to make what you have brought a secret, you cannot\ntake it amiss that I do the same with respect to what I have\nprocured.\"\n\n\"I consider the rarity I have purchased,\" replied Houssain, \"to\nexcel all others whatever, and should not make any difficulty to\nshew it you, and make you allow that it is so, and at the same\ntime tell you how I came by it, without being in the least\napprehensive that what you have got is to be preferred to it: but\nit is proper that we should wait till our brother Ahmed arrives,\nwhen we may communicate our good fortune to each other.\"\n\nPrince All would not enter into a dispute with prince Houssain on\nthe preference he gave his rarity, but was persuaded, that if his\nperspective glass was not preferable, it was impossible it should\nbe inferior to it; and therefore agreed to stay till prince Ahmed\narrived, to produce his purchase.\n\nWhen prince Ahmed joined his brothers, they embraced with\ntenderness, and complimented each other on the happiness of\nmeeting together at the same place they had set out from.\nHoussain, as the eldest brother, then assumed the discourse, and\nsaid to them, \"Brothers, we shall have time enough hereafter to\nentertain ourselves with the particulars of our travels. Let us\ncome to that which is of the greatest importance for us to know;\nand as I do not doubt you remember the principal motive which\nengaged us to travel, let us not conceal from each other the\ncuriosities we have brought, but shew them, that we may do\nourselves justice beforehand, and judge to which of us the sultan\nour father may give the preference.\n\n\"To set the example,\" continued Houssain, \"I will tell you, that\nthe rarity which I have brought from the kingdom of Bisnagar is\nthe carpeting on which I sit, which looks but ordinary, and makes\nno shew; but when I have declared its virtues, you will be struck\nwith admiration, and confess you never heard of any thing like\nit. Whoever sits on it, as we do, and desires to be transported\nto any place, be it ever so far distant, he is immediately\ncarried thither. I made the experiment myself, before I paid the\nforty purses, which I most readily gave for it; and when I had\nfully satisfied my curiosity at the court of Bisnagar, and wished\nto return here, I made use of no other conveyance than this\nwonderful carpet for myself and servant, who can tell you how\nlong we were on our journey. I will shew you both the experiment\nwhenever you please. I expect now that you should tell me whether\nwhat you have brought is to be compared with this carpet.\"\n\nHere prince Houssain finished his commendations of the excellency\nof his carpet; and prince Ali, addressing himself to him, said,\n\"I must own, brother, that your carpet is one of the most\nsurprising curiosities, if it has, as I do not doubt, the\nproperty you speak of. But you must allow that there may be other\nrarities, I will not say more, but at least as wonderful, in\nanother way; and to convince you there are, here is an ivory\ntube, which appears to the eye no more a prodigy than your\ncarpet; it cost me as much, and I am as well satisfied with my\npurchase as you can be with yours; and you will be so just as to\nown that I have not been imposed upon, when you shall know by\nexperience, that by looking at one end you see whatever object\nyou wish to behold. I would not have you take my word,\" added\nprince Ali, presenting the tube to him; \"take it, make trial of\nit yourself.\"\n\nHoussain took the ivory tube from prince Ali, and put that end to\nhis eye which Ali directed, with an intention to see the princess\nNouronnihar; when Ali and prince Ahmed, who kept their eyes fixed\nupon him, were extremely surprised to see his countenance change\nin such a manner, as expressed extraordinary alarm and\naffliction. Prince Houssain did not give them time to ask what\nwas the matter, but cried out, \"Alas! princes, to what purpose\nhave we undertaken such long and fatiguing journeys, but with the\nhopes of being recompensed by the possession of the charming\nNouronnihar, when in a few moments that lovely princess will\nbreathe her last. I saw her in her bed, surrounded by her women\nand eunuchs, all in tears, who seem to expect her death. Take the\ntube, behold yourselves the miserable state she is in, and mingle\nyour tears with mine.\"\n\nPrince Ali took the tube out of Houssain's hand, and after he had\nseen the same object with sensible grief, presented it to Ahmed,\nwho took it, to behold the melancholy sight which so much\nconcerned them all.\n\nWhen prince Ahmed had taken the tube out of Ali's hands, and saw\nthat the princess Nouronnihar's end was so near, he addressed\nhimself to his two brothers, and said, \"Princes, the princess\nNouronnihar, equally the object of our vows, is indeed just at\ndeath's door; but provided we make haste and lose no time, we may\npreserve her life.\" He then took the artificial apple out of his\nbosom, and shewing it to his brothers, resumed, \"This apple cost\nme as much and more than either the carpet or tube. The\nopportunity which now presents itself to shew you its wonderful\nproperty makes me not regret the forty purses I gave for it. But\nnot to keep you longer in suspense, it has this virtue; if a sick\nperson smells to it, though in the last agonies, it will restore\nhim to perfect health immediately. I have made the experiment,\nand can show you its wonderful effect on the person of the\nprincess Nouronnihar, if we hasten to assist her.\"\n\n\"If that be all,\" replied prince Houssain, \"we cannot make more\ndispatch than by transporting ourselves instantly into her\nchamber by means of my carpet. Come, lose no time, sit down, it\nis large enough to hold us all: but first let us give orders to\nour servants to set out immediately, and join us at the palace.\"\n\nAs soon as the order was given, the princes Ali and Ahmed sat\ndown by Houssain, and as their interest was the same, they all\nframed the same wish, and were transported instantaneously into\nthe princess Nouronnihar's chamber.\n\nThe presence of the three princes, who were so little expected,\nalarmed the princess's women and eunuchs, who could not\ncomprehend by what enchantment three men should be among them;\nfor they did not know them at first; and the eunuchs were ready\nto fall upon them, as people who had got into a part of the\npalace where they were not allowed to come; but they presently\nfound their mistake.\n\nPrince Ahmed no sooner saw himself in Nouronnihar's chamber, and\nperceived the princess dying, but he rose off the carpet, as did\nalso the other two princes, went to the bed-side, and put the\napple to her nostrils. The princess instantly opened her eyes,\nand turned her head from one side to another, looking at the\npersons who stood about her; she then rose up in the bed, and\nasked to be dressed, with the same freedom and recollection as if\nshe had awaked out of a sound sleep. Her women presently informed\nher, in a manner that shewed their joy, that she was obliged to\nthe three princes her cousins, and particularly to prince Ahmed,\nfor the sudden recovery of her health. She immediately expressed\nher joy at seeing them, and thanked them all together, but\nafterwards prince Ahmed in particular. As she desired to dress,\nthe princes contented themselves with telling her how great a\npleasure it was to them to have come soon enough to contribute\neach in any degree towards relieving her from the imminent danger\nshe was in, and what ardent prayers they had offered for the\ncontinuance of her life; after which they retired.\n\nWhile the princess was dressing, the princes went to throw\nthemselves at the sultan their father's feet; but when they came\nto him, they found he had been previously informed of their\nunexpected arrival by the chief of the princess's eunuchs, and by\nwhat means the princess had been so suddenly cured. The sultan\nreceived and embraced them with the greatest joy, both for their\nreturn, and the wonderful recovery of the princess his niece,\nwhom he loved as if she had been his own daughter, and who had\nbeen given over by the physicians. After the usual compliments,\nthe princes presented each the rarity which he had brought:\nprince Houssain his carpet, prince Ali his ivory tube, and prince\nAhmed the artificial apple; and after each had commended his\npresent, as he put it into the sultan's hands, they begged of him\nto pronounce their fate, and declare to which of them he would\ngive the princess Nouronnihar, according to his promise.\n\nThe sultan of the Indies having kindly heard all that the princes\nhad to say in favour of their rarities, without interrupting\nthem, and being well informed of what had happened in relation to\nthe princess Nouronnihar's cure, remained some time silent,\nconsidering what answer he should make. At last he broke silence,\nand said to them in terms full of wisdom, \"I would declare for\none of you, my children, if I could do it with justice; but\nconsider whether I can? It is true, Ahmed, the princess my niece\nis obliged to your artificial apple for her cure: but let me ask\nyou, whether you could have been so serviceable to her if you had\nnot known by Ali's tube the danger she was in, and if Houssain's\ncarpet had not brought you to her so soon? Your tube, Ali,\ninformed you and your brothers that you were likely to lose the\nprincess your cousin, and so far she is greatly obliged to you.\nYou must also grant, that the knowledge of her illness would have\nbeen of no service without the artificial apple and the carpet.\nAnd as for you, Houssain, the princess would be very ungrateful\nif she did not show her sense of the value of your carpet, which\nwas so necessary a means towards effecting her cure. But\nconsider, it would have been of little use, if you had not been\nacquainted with her illness by Ali's tube, or if Ahmed had not\napplied his artificial apple. Therefore, as neither the carpet,\nthe ivory tube, nor the artificial apple has the least preference\nto the other articles, but as, on the contrary, their value has\nbeen perfectly equal, I cannot grant the princess to any one of\nyou; and the only fruit you have reaped from your travels is the\nglory of having equally contributed to restore her to health.\n\n\"As this is the case,\" added the sultan, \"you see that I must\nhave recourse to other means to determine me with certainty in\nthe choice I ought to make; and as there is time enough between\nthis and night, I will do it to-day. Go and procure each of you a\nbow and arrow, repair to the plain where the horses are\nexercised; I will soon join you, and will give the princess\nNouronnihar to him who shoots the farthest.\n\n\"I do not, however, forget to thank you all in general, and each\nin particular, for the present you have brought me. I have many\nrarities in my collection already, but nothing that comes up to\nthe miraculous properties of the carpet, the ivory tube, and the\nartificial apple, which shall have the first places among them,\nand shall be preserved carefully, not only for curiosity, but for\nservice upon all proper occasions.\"\n\nThe three princes had nothing to object to the decision of the\nsultan. When they were dismissed his presence, they each provided\nthemselves with a bow and arrow, which they delivered to one of\ntheir officers, and went to the plain appointed, followed by a\ngreat concourse of people.\n\nThe sultan did not make them wait long for him: as soon as he\narrived, prince Houssain, as the eldest, took his bow and arrow,\nand shot first. Prince Ali shot next, and much beyond him; and\nprince Ahmed last of all; but it so happened, that nobody could\nsee where his arrow fell; and notwithstanding all the search made\nby himself and all the spectators, it was not to be found. Though\nit was believed that he had shot the farthest, and had therefore\ndeserved the princess Nouronnihar, it was however necessary that\nhis arrow should be found, to make the matter more evident and\ncertain; but notwithstanding his remonstrances, the sultan\ndetermined in favour of prince Ali, and gave orders for\npreparations to be made for the solemnization of the nuptials,\nwhich were celebrated a few days after with great magnificence.\n\nPrince Houssain would not honour the feast with his presence; his\npassion for the princess Nouronnihar was so sincere and ardent,\nthat he could scarcely support with patience the mortification of\nseeing her in the arms of prince Ali: who, he said, did not\ndeserve her better nor love her more than himself. In short, his\ngrief was so violent and insupportable, that he left the court,\nand renounced all right of succession to the crown, to turn\ndervish, and put himself under the discipline of a famous chief,\nwho had gained great reputation for his exemplary life; and had\ntaken up his abode, and that of his disciples, whose number was\ngreat, in an agreeable solitude.\n\nPrince Ahmed, urged by the same motive, did not assist at prince\nAli and the princess Nouronnihar's nuptials, any more than his\nbrother Houssain, yet did not renounce the world as he had done.\nBut as he could not imagine what could have become of his arrow,\nhe resolved to search for it, that he might not have any thing to\nreproach himself with. With this intent he went to the place\nwhere the princes Houssain's and Ali's were gathered up, and\nproceeding straight forwards from thence looked carefully on both\nsides as he advanced. He went so far, that at last he began to\nthink his labour was in vain; yet he could not help proceeding\ntill he came to some steep craggy rocks, which would have obliged\nhim to return, had he been ever so desirous to continue his\ncourse.\n\nAs he approached these rocks, he perceived an arrow, which he\ntook up, looked earnestly at it, and was in the greatest\nastonishment to find it was the same he had shot. \"Certainly,\"\nsaid he to himself, \"neither I, nor any man living, could shoot\nan arrow so far; and finding it laid flat, not sticking into the\nground, he judged that it had rebounded from the rock. There must\nbe some mystery in this, said he to himself again, and it may be\nto my advantage. Perhaps fortune, to make amends for depriving me\nof what I thought the greatest happiness of my life, may have\nreserved a greater blessing for my comfort.\"\n\nAs these rocks were full of sharp points and indentures between\nthem, the prince meditating, entered into one of the cavities,\nand looking about, beheld an iron door, which seemed to have no\nlock. He feared it was fastened; but pushing against it, it\nopened, and discovered an easy descent, which he walked down with\nhis arrow in his hand. At first he thought he was going into a\ndark place, but presently a light quite different from that which\nhe had quitted succeeded; and entering into a spacious square,\nhe, to his surprise, beheld a magnificent palace, the admirable\nstructure of which he had not time to look at: for at the same\ninstant, a lady of majestic air, and of a beauty to which the\nrichness of her habit and the jewels which adorned her person\nadded no advantage, advanced, attended by a troop of ladies, or\nwhom it was difficult to distinguish which was the mistress, as\nall were so magnificently dressed.\n\nAs soon as Ahmed perceived the lady, he hastened to pay his\nrespects; and the lady seeing him coming, prevented him.\nAddressing him first, she said, \"Come near, prince Ahmed, you are\nwelcome.\"\n\nIt was with no small surprise that the prince heard himself named\nin a palace he had never heard of, though so nigh to his father's\ncapital, and he could not comprehend how he should be known to a\nlady who was a stranger to him. At last he returned the lady's\ncompliment, by throwing himself at her feet, and rising up, said\nto her, \"Lady, I return you a thousand thanks for the assurance\nyou give me of welcome to a place where I had reason to believe\nmy imprudent curiosity had made me penetrate too far. But may I,\nwithout being guilty of rudeness, presume to inquire by what\nadventure you know me? and how you who live in the same\nneighbourhood should be so little known by me?\" \"Prince,\" said\nthe lady, \"let us go into the hall; there I will gratify you in\nyour request more commodiously for us both.\"\n\nAfter these words, the lady led prince Ahmed into the hall, the\nnoble structure of which, displaying the gold and azure which\nembellished the dome, and the inestimable richness of the\nfurniture, appeared so great a novelty to him, that he could not\nforbear his admiration, but exclaimed, that he had never beheld\nits equal. \"I can assure you,\" replied the lady, \"that this is\nbut a small part of my palace, as you will judge when you have\nseen all the apartments.\" She then sat down on a sofa; and when\nthe prince at her entreaty had seated himself by her, she\ncontinued, \"You are surprised, you say, that I know you, and am\nnot known by you; but you will be no longer surprised when I\ninform you who I am. You cannot be ignorant, as the Koran informs\nyou, that the world is inhabited by genii as well as men: I am\nthe daughter of one of the most powerful and distinguished of\nthese genii, and my name is Perie Banou; therefore you ought not\nto wonder that I know you, the sultan your father, the princes\nyour brothers, and the princess Nouronnihar. I am no stranger to\nyour loves or your travels, of which I could tell you all the\ncircumstances, since it was I myself who exposed to sale the\nartificial apple which you bought at Samarcand, the carpet which\nprince Houssain purchased at Bisnagar, and the tube which prince\nAli brought from Sheerauz. This is sufficient to let you know\nthat I am not unacquainted with every thing that relates to you.\nI have to add, that you seemed to me worthy of a more happy fate\nthan that of possessing the princess Nouronnihar; and that you\nmight attain to it, I was present when you drew your arrow, and\nforesaw it would not go beyond prince Houssain's. I seized it in\nthe air, and gave it the necessary motion to strike against the\nrocks near which you found it. It is in your power to avail\nyourself of the favourable opportunity which presents itself to\nmake you happy.\"\n\nAs the fairy Perie Banou pronounced the last words with a\ndifferent tone, and looked at the same time tenderly at the\nprince, with downcast eyes and a modest blush upon her cheeks, it\nwas not difficult for him to comprehend what happiness she meant.\nHe reflected that the princess Nouronnihar could never be his,\nsaw that Perie Banou excelled her infinitely in beauty and\naccomplishments, and, as far as he could conjecture by the\nmagnificence of the palace, in immense riches. He blessed the\nmoment that he thought of seeking after his arrow a second time,\nand yielding to his inclination, which drew him towards the new\nobject which had fired his heart: he then replied, \"Should I, all\nmy life, have the happiness of being your slave, and the admirer\nof the many charms which ravish my soul, I should think myself\nthe happiest of men. Pardon the presumption which inspires me to\nask this favour, and do not refuse to admit into your court a\nprince who is entirely devoted to you.\"\n\n\"Prince,\" answered the fairy, \"as I have been, long my own\nmistress, and have no dependence on a parent's consent, it is not\nas a slave that I would admit you into my court, but as master of\nmy person, and all that belongs to me, by pledging your faith to\nme, and taking me as your wife. I hope you will not think it\nindecorous, that I anticipate you in this proposal. I am, as I\nsaid, mistress of my will; and must add, that the same customs\nare not observed among fairies as with human-kind, in whom it\nwould not have been decent to have made such advances: but it is\nwhat we do, and we suppose we confer obligation by the practice.\"\n\nAhmed made no answer to this declaration, but was so penetrated\nwith gratitude, that he thought he could not express it better\nthan by prostration to kiss the hem of her garment; which she\nwould not give him time to do, but presented her hand, which he\nkissed a thousand times, and kept fast locked in his. \"Well,\nprince Ahmed,\" said she, \"will you pledge your faith to me, as I\ndo mine to you?\" \"Yes, madam,\" replied the prince, in an ecstacy\nof joy. \"What can I do more fortunate for myself, or with greater\npleasure? Yes, my sultaness, I give it you with my heart without\nthe least reserve.\" \"Then,\" answered the fairy, \"you are my\nhusband, and I am your wife. Our fairy marriages are contracted\nwith no other ceremonies, and yet are more firm and indissoluble\nthan those among men, with all their formalities. But as I\nsuppose,\" pursued she, \"that you have eaten nothing to-day, a\nslight repast shall be served up for you while preparations are\nmaking for our nuptial feast this evening, and then I will shew\nyou the apartments of my palace.\"\n\nSome of the fairy's women who came into the hall with them, and\nguessed her intentions, went immediately out, and returned with\nsome excellent viands and wines.\n\nWhen Ahmed had refreshed himself, the fairy led him through all\nthe apartments, where he saw diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and all\nsorts of fine jewels, intermixed with pearls, agate, jasper,\nporphyry, and all kinds of the most precious marbles; not to\nmention the richness of the furniture, which was inestimable; the\nwhole disposed in such elegant profusion, that the prince\nacknowledged there could not be any thing in the world equal to\nit. \"Prince,\" said the fairy, \"if you admire my humble abode so\nmuch, what would you say to the palaces of the chiefs of our\ngenii, which are much more beautiful, spacious, and magnificent?\nI could also shew you my garden; but we will leave that till\nanother time. Night draws near, and it will be time to go to\nsupper.\"\n\nThe next hall which the fairy led the prince into, where the\ncloth was laid for the feast, was the only apartment he had not\nseen, and it was not in the least inferior to the others. At his\nentrance, he admired the infinite number of wax candles perfumed\nwith amber, the multitude of which, instead of being confused,\nwere placed with so just a symmetry, as to form an agreeable and\npleasant light. A large beaufet was set out with all sorts of\ngold plate, so finely wrought, that the workmanship was much more\nvaluable than the weight of the gold. Several bands of beautiful\nwomen richly dressed, and whose voices were ravishing, began a\nconcert, accompanied by the most harmonious instruments he had\never heard. When they were seated, the fairy took care to help\nprince Ahmed to the most delicious meats, which she named as she\ninvited him to eat of them, and which the prince had never heard\nof, but found so exquisite, that he commended them in the highest\nterms, saying, that the entertainment which she gave him far\nsurpassed those among men. He found also the same excellence in\nthe wines, which neither he nor the fairy tasted till the dessert\nwas served up, which consisted of the choicest sweetmeats and\nfruits.\n\nAfter the dessert, the fairy Perie Banou and prince Ahmed rose\nand repaired to a sofa, with cushions of fine silk, curiously\nembroidered with all sorts of large flowers, laid at their backs.\nPresently after a great number of genii and fairies danced before\nthem to the chamber where the nuptial bed was prepared; and when\nthey came to the entrance, divided themselves into two rows, to\nlet them pass, after which they made obeisance and retired.\n\nThe nuptial festivity was renewed the next day; or rather, every\nday following the celebration was a continued feast, which the\nfairy Perie Banou knew how to diversify, by new delicacies, new\nconcerts, new dances, new shows, and new diversions; which were\nall so gratifying to his senses, that Ahmed, if he had lived a\nthousand years among men, could not have experienced equal\nenjoyment.\n\nThe fairy's intention was not only to give the prince convincing\nproofs of the sincerity of her love, by so many attentions; but\nto let him see, that as he had no pretensions at his father's\ncourt, he could meet with nothing comparable to the happiness he\nenjoyed with her, independently of her beauty and attractions,\nand to attach him entirely to herself. In this attempt she\nsucceeded so well, that Ahmed's passion was not in the least\ndiminished by possession; but increased so much, that if he had\nbeen so inclined, it was not in his power to forbear loving her.\n\nAt the end of six months, prince Ahmed, who always loved and\nhonoured the sultan his father, felt a great desire to know how\nhe was; and as that desire could not be satisfied without his\nabsenting himself, he mentioned his wish to the fairy, and\nrequested she would give him leave to visit the sultan.\n\nThis request alarmed the fairy, and made her fear it was only an\nexcuse to leave her. She said to him, \"What disgust can I have\ngiven to you to ask me this permission? Is it possible you should\nhave forgotten that you have pledged your faith to me, or have\nyou ceased to love one who is so passionately fond of you? Are\nnot the proofs I have repeatedly given you of my affection\nsufficient?\"\n\n\"My queen,\" replied the prince, \"I am perfectly convinced of your\nlove, and should be unworthy of it, if I did not testify my\ngratitude by a reciprocal affection. If you are offended at the\npermission I solicit, I entreat you to forgive me, and I will\nmake all the reparation in my power. I did not make the request\nwith any intention of displeasing you, but from a motive of\nrespect towards my father, whom I wish to free from the\naffliction in which my so long absence must have overwhelmed him,\nand which must be the greater, as, I have reason to presume, he\nbelieves that I am dead. But since you do not consent that I\nshould go and afford him that comfort, I will deny myself the\npleasure, as there is nothing to which I would not submit to\nplease you.\"\n\nAhmed did not dissemble, for he loved her at heart as much as he\nhad assured her by this declaration; and the fairy expressed her\nsatisfaction. But as he could not absolutely abandon his design,\nhe frequently took an opportunity to speak to her of the great\nqualifications of the sultan his father: and above all, of his\nparticular tenderness towards himself, in hopes he might at\nlength be able to move her.\n\nAs the prince had supposed, the sultan of the Indies, in the\nmidst of the rejoicings on account of the nuptials of prince Ali\nand the princess Nouronnihar, was sensibly afflicted at the\nabsence of the other two princes his sons, though it was not long\nbefore he was informed of the resolution Houssain had taken to\nforsake the world, and the place he had chosen for his retreat.\nAs a good father, whose happiness consists in seeing his children\nabout him, especially when they are deserving of his tenderness,\nhe would have been better pleased had he stayed at his court,\nnear his person; but as he could not disapprove of his choice of\nthe state of perfection which he had entered, he supported his\nabsence more patiently. He made the most diligent search after\nAhmed, and dispatched couriers to all the provinces of his\ndominions, with orders to the governors to stop him, and oblige\nhim to return to court: but all the pains he took had not the\ndesired success, and his affliction, instead of diminishing,\nincreased. He would make it the subject of his conversation with\nhis grand vizier; and would say to him, \"Vizier, thou knowest I\nalways loved Ahmed the most of all my sons; and thou art not\ninsensible of the means I have in vain used to find him out. My\ngrief is so heavy, I shall sink under it, if thou hast not\ncompassion on me; if thou hast any regard for the preservation of\nmy life, I conjure thee to assist and advise me.\"\n\nThe grand vizier, no less attached to the person of the sultan\nthan zealous to acquit himself well of the administration of the\naffairs of state, considering how to give his sovereign some\nease, recollected a sorceress, of whom he had heard wonders, and\nproposed to send for and consult her. The sultan consented, and\nthe grand vizier, upon her arrival, introduced her into the\npresence.\n\nThe sultan said to the sorceress, \"The affliction I have been in\nsince the marriage of my son prince Ali to the princess\nNouronnihar, my niece, on account of the absence of prince Ahmed,\nis so well known, and so public, that thou canst be no stranger\nto it. By thy art and skill canst thou tell me what is become of\nhim? If he be alive, where he is? what he is doing? and if I may\nhope ever to see him again?\" To this the sorceress replied, \"It\nis impossible, sir, for me, however skilful in my profession, to\nanswer immediately the questions your majesty asks; but if you\nallow me till to-morrow, I will endeavour to satisfy you.\" The\nsultan granted her the time, and permitted her to retire, with a\npromise to recompense her munificently, if her answer proved\nagreeable to his hopes.\n\nThe sorceress returned the next day, and the grand vizier\npresented her a second time to the sultan. \"Sir,\" said she,\n\"notwithstanding all the diligence I have used in applying the\nrules of my art to obey your majesty in what you desire to know,\nI have not been able to discover any thing more than that prince\nAhmed is alive. This is certain, and you may depend upon it; but\nas to where he is I cannot discover.\"\n\nThe sultan of the Indies was obliged to remain satisfied with\nthis answer; which left him in the same uneasiness as before as\nto the prince's situation.\n\nTo return to prince Ahmed. He so often entertained the fairy\nPerie Banou with talking about his father, though without\nspeaking any more of his desire to visit him, that she fully\ncomprehended what he meant; and perceiving the restraint he put\nupon himself, and his fear of displeasing her after her first\nrefusal, she inferred, from the repeated proofs he had given her,\nthat his love for her was sincere; and judging by herself of the\ninjustice she committed in opposing a son's tenderness for his\nfather, and endeavouring to make him renounce that natural\naffection, she resolved to grant him the permission which she knew\nhe so ardently desired. One day she said to him, \"Prince, the\nrequest you made to be allowed to go and see the sultan your\nfather gave me apprehension that it was only a pretext to conceal\ninconstancy, and that was the sole motive of my refusal; but now,\nas I am fully convinced by your actions and words that I can\ndepend on your honour and the fidelity of your love, I change my\nresolution, and grant you the permission you seek, on condition\nthat you will first swear to me that your absence shall not be\nlong. You ought not to be uneasy at this condition, as if I asked\nit out of distrust. I impose it only because I know that it will\ngive you no concern, convinced, as I have already told you I am,\nof the sincerity of your love.\"\n\nPrince Ahmed would have thrown himself at the fairy's feet to\nshew his gratitude, but she prevented him. \"My sultaness,\" said\nhe, \"I am sensible of the great favour you grant me; but want\nwords to express my thanks. Supply this defect, I conjure you, by\nyour own feelings, and be persuaded I think much more. You may\nbelieve that the oath will give me no uneasiness, and I take it\nmore willingly, since it is not possible for me to live without\nyou. I go, but the haste I will make to return shall shew you,\nthat it is not the fear of being foresworn, but my inclination,\nwhich is to live with you for ever, that urges me; and if with\nyour consent I now and then deprive myself of your society, I\nshall always avoid the pain a too long absence would occasion\nme.\"\n\n\"Prince,\" replied Perie Banou, delighted with his sentiments, \"go\nwhen you please; but do not take it amiss that I give you some\nadvice how you shall conduct yourself. First, I do not think it\nproper for you to inform your father of our marriage, neither of\nmy quality, nor the place of our residence. Beg of him to be\nsatisfied with knowing that you are happy, that you want nothing\nfrom him, and let him know that the sole end of your visit is to\nmake him easy respecting your fate.\"\n\nPerie Banou then appointed twenty horsemen, well mounted and\nequipped, to attend him. When all was ready, prince Ahmed took\nhis leave of the fairy, embraced her, and renewed his promise to\nreturn soon. A charger, which was most richly caparisoned, and as\nbeautiful a creature as any in the sultan of the Indies' stables,\nwas brought to him, which he mounted with extraordinary grace,\nwhich gave great pleasure to the fairy; and after he had bidden\nher adieu, he set forward on his journey.\n\nAs it was no great distance to his father's capital, prince Ahmed\nsoon arrived there. The people, rejoiced to see him again,\nreceived him with acclamations, and followed him in crowds to the\npalace. The sultan received and embraced him with great joy;\ncomplaining at the same time, with a fatherly tenderness, of the\naffliction his long absence had occasioned; which, he said, was\nthe more distressing, as fortune having decided in favour of\nprince Ali his brother, he was afraid he might have committed\nsome act of despair.\n\n\"Sir,\" replied prince Ahmed, \"I leave it to your majesty to\nconsider, if after having lost the princess Nouronnihar, who was\nthe only object of my desires, I could bear to be a witness of\nAli's happiness. If I had been capable of such unworthy apathy,\nwhat would the court and city have thought of my love, or what\nyour majesty? Love is a passion we cannot suppress at our will;\nwhile it lasts, it rules and governs us in spite of our boasted\nreason. Your majesty knows, that when I shot my arrow, the most\nextraordinary accident that ever befell mortal happened to me,\nfor surely it was such, that in so large and level a plain as\nthat where the horses are exercised, it should not be possible to\nfind my arrow. I lost your decision in my favour, which was as\nmuch due to my love, as to that of the princes my brothers.\nThough thus vanquished by the caprice of fate, I lost no time in\nvain complaints; but to satisfy my perplexed mind, upon what I\ncould not comprehend, I left my attendants, and returned alone to\nlook for my arrow. I sought all about the place where Houssain's\nand Ali's arrows were found, and where I imagined mine must have\nfallen, but all my labour was in vain. I was not discouraged, but\ncontinued my search in a direct line, and after this manner had\ngone above a league, without being able to meet with any thing\nlike an arrow, when I reflected that it was not possible that\nmine should have flown so far. I stopped, and asked myself\nwhether I was in my right senses, to flatter myself with having\nhad strength to shoot an arrow so much farther than any of the\nstrongest archers in the world were able to do. After I had\nargued thus with myself, I was ready to abandon my enterprise;\nbut when on the point of putting my resolution in execution, I\nfound myself drawn forward against my will; and after having gone\nfour leagues, to that part of the plain where it is bounded by\nrocks, I perceived an arrow. I ran, took it up, and knew it to be\nthe same which I had shot. Far from thinking your majesty had\ndone me any injustice in declaring for my brother Ali, I\ninterpreted what had happened to me quite otherwise, and never\ndoubted there was a mystery in it to my advantage; the discovery\nof which I ought not to neglect, and which I found out without\ngoing from the spot. But as to this mystery I beg your majesty\nwill not be offended if I remain silent, and that you will be\nsatisfied to know from my own mouth that I am happy, and content\nwith my fate.\n\n\"In the midst of my happiness, the only thing that troubled me,\nor was capable of disturbing me, was the uneasiness I feared your\nmajesty would experience on account of my leaving the court, and\nyour not knowing what was become of me. I thought it my duty to\nsatisfy you in this point. This was the only motive which brought\nme hither; the only favour I ask of your majesty is to give me\nleave to come occasionally to pay you my duty, and inquire after\nyour health.\"\n\n\"Son,\" answered the sultan of the Indies, \"I cannot refuse you\nthe permission you ask, but I should much rather you would\nresolve to stay with me. At least tell me where I may hear of\nyou, if you should fail to come, or when I may think your\npresence necessary.\" \"Sir,\" replied the prince, \"what your\nmajesty requires is part of the mystery I spoke of. I beg of you\nto allow me to remain silent on this head; for I shall come so\nfrequently where my duty calls, that I am afraid I shall sooner\nbe thought troublesome than be accused of negligence, when my\npresence may be necessary.\"\n\nThe sultan of the Indies pressed Ahmed no more, but said to him,\n\"Son, I wish to penetrate no farther into your secrets, but leave\nyou at your liberty. I can only tell you, that you could not have\ndone me greater pleasure than by your presence, having restored\nto me the joy I have not felt for a long time; and that you shall\nalways be welcome when you can come, without interrupting your\nbusiness or your pleasure.\"\n\nPrince Ahmed stayed but three days at his father's court, and on\nthe fourth returned to the fairy Perie Banou, who received him\nwith the greater joy, as she did not expect him so soon. His\nexpedition made her condemn herself for suspecting his want of\nfidelity. She never dissembled, but frankly owned her weakness to\nthe prince, and asked his pardon. So perfect was the union of the\ntwo lovers, that they had but one will.\n\nA month after prince Ahmed's return from visiting his father, as\nthe fairy had observed that since the time when he gave her an\naccount of his journey, and his conversation with his father, in\nwhich he asked his permission to come and see him from time to\ntime, he had never spoken of the sultan, whereas before he was\nfrequently mentioning him, she thought he forebore on her\naccount, and therefore took an opportunity to say to him one day,\n\"Tell me, prince, have you forgotten the sultan your father? Do\nnot you remember the promise you made to pay your duty to him\noccasionally? I have not forgotten what you told me at your\nreturn, and put you in mind of it, that you may acquit yourself\nof your promise when you may feel inclined.\"\n\n\"Madam,\" replied Ahmed, with equal animation, \"as I know I am not\nguilty of the forgetfulness you lay to my charge, I rather choose to\nbe thus reproached, however undeservedly, than expose myself to a\nrefusal, by manifesting a desire for what it might have given you pain\nto grant.\" \"Prince,\" said the fairy, \"I would not have you in this\naffair have so much consideration for me, since it is a month since\nyou have seen the sultan your father. I think you should not be longer\nin renewing your visits. Pay him one to-morrow, and after that, go and\nvisit once a month, without speaking to me, or waiting for my\npermission. I readily consent to such an arrangement.\"\n\nPrince Ahmed went the next morning with the same attendants as\nbefore, but much more magnificently mounted, equipped, and\ndressed, and was received by the sultan with the same joy and\nsatisfaction. For several months he constantly paid him visits,\nand always in a richer and more brilliant equipage.\n\nAt last the sultan's favourites, who judged of prince Ahmed's\npower by the splendour of his appearance, abused the privilege\nthe sultan accorded them of speaking to him with freedom, to make\nhim jealous of his son. They represented that it was but common\nprudence to discover where the prince had retired, and how he\ncould afford to live so magnificently, since he had no revenue\nassigned for his expenses; that he seemed to come to court only\nto insult him, by affecting to shew that he wanted nothing from\nhis father to enable him to live like a prince; and that it was\nto be feared he might court the people's favour and dethrone him.\n\nThe sultan of the Indies was so far from thinking that prince\nAhmed could be capable of so wicked a design, that he said to\nthem in displeasure, \"You are mistaken, my son loves me, and I am\nthe more assured of his tenderness and fidelity, as I have given\nhim no reason to be disgusted.\"\n\nAt these words, one of the favourites took an opportunity to say,\n\"Your majesty, in the opinion of the most sensible people, could\nnot have taken a better method than you did with the three\nprinces, respecting their marriage with the princess Nouronnihar;\nbut who knows whether prince Ahmed has submitted to his fate with\nthe same resignation as prince Houssain? May not he imagine that\nhe alone deserved her; and that your majesty, by leaving the\nmatch to be decided by chance, has done him injustice?\n\n\"Your majesty may say,\" added the malicious favourite, \"that\nprince Ahmed has manifested no appearance of dissatisfaction;\nthat our fears are vain; that we are too easily alarmed, and are\nto blame in suggesting to you suspicions of this kind, which may,\nperhaps, be unfounded, against a prince of your blood. But, sir,\"\npursued the favourite, \"it may be also, that these suspicions are\nwell grounded. Your majesty must be sensible, that in so nice and\nimportant an affair you cannot be too much on your guard, and\nshould take the safest course. Consider, it is the prince's\ninterest to dissemble, amuse, and deceive you; and the danger is\nthe greater, as he resides not far from your capital; and if your\nmajesty give but the same attention that we do, you may observe\nthat every time he comes his attendants are different, their\nhabits new, and their arms clean and bright, as if just come from\nthe maker's hands; and their horses look as if they had only been\nwalked out. These are sufficient proofs that prince Ahmed does\nnot travel far, so that we should think ourselves wanting in our\nduty did we not make our humble remonstrances, in order that, for\nyour own preservation and the good of your people, your majesty\nmay take such measures as you shall think advisable.\"\n\nWhen the favourite had concluded these insinuations, the sultan\nsaid, \"I do not believe my son Ahmed is so wicked as you would\npersuade me he is; however, I am obliged to you for your advice,\nand do not doubt that it proceeds from good intention and loyalty\nto my person.\"\n\nThe sultan of the Indies said this, that his favourites might not\nknow the impressions their observations had made on his mind. He\nwas, however, so much alarmed by them, that he resolved to have\nprince Ahmed watched, unknown to his grand vizier. For this end\nhe sent for the sorceress, who was introduced by a private door\ninto his closet. \"You told me the truth,\" said he, \"when you\nassured me my son Ahmed was alive, for which I am obliged to you.\nYou must do me another kindness. I have seen him since, and he\ncomes to my court every month; but I cannot learn from him where\nhe resides, and do not wish to force his secret from him; but\nbelieve you are capable of satisfying my curiosity, without\nletting him, or any of my court, know any thing of the discovery.\nYou know that he is at this time with me, and usually departs\nwithout taking leave of me, or any of my court. Place yourself\nimmediately upon the road, and watch him so as to find out where\nhe retires, and bring me information.\"\n\nThe sorceress left the sultan, and knowing the place where prince\nAhmed had found his arrow, went immediately thither, and\nconcealed herself near the rocks, so as not to be seen.\n\nThe next morning prince Ahmed set out by daybreak, without taking\nleave either of the sultan or any of his court, according to\ncustom. The sorceress seeing him coming, followed him with her\neyes, till suddenly she lost sight of him and his attendants.\n\nThe steepness of the rocks formed an insurmountable barrier to\nmen, whether on horseback or on foot, so that the sorceress\njudged that the prince retired either into some cavern, or some\nsubterraneous place, the abode of genies or fairies. When she\nthought the prince and his attendants must have far advanced into\nwhatever concealment they inhabited, she came out of the place\nwhere she had hidden herself, and explored the hollow way where\nshe had lost sight of them. She entered it, and proceeding to the\nspot where it terminated after many windings, looked carefully on\nall sides. But notwithstanding all her acuteness she could\nperceive no opening, nor the iron gate which prince Ahmed had\ndiscovered. For this door was to be seen by or opened to none but\nmen, and only to those whose presence was agreeable to the fairy\nPerie Banou, but not at all to women.\n\nThe sorceress, who saw it was in vain for her to search any\nfarther, was obliged to be satisfied with the insufficient\ndiscovery she had made, and returned to communicate it to the\nsultan. When she had told him what she had explored, she added,\n\"Your majesty may easily understand, after what I have had the\nhonour to tell you, that it will be no difficult matter to obtain\nyou the satisfaction you desire concerning prince Ahmed's\nconduct. To do this, I only ask time, that you will have\npatience, and give me leave to act, without inquiring what\nmeasures I design to take.\"\n\nThe sultan was pleased with the conduct of the sorceress, and\nsaid to her, \"Do you as you think fit; I will wait patiently the\nevent of your promises:\" and to encourage her, he presented her\nwith a diamond of great value, telling her, it was only an\nearnest of the ample recompense she should receive when she\nshould have performed the important service which he left to her\nmanagement.\n\nAs prince Ahmed, after he had obtained the fairy Perie Banou's\nleave, never failed once a month to visit his father, the\nsorceress knowing the time, went a day or two before to the foot\nof the rock where she had lost sight of him and his attendants,\nand waited there to execute the project she had formed.\n\nThe next morning prince Ahmed went out as usual at the iron gate,\nwith the same attendants as before, passed the sorceress, and\nseeing her lie with her head on the rock, complaining as if she\nwas in great pain, he pitied her, turned his horse, and asked\nwhat he could do to relieve her?\n\nThe artful sorceress, without lifting up her head, looked at the\nprince in such a manner as to increase his compassion, and\nanswered in broken accents and sighs, as if she could hardly\nbreathe, that she was going to the city; but in the way was taken\nwith so violent a fever, that her strength failed her, and she\nwas forced to stop and lie down where he saw her, far from any\nhabitation, and without any hopes of assistance.\n\n\"Good woman,\" replied the prince, \"you are not so far from help\nas you imagine. I will assist you, and convey you where you shall\nnot only have all possible care taken of you, but where you will\nfind a speedy cure: rise, and let one of my people take you\nbehind him.\"\n\nAt these words, the sorceress, who pretended sickness only to\nexplore where the prince resided, and his situation, did not\nrefuse the charitable offer, and to shew her acceptance rather by\nher actions than her words, made many affected efforts to rise,\npretending that the violence of her illness prevented her. At the\nsame time, two of the prince's attendants alighting, helped her\nup, and placed her behind another. They mounted their horses\nagain, and followed the prince, who turned back to the iron gate,\nwhich was opened by one of his retinue. When he came into the\noutward court of the fairy's palace, without dismounting himself,\nhe sent to tell her he wanted to speak with her.\n\nThe fairy came with all imaginable haste, not knowing what had\nmade prince Ahmed return so soon; who, not giving her time to\nask, said, \"My princess, I desire you would have compassion on\nthis good woman,\" pointing to the sorceress, who was taken off\nthe horse by two of his retinue; \"I found her in the condition\nyou see her, and promised her the assistance she requires. I\nrecommend her to your care, and am persuaded that you, from\ninclination, as well as my request, will not abandon her.\"\n\nThe fairy, who had her eyes fixed on the pretended sick woman all\nthe time the prince was speaking, ordered two of her women to\ntake her from the men who supported her, conduct her into an\napartment of the palace, and take as much care of her as they\nwould of herself.\n\nWhilst the two women were executing the fairy's commands, she\nwent up to prince Ahmed, and whispering him in the ear, said,\n\"Prince, I commend your compassion, which is worthy of you and\nyour birth. I take great pleasure in gratifying your good\nintention; but permit me to tell you I am afraid it will be but\nill rewarded. This woman is not so sick as she pretends to be;\nand I am much mistaken if she is not sent hither on purpose to\noccasion you great trouble. But do not be concerned, let what\nwill be devised against you; be persuaded that I will deliver you\nout of all the snares that shall be laid for you. Go and pursue\nyour journey.\"\n\nThis address of the fairy's did not in the least alarm prince\nAhmed. \"My princess,\" said he, \"as I do not remember I ever did,\nor designed to do, any body injury, I cannot believe any one can\nhave a thought of injuring me; but if they have, I shall not\nforbear doing good whenever I have an opportunity.\" So saying, he\ntook leave of the fairy, and set forward again for his father's\ncapital, where he soon arrived, and was received as usual by the\nsultan, who constrained himself as much as possible, to disguise\nthe anxiety arising from the suspicions suggested by his\nfavourites.\n\nIn the mean time, the two women to whom Perie Banou had given her\norders conveyed the sorceress into an elegant apartment, richly\nfurnished. They first set her down upon a sofa, with her back\nsupported by a cushion of gold brocade, while they made a bed on\nthe same sofa, the quilt of which was finely embroidered with\nsilk, the sheets of the finest linen, and the coverlid cloth of\ngold. When they had put her into bed (for the old sorceress\npretended that her fever was so violent she could not help\nherself in the least), one of the women went out, and returned\nsoon with a china cup in her hand, full of a certain liquor,\nwhich she presented to the sorceress, while the other helped her\nto sit up. \"Drink this,\" said the attendant, \"it is the water of\nthe fountain of lions, and a sovereign remedy against fevers. You\nwill find the effect of it in less than an hour's time.\"\n\nThe sorceress, the better to dissemble, took it, after a great\ndeal of entreaty, as if she did it with reluctance. When she was\nlaid down again, the two women covered her up: \"Lie quiet,\" said\nshe, who brought her the china cup, \"and get a little sleep, if\nyou can: we will leave you, and hope to find you perfectly\nrecovered when we return an hour hence.\"\n\nThe sorceress, who came not to act a sick part long, but to\ndiscover prince Ahmed's retreat, being fully satisfied in what\nshe wanted to know, would willingly have declared that the potion\nhad then had its effect, so great was her desire to return to the\nsultan, to inform him of the success of her commission: but as\nshe had been told that the potion did not operate immediately,\nshe was forced to wait the women's return.\n\nThe two women came again at the time they had mentioned, and\nfound the sorceress seated on the sofa; who, when she saw them\nopen the door of the apartment, cried out, \"O the admirable\npotion! it has wrought its cure much sooner than you told me it\nwould, and I have waited with impatience to desire you to conduct\nme to your charitable mistress, to thank her for her kindness,\nfor which I shall always feel obliged; but being thus cured as by\na miracle, I would not lose time, but prosecute my journey.\"\n\nThe two women, who were fairies as well as their mistress, after\nthey had told the sorceress how glad they were that she was cured\nso soon, walked before her, and conducted her through several\napartments, all more superb than that wherein she had lain, into\na large hall, the most richly and magnificently furnished of all\nthe palace.\n\nPerie Banou was seated in this hall, upon a throne of massive\ngold, enriched with diamonds, rubies, and pearls of an\nextraordinary size, and attended on each hand by a great number\nof beautiful fairies, all richly dressed. At the sight of so much\nsplendour, the sorceress was not only dazzled, but so struck,\nthat after she had prostrated herself before the throne, she\ncould not open her lips to thank the fairy, as she had proposed.\nHowever, Perie Banou saved her the trouble, and said, \"Good\nwoman, I am glad I had an opportunity to oblige you, and that you\nare able to pursue your journey. I will not detain you; but\nperhaps you may not be displeased to see my palace: follow my\nwomen, and they will shew it you.\"\n\nThe old sorceress, who had not power nor courage to say a word,\nprostrated herself a second time, with her head on the carpet\nthat covered the foot of the throne, took her leave, and was\nconducted by the two fairies through the same apartments which\nwere shewn to prince Ahmed at his first arrival, and at sight of\ntheir uncommon magnificence she made frequent exclamations. But\nwhat surprised her most of all was, that the two fairies told\nher, that all she saw and so much admired was a mere sketch of\ntheir mistress's grandeur and riches; for that in the extent of\nher dominions she had so many palaces that they could not tell\nthe number of them, all of different plans and architecture, but\nequally magnificent. In speaking of many other particulars, they\nled her at last to the iron gate at which prince Ahmed had\nbrought her in; and after she had taken her leave of them, and\nthanked them for their trouble, they opened it, and wished her a\ngood journey.\n\nAfter the sorceress had gone a little way, she turned to observe\nthe door, that she might know it again, but all in vain; for, as\nwas before observed, it was invisible to her and all other women.\nExcept in this circumstance, she was very well satisfied with her\nsuccess, and posted away to the sultan. When she came to the\ncapital, she went by many by-ways to the private door of the\npalace. The sultan being informed of her arrival, sent for her\ninto his apartment, and perceiving a melancholy hang upon her\ncountenance, thought she had not succeeded, and said to her, \"By\nyour looks, I guess that your journey has been to no purpose, and\nthat you have not made the discovery I expected from your\ndiligence.\" \"Sir,\" replied the sorceress, \"your majesty must give\nme leave to represent that you ought not to judge by my looks\nwhether or no I have acquitted myself well in the execution of\nthe commands you were pleased to honour me with; but by the\nfaithful report I shall make you of all that has happened to me,\nand by which you will find that I have not neglected any thing\nthat could render me worthy of your approbation. The melancholy\nyou observe proceeds from another cause than the want of success,\nwhich I hope your majesty will have ample reason to be satisfied\nwith. I do not tell you the cause; the relation I shall give will\ninform you.\"\n\nThe sorceress now related to the sultan of the Indies how,\npretending to be sick, prince Ahmed compassionating her, had her\ncarried into a subterraneous abode, and presented and recommended\nher to a fairy of incomparable beauty, desiring her by her care\nto restore her health. She then told him with how much\ncondescension the fairy had immediately ordered two women to take\ncare of her, and not to leave her till she was recovered; which\ngreat condescension, said she, could proceed from no other\nfemale, but from a wife to a husband. Afterwards the old\nsorceress failed not to dwell on her surprise at the front of the\npalace, which she said had not its equal for magnificence in the\nworld. She gave a particular account of the care they took of\nher, after they had led her into an apartment; of the potion they\nmade her drink, and of the quickness of her cure; which she had\npretended as well as her sickness, though she doubted not the\nvirtue of the draught; the majesty of the fairy seated on a\nthrone, brilliant with jewels, the value of which exceeded all\nthe riches of the kingdom of the Indies, and all the other\ntreasures beyond computation contained in that vast palace.\n\nHere the sorceress finishing the relation of the success of her\ncommission, and continuing her discourse, said, \"What does your\nmajesty think of these unheard-of riches of the fairy? Perhaps\nyou will say, you are struck with admiration, and rejoice at the\ngood fortune of prince Ahmed your son, who enjoys them in common\nwith the fairy. For my part, sir, I beg of your majesty to\nforgive me if I take the liberty to say that I think otherwise,\nand that I shudder when I consider the misfortunes which may\nhappen to you from his present situation. And this is the cause\nof the melancholy which I could not so well dissemble, but that\nyou soon perceived it. I would believe that prince Ahmed, by his\nown good disposition, is incapable of undertaking anything\nagainst your majesty; but who can answer that the fairy, by her\nattractions and caresses, and the influence she has over him, may\nnot inspire him with the unnatural design of dethroning your\nmajesty, and seizing the crown of the Indies? This is what your\nmajesty ought to consider as of the utmost importance.\"\n\nThough the sultan of the Indies was persuaded that prince Ahmed's\nnatural disposition was good, yet he could not help being moved\nat the representations of the old sorceress, and said, \"I thank\nyou for the pains you have taken, and your wholesome caution. I\nam so sensible of its great importance that I shall take advice\nupon it.\"\n\nHe was consulting with his favourites, when he was told of the\nsorceress's arrival. He ordered her to follow him to them. He\nacquainted them with what he had learnt, communicated to them the\nreason he had to fear the fairy's influence over the prince, and\nasked them what measures they thought most proper to be taken to\nprevent so great a misfortune as might possibly happen. One of\nthe favourites, taking upon himself to speak for the rest, said,\n\"Your majesty knows who must be the author of this mischief. In\norder to prevent it, now he is in your court, and in your power,\nyou ought not to hesitate to put him under arrest; I will not say\ntake away his life, for that would make too much noise; but make\nhim a close prisoner.\" This advice all the other favourites\nunanimously applauded.\n\nThe sorceress, who thought it too violent, asked the sultan leave\nto speak, which being granted, she said, \"I am persuaded it is\nthe zeal of your counsellors for your majesty's interest that\nmakes them propose arresting prince Ahmed. But they will not take\nit amiss if I offer to your and their consideration, that if you\narrest the prince you must also detain his retinue. But they are\nall genies. Do they think it will be so easy to surprise, seize,\nand secure their persons? will they not disappear, by the\nproperty they possess of rendering themselves invisible, and\ntransport themselves instantly to the fairy, and give her an\naccount of the insult offered her husband? And can it be supposed\nshe will let it go unrevenged? Would it not be better, if by any\nother means which might not make so great a noise, the sultan\ncould secure himself against any ill designs prince Ahmed may\nhave, and not involve his majesty's honour? If his majesty has\nany confidence in my advice, as genies and fairies can do things\nimpracticable to men, he will rather trust prince Ahmed's honour,\nand engage him by means of the fairy to procure certain\nadvantages, by flattering his ambition, and at the same time\nnarrowly watching him. For example; every time your majesty takes\nthe field, you are obliged to be at a great expense, not only in\npavilions and tents for yourself and army, but likewise in mules\nand camels, and other beasts of burden, to carry their baggage.\nRequest the prince to procure you a tent, which can be carried in\na man's hand, but so large as to shelter your whole army.\n\n\"I need say no more to your majesty. If the prince brings such a\ntent, you may make other demands of the same nature, so that at\nlast he may sink under the difficulties and the impossibility of\nexecuting them, however fertile in means and inventions the\nfairy, who has enticed him from you by her enchantments, may be;\nso that in time he will be ashamed to appear, and will be forced\nto pass the rest of his life with the fairy, excluded from any\ncommerce with this world; when your majesty will have nothing to\nfear from him, and cannot be reproached with so detestable an\naction as the shedding of a son's blood, or confining him for\nlife in a prison.\"\n\nWhen the sorceress had finished her speech, the sultan asked his\nfavourites if they had any thing better to propose; and finding\nthem all silent, determined to follow her advice, as the most\nreasonable and most agreeable to his mild manner of government.\n\nThe next day when the prince came into his father's presence, who\nwas talking with his favourites, and had sat down by him, after a\nconversation on different subjects, the sultan, addressing\nhimself to prince Ahmed, said, \"Son, when you came and dispelled\nthose clouds of melancholy which your long absence had brought\nupon me, you made the place you had chosen for your retreat a\nmastery. I was satisfied with seeing you again, and knowing that\nyou were content with your condition, sought not to penetrate\ninto your secret, which I found you did not wish I should. I know\nnot what reason you had thus to treat a father, who ever was and\nstill continues anxious for your happiness. I now know your good\nfortune. I rejoice with you, and much approve of your conduct in\nmarrying a fairy so worthy of your love, and so rich and powerful\nas I am informed she is. Powerful as I am, it was not possible\nfor me to have procured for you so great a match. Now you are\nraised to so high a rank, as to be envied by all but a father, I\nnot only desire to preserve the good understanding which has\nhitherto subsisted between us, but request that you will use your\ninfluence with your wife, to obtain her assistance when I may\nwant it. I will therefore make a trial of your interest this day.\n\n\"You are not insensible at what a great expense, not to say\ntrouble to my generals, officers, and myself, every time I take\nthe field, they provide tents, mules, camels, and other beasts of\nburden, to carry them. If you consider the pleasure you would do\nme, I am persuaded you could easily procure from the fairy a\npavilion that might be carried in a man's hand, and which would\nextend over my whole army; especially when you let her know it is\nfor me. Though it may be a difficult thing to procure, she will\nnot refuse you. All the world knows fairies are capable of\nexecuting most extraordinary undertakings.\"\n\nPrince Ahmed never expected that the sultan his father would have\nmade a demand like this, which appeared to him so difficult, not\nto say impossible. Though he knew not absolutely how great the\npower of genii and fairies was, he doubted whether it extended so\nfar as to furnish such a tent as his father desired. Moreover, he\nhad never asked any thing of the fairy Perie Banou, but was\nsatisfied with the continual proofs she had given him of her\npassion, and had neglected nothing to persuade her that his heart\nperfectly corresponded without any views beyond maintaining\nhimself in her good graces: he was therefore in the greatest\nembarrassment what answer to make. At last he replied, \"If, sir,\nI have concealed from your majesty what has happened to me, and\nwhat course I took after finding my arrow, the reason was, that I\nthought it of no great importance to you to be informed of such\ncircumstances; and though I know not how this mystery has been\nrevealed to you, I cannot deny but your information is correct. I\nhave married the fairy you speak of. I love her, and am persuaded\nshe loves me in return. But I can say nothing as to the influence\nyour majesty believes I have over her. It is what I have not yet\nproved, nor thought of trying, but could wish you would dispense\nwith my making the experiment, and let me enjoy the happiness of\nloving and being beloved, with all that disinterestedness I had\nproposed to myself. However, the demand of a father is a command\nupon every child, who, like me, thinks it his duty to obey him in\nevery thing. And though it is with the greatest reluctance, I\nwill not fail to ask my wife the favour your majesty desires, but\ncannot promise you to obtain it; and if I should not have the\nhonour to come again to pay you my respects, it will be the sign\nthat I have not been able to succeed in my request: but\nbeforehand, I desire you to forgive me, and consider that you\nyourself have reduced me to this extremity.\"\n\n\"Son,\" replied the sultan of the Indies, \"I should be sorry that\nwhat I ask should oblige you to deprive me of the gratification\nof seeing you as usual. I find you do not know the power a\nhusband has over a wife; and yours would shew that her love to\nyou was very slight, if, with the power she possesses as a fairy,\nshe should refuse so trifling a request as that I have begged you\nto make. Lay aside your fears, which proceed from your believing\nyourself not to be loved so well as you love her. Go; only ask\nher. You will find the fairy loves you better than you imagine;\nand remember that people, for want of requesting, often lose\ngreat advantages. Think with yourself, that as you love her, you\ncould refuse her nothing; therefore, if she loves you, she will\nnot deny your requests.\"\n\nAll these representations of the sultan of the Indies could not\nsatisfy prince Ahmed, who would rather he had asked anything else\nthan, as he supposed, what must expose him to the hazard of\ndispleasing his beloved Perie Banou; and so great was his\nvexation that he left the court two days sooner than he used to\ndo.\n\nWhen he returned, the fairy, to whom he always before had\nappeared with a gay countenance, asked him the cause of the\nalteration she perceived in his looks; and finding that instead\nof answering he inquired after her health, to avoid satisfying\nher, she said to him, \"I will answer your question when you have\nanswered mine.\" The prince declined a long time, protesting that\nnothing was the matter with him; but the more he denied the more\nshe pressed him, and said, \"I cannot bear to see you thus: tell\nme what makes you uneasy, that I may remove the cause, whatever\nit may be; for it must be very extraordinary if it is out of my\npower, unless it be the death of the sultan your father; in that\ncase, time, with all that I will contribute on my part, can alone\ncomfort you.\"\n\nPrince Ahmed could not long withstand the pressing instances of\nthe fairy. \"Madam,\" said he, \"God prolong the sultan my father's\nlife, and bless him to the end of his days. I left him alive and\nin perfect health; therefore that is not the cause of the\nmelancholy you perceive in me. The sultan, however, is the\noccasion of it, and I am the more concerned because he has\nimposed upon me the disagreeable necessity of importuning you.\nYou know the care I have at your desire taken to conceal from him\nthe happiness I have enjoyed in living with you, and of having\nreceived the pledge of your faith after having pledged my love to\nyou. How he has been informed of it I cannot tell.\"\n\nHere the fairy interrupted prince Ahmed, and said, \"But I know.\nRemember what I told you of the woman who made you believe she\nwas sick, on whom you took so much compassion. It is she who has\nacquainted your father with what you have taken so much care to\nhide from him. I told you that she was no more sick than you or\nI, and she has made it appear so; for, in short, after the two\nwomen, whom I charged to take care of her, had given her the\nwater sovereign against all fevers, but which however she had no\noccasion for, she pretended that it had cured her, and was\nbrought to take her leave of me that she might go the sooner to\ngive an account of the success of her undertaking. She was in so\nmuch haste, that she would have gone away without seeing my\npalace if I had not, by bidding my two women shew it her, given\nher to understand that it was worth her seeing. But proceed and\ntell me what is the necessity your father has imposed on you to\nbe so importunate, which, be persuaded, however, you can never be\nto your affectionate wife.\"\n\n\"Madam,\" pursued prince Ahmed, \"you may have observed that\nhitherto I have been content with your love, and have never asked\nyou any other favour: for what, after the possession of so\namiable a wife, can I desire more? I know how great your power\nis, but I have taken care not to make proof of it to please\nmyself. Consider then, I conjure you, that it is not myself, but\nthe sultan my father, who, indiscreetly as I think, asks of you a\npavilion large enough to shelter him, his court, and army, from\nthe violence of the weather, when he takes the field, and which a\nman may carry in his hand. Once more remember it is not I, but\nthe sultan my father who asks this favour.\"\n\n\"Prince,\" replied the fairy smiling, \"I am sorry that so trifling\na matter should disturb and make you so uneasy as you appear. I\nsee plainly two things have contributed towards it: one is, the\nlaw you have imposed on yourself, to be content with loving me,\nbeing beloved by me, and deny yourself the liberty of soliciting\nthe least favour that might try my power. The other, I do not\ndoubt, whatever you may say, was, that you thought that what your\nfather asked was out of my power. As to the first, I commend you,\nand shall love you the better, if possible, for it; and for the\nsecond, I must tell you that what the sultan your father requests\nis a trifle; as upon occasion I can do him more important\nservice. Therefore be easy in your mind, and persuaded that far\nfrom thinking myself importuned I shall always take real pleasure\nin performing whatever you can desire.\" Perie Banou then sent for\nher treasurer, to whom, when she came, she said, \"Noor-Jehaun\"\n(which was her name), \"bring me the largest pavilion in my\ntreasury.\" Noor-Jehaun returned presently with a pavilion, which\ncould not only be held, but concealed in the palm of the hand,\nwhen it was closed, and presented it to her mistress, who gave it\nprince Ahmed to look at.\n\nWhen prince Ahmed saw the pavilion, which the fairy called the\nlargest in her treasury, he fancied she had a mind to banter him,\nand his surprise soon appeared in his countenance; which Perie\nBanou perceiving, she burst out a laughing. \"What! prince,\" cried\nshe, \"do you think I jest with you? You will see that I am in\nearnest. Noor-Jehaun,\" said she to her treasurer, taking the tent\nout of prince Ahmed's hands, \"go and set it up, that he may judge\nwhether the sultan his father will think it large enough.\"\n\nThe treasurer went out immediately with it from the palace, and\ncarried it to such a distance, that when she had set it up, one\nend reached to the palace. The prince, so far from thinking it\nsmall, found it large enough to shelter two armies as numerous as\nthat of the sultan his father; and then said to Perie Banou, \"I\nask my princess a thousand pardons for my incredulity: after what\nI have seen, I believe there is nothing impossible to you.\" \"You\nsee,\" said the fairy, \"that the pavilion is larger than your\nfather may have occasion for; but you are to observe that it has\none property, that it becomes larger or smaller, according to the\nextent of the army it is to cover, without applying any hands to\nit.\"\n\nThe treasurer took down the tent again, reduced it to its first\nsize, brought it and put it into the prince's hands. He took it,\nand without staying longer than till the next day, mounted his\nhorse, and went with the usual attendants to the sultan his\nfather.\n\nThe sultan, who was persuaded that such a tent as he had asked\nfor was beyond all possibility, was in great surprise at the\nprince's speedy return. He took the tent, but after he had\nadmired its smallness, his amazement was so great that he could\nnot recover himself when he had set it up in the great plain\nbefore-mentioned, and found it large enough to shelter an army\ntwice as large as he could bring into the field. Regarding this\nexcess in its dimension as what might be troublesome in the use,\nprince Ahmed told him that its size would always be\nproportionable to his army.\n\nTo outward appearance the sultan expressed great obligation to\nthe prince for so noble a present, desiring him to return his\nthanks to the fairy; and to shew what a value he set upon it,\nordered it to be carefully laid up in his treasury. But within\nhimself he felt greater jealousy than his flatterers and the\nsorceress had suggested to him; considering, that by the fairy's\nassistance the prince his son might perform things infinitely\nabove his own power, notwithstanding his greatness and riches;\ntherefore, more intent upon his ruin, he went to consult the\nsorceress again, who advised him to engage the prince to bring\nhim some of the water of the fountain of lions.\n\nIn the evening, when the sultan was surrounded as usual by all\nhis court, and the prince came to pay his respects among the\nrest, he addressed himself to him in these words: \"Son, I have\nalready expressed to you how much I am obliged for the present of\nthe tent you have procured me, which I esteem the most valuable\ncuriosity in my treasury: but you must do one thing more, which\nwill be no less agreeable to me. I am informed that the fairy\nyour spouse makes use of a certain water, called the water of the\nfountain of lions, which cures all sorts of fevers, even the most\ndangerous; and as I am perfectly well persuaded my health is dear\nto you, I do not doubt but you will ask her for a bottle of that\nwater, and bring it me as a sovereign remedy, which I may use as\nI have occasion. Do me this important service, and complete the\nduty of a good son towards a tender father.\"\n\nPrince Ahmed, who believed that the sultan his father would have\nbeen satisfied with so singular and useful a tent as that which\nhe had brought, and that he would not have imposed any new task\nupon him which might hazard the fairy's displeasure, was\nthunderstruck at this new request, notwithstanding the assurance\nshe had given him of granting him whatever lay in her power.\nAfter a long silence, he said, \"I beg of your majesty to be\nassured, that there is nothing I would not undertake to procure\nwhich may contribute to the prolonging of your life, but I could\nwish it might not be by the means of my wife. For this reason I\ndare not promise to bring the water. All I can do is, to assure\nyou I will request it of her; but it will be with as great\nreluctance as I asked for the tent.\"\n\nThe next morning prince Ahmed returned to the fairy Perie Banou,\nand related to her sincerely and faithfully all that had passed\nat his father's court from the giving of the tent, which he told\nher he received with the utmost gratitude, to the new request he\nhad charged him to make. He added: \"But, my princess, I only tell\nyou this as a plain account of what passed between me and my\nfather. I leave you to your own pleasure, whether you will\ngratify or reject this his new desire. It shall be as you\nplease.\"\n\n\"No, no,\" replied the fairy, \"I am glad that the sultan of the\nIndies knows that you are not indifferent to me. I will satisfy\nhim, and whatever advice the sorceress may give him (for I see\nthat he hearkens to her counsel), he shall find no fault with you\nor me. There is much wickedness in this demand, as you will\nunderstand by what I am going to tell you. The fountain of lions\nis situated in the middle of a court of a great castle, the\nentrance into which is guarded by four fierce lions, two of which\nsleep alternately, while the other two are awake. But let not\nthat frighten you. I will supply you with means to pass by them\nwithout danger.\"\n\nThe fairy Perie Banou was at that time at work with her needle;\nand as she had by her several clues of thread, she took up one,\nand presenting it to prince Ahmed, said, \"First take this clue of\nthread, I will tell you presently the use of it. In the second\nplace, you must have two horses; one you must ride yourself, and\nthe other you must lead, which must be loaded with a sheep cut\ninto four quarters, that must be killed to-day. In the third\nplace, you must be provided with a bottle, which I will give you,\nto bring the water in. Set out early to-morrow morning, and when\nyou have passed the iron gate throw before you the clue of\nthread, which will roll till it reaches the gates of the castle.\nFollow it, and when it stops, as the gates will be open, you will\nsee the four lions. The two that are awake will, by their\nroaring, wake the other two. Be not alarmed, but throw each of\nthem a quarter of the sheep, and then clap spurs to your horse,\nand ride to the fountain. Fill your bottle without alighting, and\nreturn with the same expedition. The lions will be so busy eating\nthey will let you pass unmolested.\"\n\nPrince Ahmed set out the next morning at the time appointed him\nby the fairy, and followed her directions punctually. When he\narrived at the gates of the castle, he distributed the quarters\nof the sheep among the four lions, and passing through the midst\nof them with intrepidity, got to the fountain, filled his bottle,\nand returned safe. When he had got a little distance from the\ncastle gates, he turned about; and perceiving two of the lions\ncoming after him, drew his sabre, and prepared himself for\ndefence. But as he went forwards, he saw one of them turn out of\nthe road at some distance, and shewed by his head and tail that\nhe did not come to do him any harm, but only to go before him,\nand that the other stayed behind to follow. He therefore put his\nsword again into its scabbard. Guarded in this manner he arrived\nat the capital of the Indies; but the lions never left him till\nthey had conducted him to the gates of the sultan's palace; after\nwhich they returned the way they had come, though not without\nalarming the populace, who fled or hid themselves to avoid them,\nnotwithstanding they walked gently and shewed no signs of\nfierceness.\n\nA number of officers came to attend the prince while he\ndismounted, and conduct him to the sultan's apartment, who was at\nthat time conversing with his favourites. He approached the\nthrone, laid the bottle at the sultan's feet, kissed the rich\ncarpet which covered the footstool, and rising, said, \"I have\nbrought you, sir, the salutary water which your majesty so much\ndesired to store up among other rarities in your treasury; but at\nthe same time wish you such health as never to have occasion to\nmake use of it.\"\n\nAfter the prince had concluded his compliment, the sultan placed\nhim on his right hand, and said, \"Son, I am much obliged to you\nfor this valuable present; as also for the great danger you have\nexposed yourself to on my account (which I have been informed of\nby the sorceress, who knows the fountain of lions); but do me the\npleasure, continued he, to inform me by what address, or rather\nby what incredible power, you have been preserved.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" replied prince Ahmed, \"I have no share in the compliment\nyour majesty is pleased to make me; all the honour is due to the\nfairy my spouse, and I take no other merit than that of having\nfollowed her advice.\" Then he informed the sultan what that\nadvice was, by the relation of his expedition, and how he had\nconducted himself. When he had done, the sultan, who shewed\noutwardly all the demonstrations of joy, but secretly became more\nand more jealous, retired into an inward apartment, whence he\nsent for the sorceress.\n\nThe sorceress, on her arrival, saved the sultan the trouble of\ntelling her of the success of prince Ahmed's journey, which she\nhad heard before she came, and therefore was prepared with a new\nrequest. This she communicated to the sultan, who declared it the\nnext day to the prince, in the midst of all his courtiers, in\nthese words: \"Son, I have one thing yet to ask of you; after\nwhich, I shall expect nothing more from your obedience, nor your\ninterest with your wife. This request is, to bring me a man not\nabove a foot and a half high, whose beard is thirty feet long,\nwho carries upon his shoulders a bar of iron of five hundred\nweight, which he uses as a quarter-staff, and who can speak.\"\n\nPrince Ahmed, who did not believe that there was such a man in\nthe world as his father had described, would gladly have excused\nhimself; but the sultan persisted in his demand, and told him the\nfairy could do more incredible things.\n\nNext day the prince returned to the subterraneous kingdom of\nPerie Banou, to whom he related his father's new demand, which,\nhe said, he looked upon to be a thing more impossible than the\ntwo first. \"For,\" added he, \"I cannot imagine there is or can be\nsuch a man in the world; without doubt he has a mind to try\nwhether I am silly enough to search, or if there is such a man he\nseeks my ruin. In short, how can we suppose that I should lay\nhold of a man so small, armed as he describes? what arms can I\nuse to reduce him to submission? If there are any means, I beg\nyou will tell me how I may come off with honour this time also.\"\n\n\"Do not alarm yourself, prince,\" replied the fairy: \"you ran a\nrisk in fetching the water of the fountain of the lions for your\nfather; but there is no danger in finding this man. It is my\nbrother Schaibar, who is so far from being like me, though we\nboth had the same father, that he is of so violent a nature, that\nnothing can prevent his giving bloody marks of his resentment for\na slight offence; yet, on the other hand, is so liberal as to\noblige any one in whatever they desire. He is made exactly as the\nsultan your father has described him; and has no other arms than\na bar of iron of five hundred pounds weight, without which he\nnever stirs, and which makes him respected. I will send for him,\nand you shall judge of the truth of what I tell you; but prepare\nyourself not to be alarmed at his extraordinary figure.\" \"What!\nmy queen,\" replied prince Ahmed, \"do you say Schaibar is your\nbrother? Let him be ever so ugly or deformed I shall be so far\nfrom being frightened at his appearance, that I shall love and\nhonour him, and consider him as my nearest relation.\"\n\nThe fairy ordered a gold chafing-dish to be set with a fire in it\nunder the porch of her palace, with a box of the same metal: out\nof the latter she took some incense, and threw it into the fire,\nwhen there arose a thick cloud of smoke.\n\nSome moments after, the fairy said to prince Ahmed, \"Prince,\nthere comes my brother; do you see him?\" The prince immediately\nperceived Schaibar, who was but a foot and a half high, coming\ngravely with his heavy bar on his shoulder; his beard thirty feet\nlong, which supported itself before him, and a pair of thick\nmoustaches in proportion, tucked up to his ears, and almost\ncovering his face: his eyes were very small, like a pig's, and\ndeep sunk in his head, which was of an enormous size, and on\nwhich he wore a pointed cap: besides all this, he had a hump\nbehind and and before.\n\nIf prince Ahmed had not known that Schaibar was Perie Banou's\nbrother, he would not have been able to behold him without fear;\nbut knowing who he was, he waited for him with the fairy, and\nreceived him without the least concern.\n\nSchaibar, as he came forwards, looked at the prince with an eye\nthat would have chilled his soul in his body, and asked Perie\nBanou, when he first accosted her, who that man was? To which she\nreplied, \"He is my husband, brother; his name is Ahmed; he is a\nson of the sultan of the Indies. The reason why I did not invite\nyou to my wedding was, I was unwilling to divert you from the\nexpedition you were engaged in, and from which I heard with\npleasure you returned victorious; on his account I have taken the\nliberty now to call for you.\"\n\nAt these words, Schaibar, looking at prince Ahmed with a\nfavourable eye, which however diminished neither his fierceness\nnor savage look, said, \"Is there any thing, sister, wherein I can\nserve him? he has only to speak. It is enough for me that he is\nyour husband, to engage me to do for him whatever he desires.\"\n\"The sultan his father,\" replied Perie Banou, \"has a curiosity to\nsee you, and I desire he may be your guide to the sultan's\ncourt.\" \"He needs but lead the way; I will follow him,\" replied\nSchaibar. \"Brother,\" resumed Perie Banou, \"it is too late to go\nto-day, therefore stay till to-morrow morning; and in the mean\ntime, as it is fit you should know all that has passed between\nthe sultan of the Indies and prince Ahmed since our marriage, I\nwill inform you this evening.\"\n\nThe next morning, after Schaibar had been informed of all that\nwas proper for him to know, he set out with prince Ahmed, who was\nto present him to the sultan. When they arrived at the gates of\nthe capital, the people, as soon as they saw Schaibar, ran and\nhid themselves in their shops and houses, shutting their doors,\nwhile others taking to their heels, communicated their fear to\nall they met, who stayed not to look behind them; insomuch, that\nSchaibar and prince Ahmed, as they went along, found all the\nstreets and squares desolate, till they came to the palace, where\nthe porters, instead of preventing Schaibar from entering, ran\naway too; so that the prince and he advanced without any obstacle\nto the council-hall, where the sultan was seated on his throne\nand giving audience. Here likewise the officers, at the approach\nof Schaibar, abandoned their posts, and gave them free\nadmittance.\n\nSchaibar, carrying his head erect, went fiercely up to the\nthrone, without waiting to be presented by prince Ahmed, and\naccosted the sultan of the Indies in these words: \"You have asked\nfor me,\" said he; \"see, here I am, what would you have with me?\"\n\nThe sultan, instead of answering, clapped his hands before his\neyes, and turned away his head, to avoid the sight of so terrible\nan object. Schaibar was so much provoked at this uncivil and rude\nreception, after he had given him the trouble to come so far,\nthat he instantly lifted up his iron bar, saying, \"Speak, then;\"\nlet it fall on his head, and killed him, before prince Ahmed\ncould intercede in his behalf. All that he could do was to\nprevent his killing the grand vizier, who sat not far from him on\nhis right hand, representing to him that he had always given the\nsultan his father good advice. \"These are they then,\" said\nSchaibar, \"who gave him bad;\" and as he pronounced these words,\nhe killed all the other viziers on the right and left, flatterers\nand favourites of the sultan, who were prince Ahmed's enemies.\nEvery time he struck he crushed some one or other, and none\nescaped but those who, not rendered motionless by fear, saved\nthemselves by flight.\n\nWhen this terrible execution was over, Schaibar came out of the\ncouncil-hall into the court-yard with the iron bar upon his\nshoulder, and looking at the grand vizier, who owed his life to\nprince Ahmed, said, \"I know there is here a certain sorceress,\nwho is a greater enemy of the prince my brother-in-law than all\nthose base favourites I have chastised; let her be brought to me\nimmediately.\" The grand vizier instantly sent for her, and as\nsoon as she was brought, Schaibar, knocking her down with his\niron bar, said, \"Take the reward of thy pernicious counsel, and\nlearn to feign sickness again;\" he left her dead on the spot.\n\nAfter this he said, \"This is not yet enough; I will treat the\nwhole city in the same manner, if they do not immediately\nacknowledge prince Ahmed my brother-in-law as sultan of the\nIndies.\" Then all who were present made the air ring with the\nrepeated acclamations of \"Long life to sultan Ahmed;\" and\nimmediately after, he was proclaimed through the whole\nmetropolis. Schaibar caused him to be clothed in the royal\nvestments, installed him on the throne, and after he had made all\nswear homage and fidelity, returned to his sister Perie Banou,\nwhom he brought with great pomp, and made her to be owned\nsultaness of the Indies.\n\nAs for prince Ali and princess Nouronnihar, as they had no\nconcern in the conspiracy, prince Ahmed assigned them a\nconsiderable province, with its capital, where they spent the\nrest of their lives. Afterwards he sent an officer to Houssain,\nto acquaint him with the change, and make him an offer of any\nprovince he might choose; but that prince thought himself so\nhappy in his solitude, that he desired the officer to return his\nbrother thanks for the kindness he designed him, assuring him of\nhis submission; but that the only favour he desired was, to be\nindulged with leave to live retired in the place he had chosen\nfor his retreat.\n\n\n\n\n           THE STORY OF THE SISTERS WHO ENVIED THEIR\n                        YOUNGER SISTER.\n\n\n\nThere was an emperor of Persia named Khoosroo Shaw, who, when he\nfirst came to his crown, in order to obtain a knowledge of\naffairs, took great pleasure in night adventures, attended by a\ntrusty minister. He often walked in disguise through the city,\nand met with many adventures.\n\nAfter the ceremonies of his father's funeral-rites and his own\ninauguration were over, the new sultan, as well from inclination\nas duty, went out one evening attended by his grand vizier,\ndisguised like himself, to observe what was transacting in the\ncity. As he was passing through a street in that part of the town\ninhabited only by the meaner sort, he heard some people talking\nvery loud; and going close to the house whence the noise\nproceeded, and looking through a crack in the door, perceived a\nlight, and three sisters sitting on a sofa, conversing together\nafter supper. By what the eldest said, he presently understood\nthe subject of their conversation was wishes: \"For,\" said she,\n\"since we have got upon wishes, mine shall be to have the\nsultan's baker for my husband, for then I shall eat my fill of\nthat bread, which by way of excellence is called the sultan's:\nlet us see if your tastes are as good as mine.\" \"For my part,\"\nreplied the second sister, \"I wish I was wife to the sultan's\nchief cook, for then I should eat of the most excellent dishes;\nand as I am persuaded that the sultan's bread is common in the\npalace, I should not want any of that; therefore you see,\"\naddressing herself to her eldest sister, \"that I have a better\ntaste than you.\"\n\nThe youngest sister, who was very beautiful, and had more charms\nand wit than the two elder, spoke in her turn: \"For my part,\nsisters,\" said she, \"I shall not limit my desires to such\ntrifles, but take a higher flight; and since we are upon wishing,\nI wish to be the emperor's queen consort. I would make him father\nof a prince, whose hair should be gold on one side of his head,\nand silver on the other; when he cried, the tears from his eyes\nshould be pearl; and when he smiled, his vermilion lips should\nlook like a rose-bud fresh blown.\"\n\nThe three sisters' wishes, particularly that of the youngest,\nseemed so singular to the sultan, that he resolved to gratify\nthem in their desires; but without communicating his design to\nhis grand vizier, he charged him only to take notice of the\nhouse, and bring the three sisters before him the following day.\n\nThe grand vizier, in executing the emperor's orders, would but\njust give the sisters time to dress themselves to appear before\nhim, without telling them the reason. He brought them to the\npalace, and presented them to the emperor, who said to them, \"Do\nyou remember the wishes you expressed last night, when you were\nall in so pleasant a mood? Speak the truth; I must know what they\nwere.\"\n\nAt these unexpected words of the emperor, the three sisters were\nmuch confounded. They cast down their eyes and blushed, and the\ncolour which rose in the cheeks of the youngest quite captivated\nthe emperor's heart. Modesty, and fear lest they might have\noffended the emperor by their conversation, kept them silent. The\nemperor perceiving their confusion, said, to encourage them,\n\"Fear nothing, I did not send for you to distress you; and since\nI see that is the effect of the question I asked, without my\nintending it, as I know the wish of each, I will relieve you from\nyour fears. You,\" added he, \"who wished to be my wife shall have\nyour desire this day; and you,\" continued he, addressing himself\nto the two elder sisters, \"shall also be married to my chief\nbaker and cook.\"\n\nAs soon as the sultan had declared his pleasure, the youngest\nsister, setting her eldest an example, threw herself at the\nemperor's feet, to express her gratitude. \"Sir,\" said she, \"my\nwish, since it is come to your majesty's knowledge, was expressed\nonly in the way of conversation and amusement. I am unworthy of\nthe honour you do me, and supplicate your pardon for my\npresumption.\" The two other sisters would have excused themselves\nalso; but the emperor interrupting them, said, \"No, no; it shall\nbe as I have declared; every one's wish shall be fulfilled.\"\n\nThe nuptials were all celebrated that day, as the emperor had\nresolved, but in a different manner. The youngest sister's were\nsolemnized with all the rejoicings usual at the marriages of the\nemperors of Persia; and those of the other two sisters according\nto the quality and distinction of their husbands; the one as the\nsultan's chief baker, and the other as head cook.\n\nThe two elder felt strongly the disproportion of their marriages\nto that of their younger sister. This consideration made them far\nfrom being content, though they were arrived at the utmost height\nof their late wishes, and much beyond their hopes. They gave\nthemselves up to an excess of jealousy, which not only disturbed\ntheir joy, but was the cause of great troubles and afflictions to\nthe queen consort their younger sister. They had not an\nopportunity to communicate their thoughts to each other on the\npreference the emperor had given her, but were altogether\nemployed in preparing themselves for the celebration of their\nmarriages. Some days afterwards, when they had an opportunity of\nseeing each other at the public baths, the eldest said to the\nother, \"Well, what say you to our sister's great fortune? Is not\nshe a fine person to be a queen!\" \"I must own,\" said the other\nsister, \"I cannot conceive what charms the emperor could discover\nto be so bewitched by the young gipsy. Was it a reason sufficient\nfor him not to cast his eyes on you, because she was somewhat\nyounger? You were as worthy of his bed; and in justice he ought\nto have preferred you.\"\n\n\"Sister,\" said the elder, \"I should not have regretted if his\nmajesty had but pitched upon you; but that he should choose that\nhussy really grieves me. But I will revenge myself; and you, I\nthink, are as much concerned as me; therefore I propose that we\nshould contrive measures, and act in concert in a common cause:\ncommunicate to me what you think the likeliest way to mortify\nher, while I, on my side, will inform you what my desire of\nrevenge shall suggest to me.\"\n\nAfter this wicked agreement, the two sisters saw each other\nfrequently, and consulted how they might disturb and interrupt\nthe happiness of the queen. They proposed a great many ways, but\nin deliberating about the manner of executing them, found so many\ndifficulties, that they durst not attempt them. In the mean time,\nthey often went together to make her visits with a detestable\ndissimulation, and every time shewed her all the marks of\naffection they could devise, to persuade her how overjoyed they\nwere to have a sister raised to so high a fortune. The queen, on\nher part, constantly received them with all the demonstrations of\nesteem they could expect: from a sister who was not puffed up\nwith her high dignity, and loved them as cordially as before.\n\nSome months after her marriage, the queen found herself to be\nwith child. The emperor expressed great joy, which was\ncommunicated to all the court, and spread throughout the empire\nof Persia. Upon this news the two sisters came to pay their\ncompliments, and proffered their service to deliver her, desiring\nher, if not provided with a midwife, to accept of them.\n\nThe queen said to them most obligingly, \"Sisters, I should desire\nnothing more, if it was absolutely in my power to make the\nchoice. I am however obliged to you for your good-will, but must\nsubmit to what the emperor shall order on this occasion. Let your\nhusbands employ their friends to make interest, and get some\ncourtier to ask this favour of his majesty; and if he speaks to\nme about it, be assured that I shall not only express the\npleasure he does me, but thank him for making choice of you.\"\n\nThe two husbands applied themselves to some courtiers their\npatrons, and begged of them to use their interest to procure\ntheir wives the honour they aspired to. Those patrons exerted\nthemselves so much in their behalf, that the emperor promised\nthem to consider of the matter, and was as good as his word; for\nin conversation with the queen, he told her, that he thought her\nsisters were the most proper persons to assist her in her labour;\nbut would not name them before he had asked her consent. The\nqueen, sensible of the deference the emperor so obligingly paid\nher, said to him, \"Sir, I was prepared to do as your majesty\nmight please to command. But since you have been so kind as to\nthink of my sisters, I thank you for the regard you have shewn\nthem for my sake; and therefore I shall not dissemble, that I had\nrather have them than strangers.\"\n\nThe emperor named the queen's two sisters to be her midwives; and\nfrom that time they went frequently to the palace, overjoyed at\nthe opportunity they should have of executing the detestable\nwickedness they had meditated against the queen.\n\nWhen the queen's time was up she was safely delivered of a young\nprince, as bright as the day; but neither his innocence nor\nbeauty could move the cruel hearts of the merciless sisters. They\nwrapped him up carelessly in his cloths, and put him into a\nbasket, which they abandoned to the stream of a small canal, that\nran under the queen's apartment, and declared that she was\ndelivered of a little dead dog, which they produced. This\ndisagreeable intelligence was announced to the emperor, who\nbecame so angry at the circumstance, that he was likely to have\noccasioned the queen's death, if his grand vizier had not\nrepresented to him, that he could not, without injustice, make\nher answerable for the caprices of nature.\n\nIn the mean time, the basket in which the little prince was\nexposed was carried by the stream beyond a wall, which bounded\nthe prospect of the queen's apartment, and from thence floated\nwith the current down the gardens. By chance the intendant of the\nemperor's gardens, one of the principal and most considerable\nofficers of the kingdom, was walking in the garden by the side of\nthis canal, and perceiving a basket floating, called to a\ngardener, who was not far off, to bring it to shore, that he\nmight see what it contained. The gardener, with a rake which he\nhad in his hand, drew the basket to the side of the canal, took\nit up, and gave it to him.\n\nThe intendant of the gardens was extremely surprised to see in\nthe basket a child, which, though he knew it could be but just\nborn, had very fine features. This officer had been married\nseveral years, but though he had always been desirous of having\nchildren, Heaven had never blessed him with any. This accident\ninterrupted his walk: he made the gardener follow him with the\nchild; and when he came to his own house, which was situated at\nthe entrance into the gardens of the palace, went into his wife's\napartment. \"Wife,\" said he, \"as we have no children of our own,\nGod has sent us one. I recommend him to you; provide him a nurse,\nand take as much care of him as if he were our own son; for, from\nthis moment, I acknowledge him as such.\" The intendant's wife\nreceived the child with great joy, and took particular pleasure\nin the care of him. The intendant himself would not inquire too\nnarrowly whence the child came. He saw plainly it came not far\noff the queen's apartment; but it was not his business to examine\ntoo closely into what had passed, nor to create disturbances in a\nplace where peace was so necessary.\n\nThe following year the queen consort was brought to bed of\nanother prince, on whom the unnatural sisters had no more\ncompassion than on his brother; but exposed him likewise in a\nbasket, and set him adrift in the canal, pretending this time\nthat the sultaness was delivered of a cat. It was happy also for\nthis child that the intendant of the gardens was walking by the\ncanal side, who had it carried to his wife, and charged her to\ntake as much care of it as of the former; which was as agreeable\nto her inclination as it was to that of the intendant.\n\nThe emperor of Persia was more enraged this time against the\nqueen than before, and she had felt the effects of his anger if\nthe grand vizier's remonstrances had not prevailed.\n\nThe third time the queen lay in she was delivered of a princess,\nwhich innocent babe underwent the same fate as the princes her\nbrothers; for the two sisters being determined not to desist from\ntheir detestable schemes, till they had seen the queen their\nyounger sister at least cast off, turned out, and humbled,\nexposed this infant also on the canal. But the princess, as well\nas the two princes her brothers, was preserved from death by the\ncompassion and charity of the intendant of the gardens.\n\nTo this inhumanity the two sisters added a lie and deceit as\nbefore. They produced a piece of wood, and affirmed it to be a\nfalse birth of which the queen had been delivered.\n\nKhoosroo Shaw could no longer contain himself, when he was\ninformed of the new extraordinary birth. \"What!\" said he; \"this\nwoman, unworthy of my bed, will fill my palace with monsters, if\nI let her live any longer! No, it shall not be; she is a monster\nherself, and I must rid the world of her.\" He pronounced sentence\nof death, and ordered the grand vizier to see it executed.\n\nThe grand vizier and the courtiers who were present cast\nthemselves at the emperor's feet, to beg of him to revoke the\nsentence. \"Your majesty, I hope, will give me leave,\" said the\ngrand vizier, \"to represent to you, that the laws which condemn\npersons to death were made to punish crimes; the three\nextraordinary labours of the queen are not crimes; for in what\ncan she be said to have contributed towards them? Many other\nwomen have had, and have the same every day, and are to be\npitied, but not punished. Your majesty may abstain from seeing\nher, but let her live. The affliction in which she will spend the\nrest of her life, after the loss of your favour, will be a\npunishment sufficiently distressing.\"\n\nThe emperor of Persia considered with himself, and reflecting\nthat it was unjust to condemn the queen to death for what had\nhappened, said, \"Let her live then; I will spare her life; but it\nshall be on this condition, that she shall desire to die more\nthan once every day. Let a wooden shed be built for her at the\ngate of the principal mosque, with iron bars to the windows, and\nlet her be put into it, in the coarsest habit; and every\nMussulmaun that shall go into the mosque to prayers shall spit in\nher face. If any one fail, I will have him exposed to the same\npunishment; and that I maybe punctually obeyed, I charge you,\nvizier, to appoint persons to see this done.\"\n\nThe emperor pronounced his sentence in such a tone that the grand\nvizier durst not further remonstrate; and it was executed, to the\ngreat satisfaction of the two envious sisters. A shed was built,\nand the queen, truly worthy of compassion, was put into it, and\nexposed ignominiously to the contempt of the people; which usage,\nas she did not deserve it, she bore with a patient resignation\nthat excited the admiration as well as compassion of those who\njudged of things better than the vulgar.\n\nThe two princes and the princess were, in the mean time, nursed\nand brought up by the intendant of the gardens and his wife with\nall the tenderness of a father and mother; and as they advanced\nin age, they all shewed marks of superior dignity, but the\nprincess in particular, which discovered itself every day by\ntheir docility and inclinations above trifles, different from\nthose of common children, and by a certain air which could only\nbelong to exalted birth. All this increased the affections of the\nintendant and his wife, who called the eldest prince Bahman, and\nthe second Perviz, both of them names of the most ancient\nemperors of Persia, and the princess, Perie-zadeh, which name\nalso had been borne by several queens and princesses of the\nkingdom.\n\nAs soon as the two princes were old enough, the intendant\nprovided proper masters to teach them to read and write; and the\nprincess their sister, who was often with them, shewing a great\ndesire to learn, the intendant, pleased with her quickness,\nemployed the same master to teach her also. Her emulation,\nvivacity, and piercing wit, made her in a little time as great a\nproficient as her brothers.\n\nFrom that time the brothers and sister had the same masters in\ngeography, poetry, history, and even the secret sciences; and\nmade so wonderful a progress, that their tutors were amazed, and\nfrankly owned that they could teach them no farther. At the hours\nof recreation, the princess learned to sing and play upon all\nsorts of instruments; and when the princes were learning to ride\nshe would not permit them to have that advantage over her, but\nwent through all the exercises with them, learning to ride also,\nto bend the bow, and dart the reed or javelin, and often-times\noutdid them in the race, and other contests of agility.\n\nThe intendant of the gardens was so overjoyed to find his adopted\nchildren so accomplished in all the perfections of body and mind,\nand that they so well requited the expense he had been at in\ntheir education, that he resolved to be at a still greater: for\nas he had till then been content only with his lodge at the\nentrance of the garden, and kept no country house, he purchased a\ncountry seat at a short distance from the city, surrounded by a\nlarge tract of arable land, meadows, and woods. As the house was\nnot sufficiently handsome nor convenient, he pulled it down, and\nspared no expense in building a mansion more magnificent. He went\nevery day to hasten, by his presence, the great number of workmen\nhe employed; and as soon as there was an apartment ready to\nreceive him, passed several days together there when his presence\nwas not necessary at court; and by the same exertions, the\ninterior was furnished in the richest manner, answerably to the\nmagnificence of the edifice. Afterwards he made gardens,\naccording to a plan drawn by himself. He took in a large extent\nof ground, which he walled round, and stocked with fallow deer,\nthat the princes and princess might divert themselves with\nhunting when they chose.\n\nWhen this country seat was finished and fit for habitation, the\nintendant of the gardens went and cast himself at the emperor's\nfeet, and after representing how long he had served, and the\ninfirmities of age which he found growing upon him, begged he\nwould permit him to resign his charge into his majesty's\ndisposal, and retire. The emperor gave him leave, with the more\npleasure because he was satisfied with his long services, both in\nhis father's reign and his own; and when he granted it, asked\nwhat he should do to recompense him? \"Sir,\" replied the intendant\nof the gardens, \"I have received so many obligations from your\nmajesty and the late emperor your father of happy memory, that I\ndesire no more than the honour of dying in your favour.\"\n\nHe took his leave of the emperor, and retired with the two\nprinces and the princess to the country retreat he had built. His\nwife had been dead some years, and he himself had not lived above\nsix months with them before he was surprised by so sudden a\ndeath, that he had not time to give them the least account of the\nmanner in which he had discovered them.\n\nThe princes Bahman and Perviz, and the princess Perie-zadeh, who\nknew no other father than the intendant of the emperor's gardens,\nregretted and bewailed him as such, and paid all the honours in\nhis funeral obsequies which love and filial gratitude required of\nthem. Satisfied with the plentiful fortune he had left them, they\nlived together in perfect union, free from the ambition of\ndistinguishing themselves at court, or aspiring to places of\nhonour and dignity, which they might easily have obtained.\n\nOne day when the two princes were hunting, and the princess had\nremained at home, a religious old woman came to the gate, and\ndesired leave to go in to say her prayers, it being then the\nhour. The servants asked the princess's permission, who ordered\nthem to shew her into the oratory, which the intendant of the\nemperor's gardens had taken care to fit up in his house, for want\nof a mosque in the neighbourhood. She bade them also, after the\ngood woman had finished her prayers, shew her the house and\ngardens, and then bring her to her.\n\nThe old woman went into the oratory, said her prayers, and when\nshe came out two of the princess's women invited her to see the\nhouse and gardens; which civility she accepted, followed them\nfrom one apartment to another, and observed, like a person who\nunderstood what belonged to furniture, the nice arrangement of\nevery thing. They conducted her also into the garden, the\ndisposition of which she found so well planned, that she admired\nit, observing that the person who had formed it must have been an\nexcellent master of his art. Afterwards she was brought before\nthe princess, who waited for her in the great hall, which in\nbeauty and richness exceeded all that she had admired in the\nother apartments.\n\nAs soon as the princess saw the devout woman, she said to her,\n\"My good mother, come near and sit down by me. I am overjoyed at\nthe happiness of having the opportunity of profiting for some\nmoments by the good example and conversation of such a person as\nyou, who have taken the right way by dedicating yourself to the\nservice of God. I wish every one were as wise.\"\n\nThe devout woman, instead of sitting on a sofa, would only sit\nupon the edge of one. The princess would not permit her to do so,\nbut rising from her seat,'and taking her by the hand, obliged her\nto come and sit by her. The good woman, sensible of the civility,\nsaid, \"Madam, I ought not to have so much respect shewn me; but\nsince you command, and are mistress of your own house, I will\nobey you.\" When she had seated herself, before they entered into\nany conversation, one of the princess's women brought a little\nlow stand of mother of pearl and ebony, with a china dish full of\ncakes upon it, and many others set round it full of fruits in\nseason, and wet and dry sweetmeats.\n\nThe princess took up one of the cakes, and presenting her with\nit, said, \"Eat, good mother, and make choice of what you like\nbest; you had need to eat after coming so far.\" \"Madam,\" replied\nthe good woman, \"I am not used to eat such delicacies; but will\nnot refuse what God has sent me by so liberal a hand as yours.\"\n\nWhile the devout woman was eating, the princess ate a little too,\nto bear her company, and asked her many questions upon the\nexercise of devotion which she practised, and how she lived: all\nwhich she answered with great modesty. Talking of several things,\nat last she asked her what she thought of the house, and how she\nliked it.\n\n\"Madam,\" answered the devout woman, \"I must certainly have very\nbad taste to disapprove any thing in it, since it is beautiful,\nregular, and magnificently furnished with exactness and judgment,\nand all its ornaments adjusted in the best manner. Its situation\nis an agreeable spot, and no garden can be more delightful; but\nyet if you will give me leave to speak my mind freely, I will\ntake the liberty to tell you, that this house would be\nincomparable if it had three things which are wanting to complete\nit.\" \"My good mother,\" replied the princess Perie-zadeh, \"what are\nthose? I conjure you, in God's name, to tell me what they are: I\nwill spare nothing to get them, if it be possible.\"\n\n\"Madam,\" replied the devout woman, \"the first of these three\nthings is the speaking bird, so singular a creature, that it\ndraws round it all the singing birds of the neighbourhood, which\ncome to accompany his song. The second is the singing tree, the\nleaves of which are so many mouths, which form an harmonious\nconcert of different voices, and never cease. The third is the\nyellow water of a gold colour, a single drop of which being\npoured into a vessel properly prepared, it increases so as to\nfill it immediately, and rises up in the middle like a fountain,\nwhich continually plays, and yet the basin never overflows.\"\n\n\"Ah! my good mother,\" cried the princess, \"how much am I obliged\nto you for the knowledge of these curiosities! They are\nsurprising, and I never before heard there were such wonderful\nrarities in the world; but as I am persuaded that you know, I\nexpect that you should do me the favour to inform me where they\nare to be found.\"\n\n\"Madam,\" replied the good woman, \"I should be unworthy the\nhospitality you have with so much goodness shewn me, if I should\nrefuse to satisfy your curiosity in that point; and am glad to\nhave the honour to tell you, that these curiosities are all to be\nmet with in the same spot on the confines of this kingdom,\ntowards India. The road to it lies before your house, and whoever\nyou send needs but follow it for twenty days, and on the\ntwentieth let him only ask the first person he meets where the\nspeaking bird, singing tree, and yellow water are, and he will be\ninformed.\" After saying this, she rose from her seat, took her\nleave, and went her way.\n\nThe princess Perie-zadeh's thoughts were so taken up with what\nthe devout woman had told her of the speaking bird, singing tree,\nand yellow water, that she never perceived her departure, till\nshe wanted to ask her some question for her better information;\nfor she thought that what she had told her was not a sufficient\nreason for exposing herself by undertaking a long journey,\npossibly to no purpose. However, she would not send after her,\nbut endeavoured to remember all she had told her; and when she\nthought she had recollected every word, took real pleasure in\nthinking of the satisfaction she should have if she could get\nthese wonderful curiosities into her possession; but the\ndifficulties she apprehended, and the fear of not succeeding,\nmade her very uneasy.\n\nShe was absorbed in these thoughts when her brothers returned\nfrom hunting; who, when they entered the great hall, instead of\nfinding her lively and gay, as she used to be be, were amazed to\nsee her so pensive, and hanging down her head as if something\ntroubled her.\n\n\"Sister,\" said prince Bahman, \"what is become of all your mirth\nand gaiety? Are you not well? or has some misfortune befallen\nyou? Has any body given you reason to be so melancholy? Tell us,\nthat we may know how to act, and give you some relief. If any one\nhas affronted you, we will resent his insolence.\"\n\nThe princess remained in the same posture some time without\nanswering; but at last lifted up her eyes to look at her\nbrothers, and then held them down again, telling them nothing\ndisturbed her.\n\n\"Sister,\" said prince Bahman, \"you conceal the truth from us;\nthere must be something of consequence. It is impossible we could\nobserve so sudden a change if nothing was the matter with you.\nYou would not have us satisfied with the evasive answer you have\ngiven: do not conceal any thing, unless you would have us suspect\nthat you renounce the strict union which has hitherto subsisted\nbetween us from our infancy.\"\n\nThe princess, who had not the smallest intention to offend her\nbrothers, would not suffer them to entertain such a thought, but\nsaid, \"When I told you nothing disturbed me, I meant nothing that\nwas of importance to you; but to me it is of some consequence;\nand since you press me to tell you by our strict union and\nfriendship, which are so dear to me, I will. You think, and I\nalways believed so too, that this house was so complete that\nnothing was wanting. But this day I have learned that it wants\nthree rarities, which would render it so perfect that no country\nseat in the world could be compared with it. These three things\nare, the speaking bird, the singing tree, and the yellow water.\"\nAfter she had informed them wherein consisted the excellency of\nthese rarities, \"A devout woman,\" added she, \"has made this\ndiscovery to me, told me the place where they are to be found,\nand the way thither. Perhaps you may imagine these things to be\ntrifles, and of little consequence to render our house complete,\nthat without these additions it will always be thought\nsufficiently elegant with what it already contains, and that we\ncan do without them. You may think as you please; but I cannot\nhelp telling you that I am persuaded they are absolutely\nnecessary, and I shall not be easy without them. Therefore,\nwhether you value them or not, I desire you to consider what\nperson you may think proper for me to send in search of the\ncuriosities I have mentioned.\"\n\n\"Sister,\" replied prince Bahman, \"nothing can concern you in\nwhich we have not an equal interest. It is enough that you have\nan earnest desire for the things you mention to oblige us to take\nthe same interest; but if you had not, we feel ourselves inclined\nof our own accord and for our own individual satisfaction. I am\npersuaded my brother is of the same opinion, and therefore we\nought to undertake this conquest; for the importance and\nsingularity of the undertaking deserve that name. I will take\nthat charge upon myself; only tell me the place, and the way to\nit, and I will defer my journey no longer than till to-morrow.\"\n\n\"Brother,\" said prince Perviz, \"it is not proper that you, who\nare the head and director of our family, should be absent. I\ndesire my sister would join with me to oblige you to abandon your\ndesign, and allow me to undertake it. I hope to acquit myself as\nwell as you, and it will be a more regular proceeding.\" \"I am\npersuaded of your good-will, brother,\" replied prince Bahman,\n\"and that you would succeed as well as myself in this journey;\nbut I have resolved, and will undertake it. You shall stay at\nhome with our sister, and I need not recommend her to you.\" He\nspent the remainder of the day in making preparations for his\njourney, and informing himself from the princess of the\ndirections which the devout woman had left her.\n\nThe next morning Bahman mounted his horse, and Perviz and the\nprincess embraced, and wished him a good journey. But in the\nmidst of their adieus, the princess recollected what she had not\nthought of before. \"Brother,\" said she, \"I had quite forgotten\nthe accidents which attend travellers. Who knows whether I shall\never see you again? Alight, I beseech you, and give up this\njourney. I would rather be deprived of the sight and possession\nof the speaking bird, singing tree, and yellow water, than run\nthe risk of never seeing you more.\"\n\n\"Sister,\" replied Bahman, smiling at the sudden fears of the\nprincess, \"my resolution is fixed, but were it not, I should\ndetermine upon it now, and you must allow me to execute it. The\naccidents you speak of befall only those who are unfortunate; but\nthere are more who are not so. However, as events are uncertain,\nand I may fail in this undertaking, all I can do is to leave you\nthis knife.\"\n\nBahman, pulling a knife from his vestband, and presenting it in\nthe sheath to the princess, said, \"Take this knife, sister, and\ngive yourself the trouble sometimes to pull it out of the sheath:\nwhile you see it clean as it is now, it will be a sign that I am\nalive; but if you find it stained with blood, then you may\nbelieve me dead, and indulge me with your prayers.\"\n\nThe princess could obtain nothing more of Bahman. He bade adieu\nto her and prince Perviz for the last time, and rode away. When\nhe got into the road he never turned to the right hand nor to the\nleft, but went directly forward towards India. The twentieth day\nhe perceived on the road side a hideous old man, who sat under a\ntree some small distance from a thatched house, which was his\nretreat from the weather.\n\nHis eye-brows were as white as snow, as was also the hair of his\nhead; his whiskers covered his mouth, and his beard and hair\nreached down to his feet. The nails of his hands and feet were\ngrown to an extensive length; a flat broad umbrella covered his\nhead. He had no clothes, but only a mat thrown round his body.\n\nThis old man was a dervish, for many years retired from the\nworld, to give himself up entirely to the service of God; so that\nat last he became what we have described.\n\nPrince Bahman, who had been all that morning very attentive to\nsee if he could meet with any body who could give him information\nof the place he was in search of, stopped when he came near the\ndervish, alighted, in conformity to the directions which the\ndevout woman had given the princess Perie-zadeh, and leading his\nhorse by the bridle, advanced towards him, and saluting him,\nsaid, \"God prolong your days, good father, and grant you the\naccomplishment of your desires.\"\n\nThe dervish returned the prince's salutation, but so\nunintelligibly that he could not understand one word he said:\nprince Bahman perceiving that this difficulty proceeded from the\ndervish's whiskers hanging over his mouth, and unwilling to go\nany farther without the instructions he wanted, pulled out a pair\nof scissors he had about him, and having tied his horse to a\nbranch of the tree, said, \"Good dervish, I want to have some talk\nwith you: but your whiskers prevent my understanding what you\nsay: and if you will consent, I will cut off some part of them\nand of your eye-brows, which disfigure you so much that you look\nmore like a bear than a man.\"\n\nThe dervish did not oppose the offer; and when the prince had cut\noff as much hair as he thought fit, he perceived that the dervish\nhad a good complexion, and that he did not seem so old as he\nreally was. \"Good dervish,\" said he, \"if I had a glass I would\nshew you how young you look: you are now a man, but before nobody\ncould tell what you were.\"\n\nThe kind behaviour of prince Bahman made the dervish smile, and\nreturn his compliment. \"Sir,\" said he, \"whoever you are, I am\nobliged by the good office you have performed, and am ready to\nshew my gratitude by doing any thing in my power for you. You\nmust have alighted here upon some account or other. Tell me what\nit is, and I will endeavour to serve you.\"\n\n\"Good dervish,\" replied prince Bahman, \"I am in search of the\nspeaking bird, the singing tree, and the yellow water; I know\nthese three rarities are not far from hence, but cannot tell\nexactly the place where they are to be found; if you know, I\nconjure you to shew me the way, that I may not lose my labour\nafter so long a journey.\"\n\nThe prince, while he spoke, observed that the dervish changed\ncountenance, held down his eyes, looked very serious, and instead\nof making any reply, remained silent; which obliged him to say to\nhim again, \"Good father, I fancy you heard me; tell me whether\nyou know what I ask you, that I may not lose my time, but inform\nmyself somewhere else.\"\n\nAt last the dervish broke silence. \"Sir,\" said he to prince\nBahman, \"I know the way you ask of me; but the regard which I\nconceived for you the first moment I saw you, and which is grown\nstronger by the service you have done me, kept me in suspense,\nwhether I should give you the satisfaction you desire.\" \"What\nmotive can hinder you?\" replied the prince; \"and what\ndifficulties do you find in so doing?\" \"I will tell you,\" replied\nthe dervish; \"the danger you are going to expose yourself to is\ngreater than you may suppose. A number of gentlemen of as much\nbravery and courage as you can possibly possess have passed this\nway, and asked me the same question. When I had used all my\nendeavours to persuade them to desist, they would not believe me;\nat last, I yielded, to their importunities; I was compelled to\nshew them the way, and I can assure you they have all perished,\nfor I have not seen one come back. Therefore, if you have any\nregard for your life, take my advice, go no farther, but return\nhome.\"\n\nPrince Bahman persisted in his resolution. \"I will not suppose,\"\nsaid he to the dervish, \"but that your advice is sincere. I am\nobliged to you for the friendship you express for me; but\nwhatever may be the danger, nothing shall make me change my\nintention: whoever attacks me, I am well armed, and can say I am\nas brave as any one.\" \"But they who will attack you are not to be\nseen,\" replied the dervish; \"how will you defend yourself against\ninvisible persons?\" \"It is no matter,\" answered the prince; \"all\nyou say shall not persuade me to do any thing contrary to my\nduty. Since you know the way, I conjure you once more to inform\nme.\"\n\nWhen the dervish found he could not prevail upon prince Bahman,\nand that he was obstinately bent to pursue his journey\nnotwithstanding his friendly remonstrance, he put his hand into a\nbag that lay by him and pulled out a bowl, which he presented to\nhim. \"Since I cannot prevail on you to attend to my advice,\" said\nhe, \"take this bowl; when you are on horseback throw it before\nyou, and follow it to the foot of a mountain, where it will stop.\nAs soon as the bowl stops, alight, leave your horse with the\nbridle over his neck, and he will stand in the same place till\nyou return. As you ascend you will see on your right and left a\ngreat number of large black stones, and will hear on all sides a\nconfusion of voices, which will utter a thousand injurious abuses\nto discourage you, and prevent your reaching the summit of the\nmountain. Be not afraid; but above all things, do not turn your\nhead to look behind you; for in that instant you will be changed\ninto such a black stone as those you see, which are all youths\nwho have failed in this enterprise. If you escape the danger of\nwhich I give you but a faint idea, and get to the top of the\nmountain, you will see a cage, and in that cage is the bird you\nseek; ask him which are the singing tree and the yellow water,\nand he will tell you. I have nothing more to say; this is what\nyou have to do, and the danger you have to avoid; but if you are\nprudent, you will take my advice, and not expose your life.\nConsider once more while you have time that the difficulty is\nalmost insuperable.\"\n\n\"I am obliged to you for your repeated advice,\" replied prince\nBahman, after he had received the bowl, \"but cannot follow it.\nHowever, I will endeavour to conform myself to that part of it\nwhich bids me not look behind me as I shall ascend the mountain,\nand I hope to come and see you again soon, and thank you when I\nhave obtained what I am seeking.\" After these words, to which the\ndervish made no other answer than that he should be overjoyed to\nsee him again, the prince mounted his horse, took his leave of\nthe dervish with a respectful salute, and threw the bowl before\nhim.\n\nThe bowl rolled away unceasingly with as much swiftness as when\nprince Bahman first hurled it from his hand, which obliged him to\nput his horse to the same pace to avoid losing sight of it, and\nwhen it had reached the foot of the mountain it stopped. The\nprince alighted from his horse, laid the bridle on his neck; and\nhaving first surveyed the mountain, and seen the black stones,\nbegan to ascend; but had not gone four steps, before he heard the\nvoices mentioned by the dervish, though he could see nobody. Some\nsaid, \"Where is that fool going? where is he going? what would he\nhave? do not let him pass.\" Others, \"Stop him, catch him, kill\nhim;\" and others with a voice like thunder, \"Thief! assassin!\nmurderer!\" while some in a gibing tone cried, \"No, no, do not\nhurt him; let the pretty fellow pass, the cage and bird are kept\nfor him.\"\n\nNotwithstanding all these troublesome voices, prince Bahman\nascended with courage and resolution for some time, but the\nvoices redoubled with so loud a din near him, both behind and\nbefore, that at last he was seized with dread, his legs trembled\nunder him, he staggered, and finding that his strength failed\nhim, he forgot the dervish's advice, turned about to run down the\nhill, and was that instant changed into a black stone; a\nmetamorphosis which had happened to many before him, who had\nattempted the ascent. His horse likewise underwent the same\nchange.\n\nFrom the time of prince Bahman's departure, the princess Perie-zadeh\nalways wore the knife and sheath in her girdle, and pulled it out\nseveral times in a day, to know whether her brother was alive. She had\nthe consolation to understand he was in perfect health, and to talk of\nhim frequently with prince Perviz, who sometimes prevented her by\nasking her what news.\n\nOn the fatal day that prince Bahman was transformed into a stone,\nas prince Perviz and the princess were talking together in the\nevening, as usual, the prince desired his sister to pull out the\nknife to know how their brother did. The princess readily\ncomplied, and seeing the blood run down the point was seized with\nso much horror that she threw it down. \"Ah! my dear brother,\"\ncried she, \"I have been the cause of your death, and shall never\nsee you more! Why did I tell you of the speaking bird, singing\ntree, and yellow water; or rather, of what importance was it to\nme to know whether the devout woman thought this house ugly or\nhandsome, or complete or not? I wish to Heaven she had never\naddressed herself to me? Deceitful hypocrite!\" added she, \"is\nthis the return you have made for the kind reception I gave you?\nWhy did you tell me of a bird, a tree, and a water, which,\nimaginary as I am persuaded they are, by my dear brother's death,\nyet disturb me by your enchantment?\"\n\nPrince Perviz was as much afflicted at the death of prince Bahman\nas the princess; but not to waste time in needless regret, as he\nknew that she still passionately desired possession of the\nspeaking bird, the singing tree, and the golden water, he\ninterrupted her, saying, \"Sister, our regret for our brother is\nvain and useless; our grief and lamentations cannot restore him\nto life; it is the will of God, we must submit to it, and adore\nthe decrees of the Almighty without searching into them. Why\nshould you now doubt of the truth of what the holy woman told\nyou? do you think she spoke to you of three things that were not\nin being? and that she invented them on purpose to deceive you,\nwho had given her no cause to do so, but received her with so\nmuch goodness and civility? Let us rather believe that our\nbrother's death is owing to some error on his part, or some\naccident which we cannot conceive. It ought not therefore to\nprevent us from pursuing our object. I offered to go this\njourney, and am now more resolved than ever; his example has no\neffect upon my resolution; to-morrow I will depart.\"\n\nThe princess did all she could to dissuade prince Perviz,\nconjuring him not to expose her to the danger of losing two\nbrothers; but he was obstinate, and all the remonstrances she\ncould urge had no effect upon him. Before he went, that she might\nknow what success he had, he left her a string of a hundred\npearls, telling her, that if they would not run when she should\ncount them upon the string, but remain fixed, that would be a\ncertain sign he had undergone the same fate as his brother; but\nat the same time told her he hoped it would never happen, but\nthat he should have the happiness to see her again to their\nmutual satisfaction.\n\nPrince Perviz, on the twentieth day after his departure, met the\nsame dervish in the same place as his brother Bahman had done\nbefore him. He went directly up to him, and after he had saluted,\nasked him, if he could tell him where to find the speaking bird,\nthe singing tree, and the golden water? The dervish urged the\nsame difficulties and remonstrances as he had done to prince\nBahman, telling him, that a young gentleman, who very much\nresembled him, was with him a short time before; that, overcome\nby his importunity and pressing instances, he had shewn him the\nway, given him a guide, and told him how he should act to\nsucceed; but that he had not seen him since, and doubted not but\nhe had shared the same fate as all other adventurers.\n\n\"Good dervish,\" answered prince Perviz, \"I know whom you speak\nof; he was my elder brother, and I am informed of the certainty\nof his death, but know not the cause.\" \"I can tell you,\" replied\nthe dervish; \"he was changed into a black stone, as all I speak\nof have been; and you must expect the same transformation, unless\nyou observe more exactly than he has done the advice I gave him,\nin case you persist in your resolution, which I once more entreat\nyou to renounce.\"\n\n\"Dervish,\" said prince Perviz, \"I cannot sufficiently express how\nmuch I am obliged for the concern you take in my life, who am a\nstranger to you, and have done nothing to deserve your kindness:\nbut I thoroughly considered this enterprise before I undertook\nit, and I cannot now relinquish it: therefore I beg of you to do\nme the same favour you have done my brother. Perhaps I may have\nbetter success in following your directions.\" \"Since I cannot\nprevail with you,\" said the dervish, \"to give up your obstinate\nresolution, if my age did not prevent me, and I could stand, I\nwould get up to reach you a bowl I have here, which will shew you\nthe way.\"\n\nWithout giving the dervish time to say more, the prince alighted\nfrom his horse and went to the dervish, who had taken a bowl out\nof his bag, in which he had a great many, and gave it him, with\nthe same directions he had given prince Bahman; and after warning\nhim not to be discouraged by the voices he should hear without\nseeing any body, however threatening they might be, but to\ncontinue his way up the hill till he saw the cage and bird, he\nlet him depart.\n\nPrince Perviz thanked the dervish, and when he had remounted, and\ntaken leave, threw the bowl before his horse, and spurring him at\nthe same time, followed it. When the bowl came to the bottom of\nthe hill it stopped, the prince alighted, and stood some time to\nrecollect the dervish's directions. He encouraged himself, and\nbegan to walk up with a resolution to reach the summit; but\nbefore he had gone above six steps, he heard a voice, which\nseemed to be near, as of a man behind him, say in an insulting\ntone, \"Stay, rash youth, that I may punish you for your\npresumption.\"\n\nUpon this affront the prince, forgetting the dervish's advice,\nclapped his hand upon his sword, drew it, and turned about to\nrevenge himself; but had scarcely time to see that nobody\nfollowed him before he and his horse were changed into black\nstones.\n\nIn the mean time the princess Perie-zadeh, several times a day\nafter her brother's departure, counted her chaplet. She did not\nomit it at night, but when she went to bed put it about her neck;\nand in the morning when she awoke counted over the pearls again\nto see if they would slide.\n\nThe day that prince Perviz was transformed into a stone, she was\ncounting over the pearls as she used to do, when all at once they\nbecame immoveably fixed, a certain token that the prince her\nbrother was dead. As she had determined what to do in case it\nshould so happen, she lost no time in outward demonstrations of\ngrief, which she concealed as much as possible; but having\ndisguised herself in man's apparel, armed and equipped, she\nmounted her horse the next morning, having told her servants she\nshould return in two or three days, and took the same road her\nbrothers had done.\n\nThe princess, who had been used to ride on horseback in hunting,\nsupported the fatigue of so long a journey better than most\nladies could have done; and as she made the same stages as her\nbrothers, she also met with the dervish on the twentieth day.\nWhen she came near him, she alighted off her horse, leading him\nby the bridle, went and sat down by the dervish, and after she\nhad saluted him, said, \"Good dervish, give me leave to rest\nmyself; and do me the favour to tell me if you have not heard\nthat there are somewhere in this neighbourhood a speaking bird, a\nsinging tree, and golden water.\"\n\n\"Princess,\" answered the dervish, \"for so I must call you, since\nby your voice I know you to be a woman disguised in man's\napparel, I thank you for your compliment, and receive the honour\nyou do me with great pleasure. I know the place well where these\nthings are to be found: but what makes you ask me this question?\"\n\n\"Good dervish,\" replied the princess, \"I have had such a\nflattering relation of them given me, that I have a great desire\nto possess them.\" \"Madam,\" replied the dervish, \"you have been\ntold the truth. These curiosities are more singular and\nsurprising than they have been represented to you: but you have\nnot been made acquainted with the difficulties which must be\nsurmounted in order to obtain them. If you had been fully\ninformed of these, you would not have undertaken so troublesome\nand dangerous an enterprise. Take my advice, go no farther,\nreturn, and do not urge me to contribute towards your ruin.\"\n\n\"Good father,\" said the princess, \"I have travelled a great way,\nand should be sorry to return without executing my design. You\ntalk of difficulties, and danger of life; but you do not tell me\nwhat those difficulties are, and wherein the danger consists.\nThis is what I desire to know, that I may consider and judge\nwhether I can trust my courage and strength to brave them.\"\n\nThe dervish repeated to the princess what he had said to the\nprinces Bahman and Perviz, exaggerating the difficulties of\nclimbing up to the top of the mountain, where she was to make\nherself mistress of the bird, which would inform her of the\nsinging tree and golden water. He magnified the noise and din of\nthe terrible threatening voices which she would hear on all sides\nof her, without seeing any body, and the great number of black\nstones, alone sufficient to strike terror. He entreated her to\nreflect that those stones were so many brave gentlemen, so\nmetamorphosed for having omitted to observe the principal\ncondition of success in the perilous undertaking, which was not\nto look behind them before they had got possession of the cage.\n\nWhen the dervish had done, the princess replied, \"By what I\ncomprehend from your discourse, the difficulties of succeeding in\nthis affair are, first, the getting up to the cage without being\nfrightened at the terrible din of voices I shall hear; and\nsecondly, not to look behind me: for this last, I hope I shall be\nmistress enough of myself to observe it. As to the first, I own\nthat those voices, such as you represent them to be, are capable\nof striking terror into the most undaunted; but as in all\nenterprises and dangers every one may use stratagem, I desire to\nknow of you if I may use any in one of so great importance.\" \"And\nwhat stratagem is it you would employ?\" said the dervish. \"To\nstop my ears with cotton,\" answered the princess, \"that the\nvoices, however loud and terrible, may make the less impression\nupon my imagination, and my mind remain free from that\ndisturbance which might cause me to lose the use of my reason.\"\n\n\"Princess,\" replied the dervish, \"of all the persons who have\naddressed themselves to me for information, I do not know that\never one made use of the contrivance you propose. All I know is,\nthat they all perished. If you persist in your design, you may\nmake the experiment. You will be fortunate if it succeeds; but I\nwould advise you not to expose yourself to the danger.\"\n\n\"My good father,\" replied the princess, \"nothing can hinder my\npersisting in my design. I am sure my precaution will succeed,\nand am resolved to try the experiment. Nothing remains for me but\nto know which way I must go; I conjure you not to deny me the\nfavour of that information.\" The dervish exhorted her again, for\nthe last time, to consider well what she was going to do; but\nfinding her resolute, he took out a bowl, and presenting it to\nher, said, \"Take this bowl; mount your horse again, and when you\nhave thrown it before you, follow it through all its windings,\ntill it stops at the bottom of the mountain, there alight, and\nascend the hill. Go; you know the rest.\"\n\nAfter the princess had thanked the dervish, and taken her leave\nof him, she mounted her horse, threw the bowl before her, and\nfollowed it till it stopped at the foot of the mountain.\n\nThe princess alighted, stopped her ears with cotton; and after\nshe had well examined the path leading to the summit, began with\na moderate pace, and walked up with intrepidity. She heard the\nvoices, and perceived the great service the cotton was to her.\nThe higher she went, the louder and more numerous the voices\nseemed; but they were not capable of making any impression upon\nher. She heard a great many affronting speeches and raillery very\ndisagreeable to a woman, which she only laughed at. \"I mind not,\"\nsaid she to herself, \"all that can be said, were it worse; I only\nlaugh at them, and shall pursue my way.\" At last she got so high,\nthat she could perceive the cage and the bird, which endeavoured,\nwith the voices, to frighten her, crying in a thundering tone,\nnotwithstanding the smallness of its size, \"Retire, fool, and\napproach no nearer.\"\n\nThe princess, encouraged by this object, redoubled her speed, and\nby effort gained the summit of the mountain, where the ground was\nlevel; then running directly to the cage, and clapping her hand\nupon it, cried, \"Bird, I have you, and you shall not escape me.\"\n\nWhile Perie-zadeh was pulling the cotton out of her ears, the\nbird said to her, \"Heroic princess, be not angry with me for\njoining with those who exerted themselves to preserve my liberty.\nThough in a cage, I was content with my condition; but since I am\ndestined to be a slave, I would rather be yours than any other\nperson's, since you have obtained me so courageously. From this\ninstant, I swear inviolable fidelity, and an entire submission to\nall your commands. I know who you are; you do not: but the time\nwill come when I shall do you essential service, which I hope you\nwill think yourself obliged to me for. As a proof of my\nsincerity, tell me what you desire, and I am ready to obey you.\"\n\nThe princess's joy was the more inexpressible, because the\nconquest she had made had cost her the lives of two beloved\nbrothers, and given her more trouble and danger than she could\nhave imagined, notwithstanding what the dervish had represented\nto her. \"Bird,\" said she, \"it was my intention to have told you\nthat I wish for many things which are of importance; but I am\noverjoyed that you have shewn your good-will and prevented me. I\nhave been told that there is not far off a golden water, the\nproperty of which is very wonderful; before all things, I ask you\nto tell me where it is.\" The bird shewed her the place, which was\njust by, and she went and filled a little silver flagon which she\nhad brought with her. She returned to the bird and said, \"Bird,\nthis is not enough; I want also the singing tree; tell me where\nit is.\" \"Turn about,\" said the bird, \"and you will see behind you\na wood, where you will find this tree.\" The princess went into\nthe wood, and by the harmonious concert she heard soon knew the\ntree among many others, but it was very large and high. She came\nback to the bird, and said to it, \"Bird, I have found the singing\ntree, but I can neither pull it up by the roots, nor carry it.\"\nThe bird replied, \"It is not necessary that you should take it up\nby the roots; it will be sufficient to break off a branch, and\ncarry it to plant in your garden; it will take root as soon as it\nis put into the earth, and in a little time will grow to as fine\na tree as that you have seen.\"\n\nWhen the princess had obtained possession of the three things\nwhich the devout woman had told her of, and for which she had\nconceived so great a desire, she said again to the bird, \"Bird,\nwhat you have yet done for me is not sufficient. You have been\nthe cause of the death of my two brothers, who must be among the\nblack stones which I saw as I ascended the mountain. I wish to\ntake them home with me.\"\n\nThe bird seemed reluctant to satisfy the princess in this point,\nand indeed made some difficulty to comply. \"Bird,\" said the\nprincess, \"remember you told me that you were my slave. You are\nso; and your life is in my disposal.\" \"That I cannot deny,\"\nanswered the bird; \"but although what you now ask is more\ndifficult than all the rest, yet I will do it for you. Cast your\neyes around,\" added he, \"and look if you can see a little\npitcher.\" \"I see it already,\" said the princess. \"Take it then,\"\nsaid he, \"and as you descend the mountain, sprinkle a little of\nthe water that is in it upon every black stone.\"\n\nThe princess took up the pitcher accordingly, carried with her\nthe cage and bird, the flagon of golden water, and the branch of\nthe singing tree, and as she descended the mountain, threw a\nlittle of the water on every black stone, which was changed\nimmediately into a man; and as she did not miss one stone, all\nthe horses, both of the princes her brothers, and of the other\ngentlemen, resumed their natural forms. She instantly recognized\nBahman and Perviz, as they did her, and ran to embrace her. She\nreturned their embraces, and expressed her amazement. \"What do\nyou here, my dear brothers?\" said she; they told her they had\nbeen asleep. \"Yes,\" replied she, \"and if it had not been for me,\nperhaps you might have slept till the day of judgment. Do not you\nremember that you came to fetch the speaking bird, the singing\ntree, and the yellow water? and did not you see, as you came\nalong, the place covered with black stones? Look and see if there\nbe any now. The gentlemen and their horses who surround us, and\nyou yourselves, were these black stones. If you desire to know\nhow this wonder was performed,\" continued she, shewing the\npitcher, which she set down at the foot of the mountain, having\nno further use for it, \"it was done by virtue of the water which\nwas in this pitcher, with which I sprinkled every stone. After I\nhad made the speaking bird (which you see in this cage) my slave,\nby his directions I found out the singing tree, a branch of which\nI have now in my hand; and the yellow water, which this flagon is\nfilled with; but being still unwilling to return without taking\nyou with me, I constrained the bird, by the power I had over him,\nto afford me the means. He told me where to find this pitcher,\nand the use I was to make of it.\"\n\nThe princes Bahman and Perviz learnt by this relation the\nobligation they had to the princess their sister; as did all the\nother gentlemen, who were collected round, and expressed to the\nprincess, that, far from envying her happiness in the conquest\nshe had made, and which they all had aspired to, they thought\nthey could not any otherwise acknowledge the favour she had done\nthem, or better express their gratitude to her for restoring them\nto life again, than by declaring themselves all her slaves, and\nthat they were ready to obey her in whatever she should command.\n\n\"Gentlemen,\" replied the princess, \"if you had given any\nattention to my words you might have observed that I had no other\nintention in what I have done than to recover my brothers;\ntherefore, if you have received any benefit, you owe me no\nobligation, and I have no further share in your compliment than\nyour politeness towards me, for which I return you my thanks. In\nother respects, I regard each of you individually as free as you\nwere before your misfortunes, and I rejoice with you at the\nhappiness which has accrued to you by my means. Let us however\nstay no longer in a place where we have nothing to detain us; but\nmount our horses, and return to our respective homes.\"\n\nThe princess took her horse, which stood in the place where she\nhad left him.--Before she mounted, prince Bahman desired her to\ngive him the cage to carry. \"Brother,\" replied the princess, \"the\nbird is my slave, and I will carry him myself; if you will take\nthe pains to carry the branch of the singing tree, there it is;\nonly hold the cage while I get on horseback.\" When she had\nmounted her horse; and prince Bahman had given her the cage, she\nturned about and said to prince Perviz, \"I leave the flagon of\ngolden water to your care, if it will not be too much trouble for\nyou to carry it.\" Prince Perviz took charge of it with pleasure.\n\nWhen Bahman, Perviz, and all the gentlemen had mounted their\nhorses, the princess waited for some of them to lead the way. The\ntwo princes paid that compliment to the gentlemen, and they again\nto the princess, who, finding that none of them would accept of\nthe honour, but that it was reserved for her, addressed herself\nto them and said, \"Gentlemen, I expect that some of you should\nlead the way;\" to which one who was nearest to her, in the name\nof the rest, replied, \"Madam, were we ignorant of the respect due\nto your sex, yet after what you have done for us there is no\ndeference we would not willingly pay you, notwithstanding your\nmodesty; we entreat you no longer to deprive us of the happiness\nof following you.\"\n\n\"Gentlemen,\" said the princess, \"I do not deserve the honour you\ndo me, and accept it only because you desire it.\" At the same\ntime she led the way, and the two princes and the gentlemen\nfollowed.\n\nThis illustrious company called upon the dervish as they passed,\nto thank him for his reception and wholesome advice, which they\nhad all found to be sincere. But he was dead: whether of old age,\nor because he was no longer necessary to shew the way to the\nobtaining the three rarities which the princess Perie-zadeh had\nsecured, did not appear. They pursued their route, but lessened\nin their numbers every day. The gentlemen who, as we said before,\nhad come from different countries, after severally repeating\ntheir obligations to the princess and her brothers, took leave of\nthem one after another as they approached the road they had come.\n\nAs soon as the princess reached home, she placed the cage in the\ngarden; and the bird no sooner began to warble than he was\nsurrounded by nightingales, chaffinches, larks, linnets,\ngoldfinches, and every species of birds of the country. And the\nbranch of the singing tree was no sooner set in the midst of the\nparterre, a little distance from the house, than it took root,\nand in a short time became a large tree, the leaves of which gave\nas harmonious a concert as those of the tree from which it was\ngathered. A large basin of beautiful marble was placed in the\ngarden; and when it was finished, the princess poured into it all\nthe yellow water from the flagon, which instantly increased and\nswelled so much that it soon reached up to the edges of the\nbasin, and afterwards formed in the middle a fountain twenty feet\nhigh, which fell again into the basin perpetually without running\nover.\n\nThe report of these wonders was presently spread abroad, and as\nthe gates of the house and those of the gardens were shut to\nnobody, a great number of people came to admire them.\n\nSome days after, when the princes Bahman and Perviz had recovered\nfrom the fatigue of their journey, they resumed their former way\nof living; and as their usual diversion was hunting, they mounted\ntheir horses and went for the first time since their return, not\nto their own demesne, but two or three leagues from their house.\nAs they pursued their sport, the emperor of Persia came in\npursuit of game upon the same ground. When they perceived by the\nnumber of horsemen in different places that he would soon be up,\nthey resolved to discontinue their chase, and retire to avoid\nencountering him; but in the very road they took they chanced to\nmeet him in so narrow a way that they could not retreat without\nbeing seen. In their surprise they had only time to alight, and\nprostrate themselves before the emperor, without lifting up their\nheads to look at him. The emperor, who saw they were as well\nmounted and dressed as if they had belonged to his court, had the\ncuriosity to see their faces. He stopped, and commanded them to\nrise. The princes rose up, and stood before him with an easy and\ngraceful air, accompanied with respectful modest countenances.\nThe emperor took some time to view them before he spoke: and\nafter he had admired their good air and mien, asked them who they\nwere, and where they lived.\n\n\"Sir,\" said prince Bahman, \"we are the sons of the late intendant\nof your majesty's gardens: and live in a house which he built a\nlittle before he died, till we should be fit to serve your\nmajesty, and ask of you some employ when opportunity offered.\"\n\n\"By what I perceive,\" replied the emperor, \"you love hunting.\"\n\"Sir,\" replied prince Bahman, \"it is our common exercise, and\nwhat none of your majesty's subjects who intend to bear arms in\nyour armies ought, according to the ancient custom of the\nkingdom, to neglect.\" The emperor, charmed with so prudent an\nanswer, said, \"Since it is so, I should be glad to see your\nexpertness in the chase; choose your own game.\"\n\nThe princes mounted their horses again, and followed the emperor;\nbut had not gone far before they saw many wild beasts together.\nPrince Bahman chose a lion, and prince Perviz a bear; and pursued\nthem with so much intrepidity, that the emperor was surprised.\nThey came up with their game nearly at the same time, and darted\ntheir javelins with so much skill and address, that they pierced,\nthe one the lion, and the other the bear, so effectually, that\nthe emperor saw them fall one after the other. Immediately\nafterwards prince Bahman pursued another bear, and prince Perviz\nanother lion, and killed them in a short time, and would have\nbeaten out for fresh game, but the emperor would not let them,\nand sent to them to come to him. When they approached he said,\n\"If I would have given you leave, you would soon have destroyed\nall my game: but it is not that which I would preserve, but your\npersons; for I am so well assured your bravery may one time or\nother be serviceable to me, that from this moment your lives will\nbe always dear to me.\"\n\nThe emperor, in short, conceived so great a kindness for the two\nprinces, that he invited them immediately to make him a visit: to\nwhich prince Bahman replied, \"Your majesty does us an honour we\ndo not deserve; and we beg you will excuse us.\"\n\nThe emperor, who could not comprehend what reason the princes\ncould have to refuse this token of his favour, pressed them to\ntell him why they excused themselves. \"Sir,\" said prince Bahman,\n\"we have a sister younger than ourselves, with whom we live in\nsuch perfect union, that we undertake nothing before we consult\nher, nor she any thing without asking our advice.\" \"I commend\nyour brotherly affection,\" answered the emperor. \"Consult your\nsister, meet me here tomorrow, and give me an answer.\"\n\nThe princes went home, but neglected to speak of their adventure\nin meeting the emperor, and hunting with him, and also of the\nhonour he had done them, by asking them to go home with him; yet\ndid not the next morning fail to meet him at the place appointed.\n\"Well,\" said the emperor, \"have you spoken to your sister? And\nhas she consented to the pleasure I expect of seeing you?\" The\ntwo princes looked at each other and blushed. \"Sir,\" said prince\nBahman, \"we beg your majesty to excuse us: for both my brother\nand I forgot.\" \"Then remember to-day,\" replied the emperor, \"and\nbe sure to bring me an answer to-morrow.\"\n\nThe princes were guilty of the same fault a second time, and the\nemperor was so good-natured as to forgive their negligence; but\nto prevent their forgetfulness the third time, he pulled three\nlittle golden balls out of a purse, and put them into prince\nBahman's bosom. \"These balls,\" said he, smiling, \"will prevent\nyour forgetting a third time what I wish you to do for my sake;\nsince the noise they will make by falling on the floor, when you\nundress, will remind you, if you do not recollect it before.\" The\nevent happened just as the emperor foresaw; and without these\nballs the princes had not thought of speaking to their sister of\nthis affair. For as prince Bahman unloosed his girdle to go to\nbed the balls dropped on the floor, upon which he ran into prince\nPerviz's chamber, when both went into the princess Perie-zadeh's\napartment, and after they had asked her pardon for coming at so\nunseasonable a time, they told her all the circumstances of their\nmeeting the emperor.\n\nThe princess was somewhat surprised at this intelligence. \"Your\nmeeting with the emperor,\" said she, \"is happy and honourable,\nand may in the end be highly advantageous to you, but it is very\ndisagreeable and distrustful to me. It was on my account, I know,\nyou refused the emperor, and I am infinitely obliged to you for\ndoing so. I know by this your affection is equal to my own, since\nyou would rather be guilty of incivility towards the emperor than\nviolate the brotherly union we have sworn to each other. You\njudge right, for if you had once gone you would insensibly have\nbeen engaged to leave me, to devote yourselves to him. But do you\nthink it an easy matter absolutely to refuse the emperor what he\nseems so earnestly to desire? Monarchs will be obeyed in their\ndesires, and it may be dangerous to oppose them; therefore, if to\nfollow my inclination I should dissuade you from shewing the\ncomplaisance he expects from you, it may expose you to his\nresentment, and may render myself and you miserable. These are my\nsentiments: but before we conclude upon any thing let us consult\nthe speaking bird, and hear what he says; he is penetrating, and\nhas promised his assistance in all difficulties.\"\n\nThe princess sent for the cage, and after she had related the\ncircumstances to the bird in the presence of her brothers, asked\nhim what they should do in this perplexity? The bird answered,\n\"The princes your brothers must conform to the emperor's\npleasure, and in their turn invite him to come and see your\nhouse.\"\n\n\"But, bird,\" replied the princess, \"my brothers and I love one\nanother, and our friendship is yet undisturbed. Will not this\nstep be injurious to that friendship?\" \"Not at all,\" replied the\nbird; \"it will tend rather to cement it.\" \"Then,\" answered the\nprincess, \"the emperor will see me.\" The bird told her it was\nnecessary he should, and that everything would go better\nafterwards.\n\nNext morning the princes met the emperor hunting, who, at as\ngreat a distance as he could make himself be heard, asked them if\nthey had remembered to speak to their sister? Prince Bahman\napproached, and answered, \"Sir, your majesty may dispose of us as\nyou please; we are ready to obey you; for we have not only\nobtained our sister's consent with great ease, but she took it\namiss that we should pay her that deference in a matter wherein\nour duty to your majesty was concerned. But if we have offended,\nwe hope you will pardon us.\" \"Do not be uneasy on that account,\"\nreplied the emperor; \"so far from taking amiss what you have\ndone, I highly approve of your conduct, and hope you will have\nthe same deference and attachment to my person, if I have ever so\nlittle share in your friendship.\" The princes, confounded at the\nemperor's goodness, returned no other answer but a low obeisance,\nto shew the great respect with which they received it.\n\nThe emperor, contrary to his usual custom, did not hunt long that\nday. Presuming that the princes possessed wit equal to their\ncourage and bravery, he longed with impatience to converse with\nthem more at liberty. He made them ride on each side of him, an\nhonour which, without speaking of the principal courtiers who\naccompanied him, was envied by the grand vizier, who was much\nmortified to see them preferred before him.\n\nWhen the emperor entered his capital, the eyes of the people, who\nstood in crowds in the streets, were fixed upon the two princes\nBahman and Perviz; and they were earnest to know who they might\nbe, whether foreigners or natives.\n\nAll, however, agreed in wishing that the emperor had been blessed\nwith two such handsome princes, and said, \"He might have had\nchildren as old, if the queen, who had suffered the punishment of\nher misfortune, had been more fortunate in her lyings-in.\"\n\nThe first thing that the emperor did when he arrived at his\npalace was to conduct the princes into the principal apartments;\nwho praised without affectation, like persons conversant in such\nmatters, the beauty and symmetry of the rooms, and the richness\nof the furniture and ornaments. Afterwards a magnificent repast\nwas served up, and the emperor made them sit with him, which they\nat first refused; but finding it was his pleasure, they obeyed.\n\nThe emperor, who had himself much learning, particularly in\nhistory, foresaw that the princes, out of modesty and respect,\nwould not take the liberty of beginning any conversation.\nTherefore, to give them an opportunity, he furnished them with\nsubjects all dinner-time. But whatever subject he introduced,\nthey shewed so much wit, judgment, and discernment, that he was\nstruck with admiration. \"Were these my own children,\" said he to\nhimself, \"and I had improved their talents by suitable education,\nthey could not have been more accomplished or better informed.\"\nIn short, he took such great pleasure in their conversation, that\nafter having sat longer than usual he led them into his closet,\nwhere he pursued his conversation with them, and at last said, \"I\nnever supposed that there were among my subjects in the country\nyouths so well brought up, so lively, so capable; and I never was\nbetter pleased with any conversation than yours: but it is time\nnow we should relax our minds with some diversion; and as nothing\nis more capable of enlivening the mind than music, you shall hear\na vocal and instrumental concert which may not be disagreeable to\nyou.\"\n\nThe emperor had no sooner spoken for them than the musicians, who\nhad orders to attend, entered, and answered fully the\nexpectations the princes had been led to entertain of their\nabilities. After the concerts, an excellent farce was acted, and\nthe entertainment was concluded by dancers of both sexes.\n\nThe two princes seeing night approach, prostrated themselves at\nthe emperor's feet; and having first thanked him for the favours\nand honours he had heaped upon them, asked his permission to\nretire; which was granted by the emperor, who, in dismissing\nthem, said, \"I give you leave to go; but remember I brought you\nto the palace myself only to shew you the way; you will be always\nwelcome, and the oftener you come the greater pleasure you will\ndo me.\"\n\nBefore they went out of the emperor's presence, prince Bahman\nsaid, \"Sir, may we presume to request that your majesty will do\nus and our sister the honour to pass by our house, and rest and\nrefresh yourself after your fatigue, the first time you take the\ndiversion of hunting in that neighbourhood? It is not worthy your\npresence; but monarchs sometimes have vouchsafed to take shelter\nin a cottage.\" \"My children,\" replied the emperor; \"your house\ncannot be otherwise than beautiful, and worthy of its owners. I\nwill call and see it with pleasure, which will be the greater for\nhaving for my hosts you and your sister, who is already dear to\nme from the account you give me of the rare qualities with which\nshe is endowed; and this satisfaction I will defer no longer than\nto-morrow. Early in the morning I will be at the place where I\nshall never forget that I first saw you. Meet me, and you shall\nbe my guides.\"\n\nWhen the princes Bahman and Perviz had returned home, they gave\nthe princess an account of the distinguished reception the\nemperor had given them; and told her that they had invited him to\ndo them the honour, as he passed by, to call at their house; and\nthat he had appointed the next day.\n\n\"If it be so,\" replied the princess, \"we must think of preparing\na repast fit for his majesty; and for that purpose I think it\nwould be proper we should consult the speaking bird, he will tell\nus perhaps what meats the emperor likes best.\" The princes\napproved of her plan, and after they had retired she consulted\nthe bird alone. \"Bird,\" said she, \"the emperor will do us the\nhonour to-morrow to come and see our house, and we are to\nentertain him; tell us what we shall do to acquit ourselves to\nhis satisfaction.\"\n\n\"Good mistress,\" replied the bird, \"you have excellent cooks, let\nthem do the best they can; but above all things, let them prepare\na dish of cucumbers stuffed full of pearls, which must be set\nbefore the emperor in the first course before all the other\ndishes.\"\n\n\"Cucumbers stuffed full of pearls!\" cried princess Perie-zadeh,\nwith amazement; \"surely, bird, you do not know what you say; it\nis an unheard-of dish. The emperor may admire it as a piece of\nmagnificence, but he will sit down to eat, and not to admire\npearls; besides, all the pearls I possess are not enough for such\na dish.\"\n\n\"Mistress,\" said the bird, \"do what I say, and be not uneasy\nabout what may happen. Nothing but good will follow. As for the\npearls, go early to-morrow morning to the foot of the first tree\non your right hand in the park, dig under it, and you will find\nmore than you want.\"\n\nThat night the princess ordered a gardener to be ready to attend\nher, and the next morning early led him to the tree which the\nbird had told her of, and bade him dig at its foot. When the\ngardener came to a certain depth, he found some resistance to the\nspade, and presently discovered a gold box about a foot square,\nwhich he shewed the princess. \"This,\" said she, \"is what I\nbrought you for; take care not to injure it with the spade.\"\n\nWhen the gardener took up the box, he gave it into the princess's\nhands, who, as it was only fastened with neat little hasps, soon\nopened it, and found it full of pearls of a moderate size, but\nequal, and fit for the use that was to be made of them. Very well\nsatisfied with having found this treasure, after she had shut the\nbox again she put it under her arm, and went back to the house,\nwhile the gardener threw the earth into the hole at the foot of\nthe tree as it had been before.\n\nThe princes Bahman and Perviz, who, as they were dressing\nthemselves in their own apartments, saw the princess their sister\nin the garden earlier than usual, as soon as they could get out\nwent to her, and met her as she was returning, with a gold box\nunder her arm, which much surprised them. \"Sister,\" said Bahman,\n\"you carried nothing with you when we saw you before with the\ngardener, and now we see you have a golden box: is this some\ntreasure found by the gardener, and did he come and tell you of\nit?\"\n\n\"No, brother,\" answered the princess; \"I took the gardener to the\nplace where this casket was concealed, and shewed him where to\ndig: but you will be more amazed when you see what it contains.\"\n\nThe princess opened the box, and when the princes saw that it was\nfull of pearls, which, though small, were of great value; they\nasked her how she came to the knowledge of this treasure?\n\"Brothers,\" said she, \"if nothing more pressing calls you\nelsewhere, come with me, and I will tell you.\" \"What more\npressing business,\" said prince Perviz, \"can we have than to be\ninformed of what concerns us so much? We have nothing to do to\nprevent our attending you.\" The princess, as they returned to the\nhouse, gave them an account of her having consulted the bird, as\nthey had agreed she should, and the answer he had given her; the\nobjection she had raised to preparing a dish of cucumbers stuffed\nfull of pearls, and how he had told her where to find this box.\nThe princes and princess formed many conjectures to penetrate\ninto what the bird could mean by ordering them to prepare such a\ndish; and after much conversation, though they could not by any\nmeans guess at his reason, they nevertheless agreed to follow his\nadvice exactly.\n\nAs soon as the princess entered the house, she called for the\nhead cook; and after she had given him directions about the\nentertainment for the emperor, said to him, \"Besides all this,\nyou must dress an extraordinary dish for the emperor's own\neating, which nobody else must have any thing to do with besides\nyourself. This dish must be of cucumbers stuffed with these\npearls;\" and at the same time she opened him the box, and shewed\nhim the pearls.\n\nThe chief cook, who had never heard of such a dish, started back,\nand shewed his thoughts by his looks; which the princess\npenetrating, said, \"I see you take me to be mad to order such a\ndish, which you never heard of, and which one may say with\ncertainty was never made. I know this as well as you; but I am\nnot mad, and give you these orders with the most perfect\nrecollection. You must invent and do the best you can, and bring\nme back what pearls are left.\" The cook could make no reply, but\ntook the box and retired: and afterwards the princess gave\ndirections to all the domestics to have every thing in order,\nboth in the house and gardens, to receive the emperor.\n\nNext day the two princes went to the place appointed; and as soon\nas the emperor of Persia arrived the chase began, which lasted\ntill the heat of the sun obliged him to leave off. While prince\nBahman stayed to conduit the emperor to their house, prince\nPerviz rode before to shew the way, and when he came in sight of\nthe house, spurred his horse, to inform the princess Perie-zadeh\nthat the emperor was approaching; but she had been told by some\nservants whom she had placed to give notice, and the prince found\nher waiting ready to receive him.\n\nWhen the emperor had entered the court-yard, and alighted at the\nportico, the princess came and threw herself at his feet, and the\ntwo princes informed him she was their sister, and besought him\nto accept her respects.\n\nThe emperor stooped to raise her, and after he had gazed some\ntime on her beauty, struck with her fine person and dignified\nair, he said, \"The brothers are worthy of the sister, and she\nworthy of them; since, if I may judge of her understanding by her\nperson, I am not amazed that the brothers would do nothing\nwithout their sister's consent; but,\" added he, \"I hope to be\nbetter acquainted with you, my daughter, after I have seen the\nhouse.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" said the princess, \"it is only a plain country residence,\nfit for such people as we are, who live retired from the great\nworld. It is not to be compared with houses in great cities, much\nless with the magnificent palaces of emperors.\" \"I cannot\nperfectly agree with you in opinion,\" said the emperor very\nobligingly, \"for its first appearance makes me suspect you;\nhowever, I will not pass my judgment upon it till I have seen it\nall; therefore be pleased to conduct me through the apartments.\"\n\nThe princess led the emperor through all the rooms except the\nhall; and, after he had considered them very attentively and\nadmired their variety, \"My daughter,\" said he to the princess,\n\"do you call this a country house? The finest and largest cities\nwould soon be deserted, if all country houses were like yours. I\nam no longer surprised that you take so much delight in it, and\ndespise the town. Now let me see the garden, which I doubt not is\nanswerable to the house.\"\n\nThe princess opened a door which led into the garden; and the\nfirst object which presented itself to the emperor's view was the\ngolden fountain. Surprised at so rare an object, he asked from\nwhence that wonderful water, which gave so much pleasure to\nbehold, had been procured; where was its source; and by what art\nit was made to play so high, that he thought nothing in the world\nwas to be compared to it? He said he would presently take a\nnearer view of it.\n\nThe princess then led him to the spot where the harmonious tree\nwas planted; and there the emperor heard a concert, different\nfrom all he had ever heard before; and stopping to see where the\nmusicians were, he could discern nobody far or near; but still\ndistinctly heard the music, which ravished his senses. \"My\ndaughter,\" said he to the princess, \"where are the musicians whom\nI hear? Are they under ground, or invisible in the air? Such\nexcellent performers will hazard nothing by being seen; on the\ncontrary, they would please the more.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" answered the princess smiling, \"they are not musicians,\nbut the leaves of the trees your majesty sees before you, which\nform this concert; and if you will give yourself the trouble to\ngo a little nearer, you will be convinced, and the voices will be\nthe more distinct.\"\n\nThe emperor went nearer, and was so charmed with the sweet\nharmony, that he would never have been tired with hearing it, but\nthat his desire to have a nearer view of the fountain of yellow\nwater forced him away. \"Daughter,\" said he, \"tell me, I pray you,\nwhether this wonderful tree was found in your garden by chance,\nor was a present made to you, or have you procured it from some\nforeign country? It must certainly have come from a great\ndistance, otherwise, curious as I am after natural rarities, I\nshould have heard of it. What name do you call it by?\"\n\n\"Sir,\" replied the princess, \"this tree has no other name than\nthat of the singing tree, and is not a native of this country. It\nwould at present take up too much time to tell your majesty by\nwhat adventures it came here; its history is connected with the\nyellow water, and the speaking bird, which came to me at the same\ntime, and which your majesty may see after you have taken a\nnearer view of the golden water. But if it be agreeable to your\nmajesty, after you have rested yourself, and recovered the\nfatigue of hunting, which must be the greater because of the\nsun's intense heat, I will do myself the honour of relating it to\nyou.\"\n\n\"My daughter,\" replied the emperor, \"my fatigue is so well\nrecompensed by the wonderful things you have shewn me, that I do\nnot feel it the least. I think only of the trouble I give you.\nLet us finish by seeing the yellow water. I am impatient to see\nand admire the speaking bird.\"\n\nWhen the emperor came to the yellow water, his eyes were fixed so\nsteadfastly upon the fountain, that he could not take them off.\nAt last, addressing himself to the princess, he said, \"As you\ntell me, daughter, that this water has no spring or\ncommunication, I conclude that it is foreign, as well as the\nsinging tree.\"\n\n\"Sir,\" replied the princess, \"it is as your majesty conjectures;\nand to let you know that this water has no communication with any\nspring, I must inform you that the basin is one entire stone, so\nthat the water cannot come in at the sides or underneath. But\nwhat your majesty will think most wonderful is, that all this\nwater proceeded but from one small flagon, emptied into this\nbasin, which increased to the quantity you see, by a property\npeculiar to itself, and formed this fountain.\" \"Well,\" said the\nemperor, going from the fountain, \"this is enough for one time. I\npromise myself the pleasure to come and visit it often; but now\nlet us go and see the speaking bird.\"\n\nAs he went towards the hall, the emperor perceived a prodigious\nnumber of singing birds in the trees around, filling the air with\ntheir songs and warblings, and asked, why there were so many\nthere, and none on the other trees in the garden? \"The reason,\nsir,\" answered the princess, \"is, because they come from all\nparts to accompany the song of the speaking bird, which your\nmajesty may see in a cage in one of the windows of the hall we\nare approaching; and if you attend, you will perceive that his\nnotes are sweeter than those of any of the other birds, even the\nnightingale.\"\n\nThe emperor went into the hall; and as the bird continued\nsinging, the princess raised her voice, and said, \"My slave, here\nis the emperor, pay your compliments to him.\" The bird left off\nsinging that instant, when all the other birds ceased also, and\nit said, \"The emperor is welcome; God prosper him, and prolong\nhis life.\" As the entertainment was served on the sofa near the\nwindow where the bird was placed, the sultan replied, as he was\ntaking his seat, \"Bird, I thank you, and am overjoyed to find in\nyou the sultan and king of birds.\"\n\nAs soon as the emperor saw the dish of cucumbers set before him,\nthinking it was stuffed in the best manner, he reached out his\nhand and took one; but when he cut it, was in extreme surprise to\nfind it stuffed with pearls. \"What novelty is this?\" said he \"and\nwith what design were these cucumbers stuffed thus with pearls,\nsince pearls are not to be eaten?\" He looked at the two princes\nand princess to ask them the meaning: when the bird interrupting\nhim, said, \"Can your majesty be in such great astonishment at\ncucumbers stuffed with pearls, which you see with your own eyes,\nand yet so easily believe that the queen your wife was delivered\nof a dog, a cat, and a piece of wood?\" \"I believed these things,\"\nreplied the emperor, \"because the midwives assured me of the\nfacts.\" \"Those midwives, sir,\" replied the bird, \"were the\nqueen's two sisters, who, envious of her happiness in being\npreferred by your majesty before them, to satisfy their envy and\nrevenge, have abused your majesty's credulity. If you interrogate\nthem, they will confess their crime. The two brothers and the\nsister whom you see before you are your own children, whom they\nexposed, and who were taken in by the intendant of your gardens,\nwho provided nurses for them, and took care of their education.\"\n\nThis speech of the bird's presently cleared up the emperor's\nunderstanding. \"Bird,\" cried he, \"I believe the truth which you\ndiscover to me. The inclination which drew me to them told me\nplainly they must be my own blood. Come then, my sons, come, my\ndaughter, let me embrace you, and give you the first marks of a\nfather's love and tenderness.\" The emperor then rose, and after\nhaving embraced the two princes and the princess, and mingled his\ntears with theirs, said, \"It is not enough, my children; you must\nembrace each other, not as the children of the intendant of my\ngardens, to whom I have been so much obliged for preserving your\nlives, but as my own children, of the royal blood of the monarchs\nof Persia, whose glory, I am persuaded, you will maintain.\"\n\nAfter the two princes and princess had embraced mutually with new\nsatisfaction, the emperor sat down again with them, and finished\nhis meal in haste; and when he had done, said, \"My children, you\nsee in me your father; to-morrow I will bring the queen your\nmother, therefore prepare to receive her.\"\n\nThe emperor afterwards mounted his horse, and returned with\nexpedition to his capital. The first thing he did, as soon as he\nhad alighted and entered his palace, was to command the grand\nvizier to seize the queen's two sisters. They were taken from\ntheir houses separately, convicted, and condemned to be\nquartered; which sentence was put in execution within an hour.\n\nIn the mean time the emperor Khoosroo Shaw, followed by all the\nlords of his court who were then present, went on foot to the\ndoor of the great mosque; and after he had taken the queen out of\nthe strict confinement she had languished under for so many\nyears, embracing her in the miserable condition to which she was\nthen reduced, said to her with tears in his eyes, \"I come to\nentreat your pardon for the injustice I have done you, and to\nmake you the reparation I ought; which I have begun, by punishing\nthe unnatural wretches who put the abominable cheat upon me; and\nI hope you will look upon it as complete, when I present to you\ntwo accomplished princes, and a lovely princess, our children.\nCome and resume your former rank, with all the honours which are\nyour due.\" All this was done and said before great crowds of\npeople, who flocked from all parts at the first news of what was\npassing, and immediately spread the joyful intelligence through\nthe city.\n\nNext morning early the emperor and queen, whose mournful\nhumiliating dress was changed for magnificent robes, went with\nall their court to the house built by the intendant of the\ngardens, where the emperor presented the princes Bahman and\nPerviz, and the princess Perie-zadeh, to their enraptured mother.\n\"These, much injured wife,\" said he, \"are the two princes your\nsons, and this princess your daughter; embrace them with the same\ntenderness I have done, since they are worthy both of me and\nyou.\" The tears flowed plentifully down their cheeks at these\ntender embraces, especially the queen's, from the comfort and joy\nof having two such princes for her sons, and such a princess for\nher daughter, on whose account she had so long endured the\nseverest afflictions.\n\nThe two princes and the princess had prepared a magnificent\nrepast for the emperor and queen, and their court. As soon as\nthat was over, the emperor led the queen into the garden, and\nshewed her the harmonious tree and the beautiful effect of the\nyellow fountain. She had seen the bird in his cage, and the\nemperor had spared no panegyric in his praise during the repast.\n\nWhen there was nothing to detain the emperor any longer, he took\nhorse, and with the princes Bahman and Perviz on his right hand,\nand the queen consort and the princess at his left, preceded and\nfollowed by all the officers of his court, according to their\nrank, returned to his capital. Crowds of people came out to meet\nthem, and with acclamations of joy ushered them into the city,\nwhere all eyes were fixed not only upon the queen, the two\nprinces, and the princess, but also upon the bird, which the\nprincess carried before her in his cage, admiring his sweet\nnotes, which had drawn all the other birds about him, which\nfollowed him, flying from tree to tree in the country, and from\none house-top to another in the city. The princes Bahman and\nPerviz, and the princess Perie-zadeh, where at length brought to\nthe palace with this pomp, and nothing was to be seen or heard\nall that night but illuminations and rejoicings both in the\npalace and in the utmost parts of the city, which lasted many\ndays, and were continued throughout the empire of Persia, as\nintelligence of the joyful event reached the several provinces.\n\n\n\n\n           STORY OF THE SULTAN OF YEMEN AND HIS THREE\n                             SONS.\n\n\n\nThere was in the land of Yemen (Arabia Felix) a sultan, under\nwhom were three tributary princes. He had four children, three\nsons and a daughter. He possessed greater treasures than could be\nestimated, as well as innumerable camels, horses, and flocks of\nsheep; and was held in awe by all contemporary sovereigns.\n\nAfter a long and prosperous reign, age brought with it infirmity,\nand he at length became incapable of appearing in his hall of\naudience; upon which he commanded his sons to his presence, and\nsaid to them, \"My wish is to divide among you, before my death,\nall my possessions, that you may be satisfied, and live in\nunanimity and brotherly affection with each other, and in\nobedience to my dying commands.\" They exclaimed, \"To hear is to\nobey.\"\n\nThe sultan then said, \"My will is, that the eldest be sovereign\nin my room; that the second possess my treasures; and the third\nevery description of animals. Let no, one encroach upon another,\nbut all assist each other.\" He then caused them to sign an\nagreement to abide by his bequests, and shortly afterwards was\nreceived into the mercy of the Almighty; upon which his sons\nprepared what was suitable to his dignity for his funeral. They\nwashed the corpse, enshrouded it, prayed over it, and having\ncommitted it to the earth, returned to their palaces; where the\nviziers, officers of state, and inhabitants of the metropolis,\nhigh and low, rich and poor, attended to console with them on the\nloss of their father. The news of the death of the sultan was\nsoon spread abroad into all the provinces, and deputations from\nevery city came to condole with the princes.\n\nAfter these ceremonies, the eldest prince demanded that he should\nbe inaugurated sultan in the room of the deceased monarch,\nagreeably to his will; but this was not possible, as each of the\nother brothers was ambitious of being sovereign. Contention and\ndisputes now arose between them for the government, till at\nlength the elder brother, wishing to avoid civil war, said, \"Let\nus go and submit to the arbitration of one of the tributary\nsultans, and to let him whom he adjudges the kingdom peaceably\nenjoy it.\" To this they assented, as did also the viziers; and\nthey departed, unattended, towards the capital of one of the\ntributary sultans.\n\nWhen the princes had proceeded about half way on their journey,\nthey reached a verdant spot, abounding in herbage and flowers,\nwith a clear rivulet running through it, the convenience of which\nmade them halt to refresh themselves. They sat down and were\neating, when one of the brothers casting his eyes on the grass,\nsaid, \"A camel has lately passed this way loaded, half with\nsweetmeats and half with grain.\" \"True,\" cried another, \"and he\nwas blind of one eye.\" \"Yes,\" exclaimed the third, \"and he had\nlost his tail.\" They had scarcely concluded their remarks, when\nthe owner of the camel came up to them (for he had heard what\nthey had said, and was convinced, as they had described the beast\nand his load, that they must have stopped him), crying out, that\nthey had stolen his camel. \"We have not seen him,\" answered the\nprinces, \"nor touched him.\" \"By Allah!\" replied he, \"none but you\ncan have taken him; and if you will not deliver him up, I will\ncomplain of you to the sultan.\" They rejoined, \"It is well; let\nus go to the sultan.\"\n\nWhen all four had reached the palace, information was given of\nthe arrival of the princes, and they were admitted to an\naudience, the owner of the camel following, who bawled out,\n\"These men, my lord, by their own confession, have stolen my\nproperty, for they described him and the load he carried.\"\n\nThe man then related what each of the princes, had said; upon\nwhich the sultan demanded if it was true. They answered, \"My\nlord, we have not seen the camel; but we chanced, as we were\nsitting on the grass taking some refreshment, to observe that\npart of the pasture had been grazed; upon which we supposed that\nthe camel must have been blind of an eye, as the grass was only\neaten on one side. We then observed the dung of a camel in one\nheap on the ground, which made us agree that its tail must have\nbeen cut off, as it is the custom for camels to shake their\ntails, and scatter it abroad. On the grass where the camel had\nlain down, we saw on one side flies collected in great numbers,\nbut none on the other: this made us conclude that one of the\npanniers must have contained sweets, and the other only grain.\"\nUpon hearing the above, the sultan said to the complainant,\n\"Friend, go and look for thy camel, for these observations do not\nprove the theft on the accused, but only the strength of their\nunderstandings and penetration.\"\n\nThe sultan now ordered apartments for the princes, and directed\nthat they should be entertained in a manner befitting their rank;\nafter which he left them to their repose. In the evening, when\nthe usual meal was brought in, the elder prince having taken up a\ncake of bread, said, \"This bread, I am sure, was made by a sick\nwoman.\" The second, on tasting some kid, exclaimed, \"This kid was\nsuckled by a bitch:\" and the third cried out, \"Certainly this\nsultan must be illegitimate.\" At this instant the sultan, who had\nbeen listening, entered hastily, and exclaimed, \"Wherefore utter\nye these affronting speeches?\" \"Inquire,\" replied the princes,\n\"into what you have heard, and you will find all true.\"\n\nThe sultan now retired to his haram, and on inquiry, found that\nthe woman who had kneaded the bread was sick. He then sent for\nthe shepherd, who owned that the dam of the kid having died, he\nhad suckled it upon a bitch. Next, in a violent passion, he\nproceeded to the apartments of the sultana mother, and\nbrandishing his cimeter--threatened her with death, unless she\nconfessed whether he was son to the late sultan or not.\n\nThe sultana was alarmed, and said, \"To preserve my life, I must\nspeak truth. Know then that thou art the son of a cook. Thy\nfather had no male offspring, at which he was uneasy: on the same\nday myself and the wife of the cook lay in, I of a daughter and\nshe of a son. I was fearful of the coolness of the sultan, and\nimposed upon him the son of the cook for his own: that son art\nthou, who now enjoyest an empire.\"\n\nThe spurious sultan left the sultana in astonishment at the\npenetration of the brothers, whom he summoned to his presence,\nand inquired of them on what grounds they had founded their just\nsuspicions respecting the bread, the kid, and himself. \"My\nlord,\" replied the elder prince, \"when I broke the cake, the\nflour fell out in lumps; and hence I guessed that she who made it\nhad not strength to knead it sufficiently, and must have been\nunwell.\" \"It is as thou hast said,\" replied the sultan. \"The fat\nof the kid,\" continued the second brother, \"was all next the\nbone, and the flesh of every other animal but the dog has it next\nthe skin. Hence my surmise that it must have been suckled by a\nbitch.\" \"Thou wert right,\" answered the sultan; \"but now for\nmyself.\"\n\n\"My reason for supposing thee illegitimate,\" said the youngest\nprince, \"was, because thou didst not associate with us, who are\nof the same rank with thyself. Every man has properties which he\ninherits from his father, his grandfather, or his mother. From\nhis father, generosity, or avarice; from his grandfather, valour\nor cowardice; from his mother, bashfulness or impudence.\" \"Thou\nhast spoken justly,\" replied the sultan; \"but why came ye to ask\njudgment of me, since ye are so much better able to decide\ndifficult questions than myself? Return home, and agree among\nyourselves.\" The princes did so; and obeyed the will of their\nfather.\n\n\n\n\n              STORY OF THE THREE SHARPERS AND THE\n                            SULTAN.\n\n\n\nThree very ingenious sharpers who associated together, being much\ndistressed, agreed, in hopes of obtaining immediate relief, that\nthey would go to the sultan, and pretend each to superior ability\nin some occupation. Accordingly they proceeded to the metropolis,\nbut found admission to the presence difficult; the sultan being\nat a garden palace surrounded by guards, who would not let them\napproach. Upon this they consulted, and agreed to feign a\nquarrel, in hopes that their clamour would draw the notice of the\nsultan. It did so: he commanded them to be brought before him,\ninquired who they were, and the cause of their dispute. \"We were\ndisputing,\" said they, \"concerning the superiority of our\nprofessions; for each of us possesses complete skill in his own.\"\n\"What are your professions?\" replied the sultan. \"I am,\" said\none, \"O sovereign, a lapidary of wonderful skill.\" \"I fear thou\nart an astonishing rascal,\" exclaimed the sultan.\n\n\"I am,\" said the second sharper, \"a genealogist of horses.\" \"And\nI,\" continued the third, \"a genealogist of mankind, knowing every\none's true descent; an art much more wonderful than that of\neither of my companions, for no one possesses it but myself, nor\never did before me.\" The sultan was astonished, but gave little\ncredit to their pretensions: yet he said to himself, \"If these\nmen speak truth, they are worthy of encouragement. I will keep\nthem near me till I have occasion to try them; when, if they\nprove their abilities, I will promote them; but if not, I will\nput them to death.\" He then allotted them an apartment, with an\nallowance of three cakes of bread and a mess of pottage daily;\nbut placed spies over them, fearing lest they might escape.\n\nNot long after this, a present of rarities was brought to the\nsultan, among which were two precious stones; one of them\nremarkably clear in its water, and the other with a flaw. The\nsultan now bethought himself of the lapidary, and sent for him to\nhis presence, when he gave him the clear jewel to examine, and\ndemanded what he thought it was worth.\n\nThe sharper took the stone, and with much gravity turned it\nbackwards and forwards in his hands, examining it with minute\nattention on every part; after which he said, \"My lord, this\njewel has a flaw in the very centre of it.\" When the sultan heard\nthis, he was enraged against the sharper, and gave orders to\nstrike off his head; saying, \"This stone is free from blemish,\nand yet thou pretendest it hath a flaw.\" The executioner now\nadvanced, laid hold of the sharper, bound him, and was going to\nstrike, when the vizier entered, and seeing the sultan enraged,\nand the sharper under the cimeter, inquired the cause. Being\ninformed, he advanced towards the sultan, and said, \"My lord, act\nnot thus, but first break the stone: should a flaw appear in it,\nthe words of this man are true; but if it be found free from\nblemish, put him to death.\" The sultan replied, \"Thy advice is\njust:\" and broke it in two with his mace. In the middle he found\na flaw, at which he was astonished, and exclaimed to the sharper,\n\"By what means couldst thou discover the blemish?\" He replied,\n\"By the acuteness of my sight.\" The sultan then released him, and\nsaid, \"Take him back to his companions, allow him a mess of\npottage to himself, and two cakes of bread.\"\n\nSome time after this a tribute came from one of the provinces,\npart of which consisted of a beautiful black colt, in colour\nresembling the hue of the darkest night. The sultan was delighted\nwith the animal, and spent whole days in admiring him. At length\nhe bethought himself of the sharper who had pretended to be a\ngenealogist of horses, and commanded him to his presence. When he\nappeared, the sultan said, \"Art thou a judge of horses?\" He\nreplied, \"Yes, my lord,\" upon which the sultan exclaimed, \"It is\nwell! but I swear by him who appointed me guardian of his\nsubjects, and said to the universe, Be! and it was, that should I\nfind untruth in thy declaration, I will strike off thy head.\" The\nman replied, \"To hear is to submit.\" After this they brought out\nthe colt, that he might examine him.\n\nThe sharper desired the groom to mount the colt and pace him\nbefore him, which he did backwards and forwards, the fiery animal\nall the while plunging and rearing. At length the genealogist\nsaid, \"It is enough:\" and turning to the sultan exclaimed, \"My\nlord, this colt is singularly beautiful, of true blood by his\nsire, his paces exquisite and proportions just; but in him there\nis one blemish; could that be done away, he would be all\nperfection; nor would there be upon the face of the earth his\nequal among all the various breeds of horses.\" \"What can that\nblemish be?\" said the sultan. \"His sire,\" rejoined the\ngenealogist, \"was of true blood, but his dam of another species\nof animal; and, if commanded, I will inform you.\" \"Speak,\" said\nthe sultan. \"The dam of this beautiful colt,\" continued the\ngenealogist, \"was a buffalo.\"\n\nWhen the sultan heard this he flew into a rage, and commanded an\nexecutioner to strike off the head of the sharper; exclaiming,\n\"Thou accursed dog! how could a buffalo bring forth a colt?\" \"My\nlord,\" replied the sharper, \"the executioner is in attendance;\nbut send for the person who presented the colt, and inquire of\nhim the truth. If my words prove just, my skill will be\nascertained; but if what I have said be false, then let my head\npay the forfeit for my tongue.\" Upon this the sultan sent for the\nmaster of the colt to attend his presence.\n\nWhen the master of the colt appeared before him, the sultan\ninquired whether it was purchased of another person, or had been\nbred by himself? To which the man replied, \"My lord, I will\nrelate nothing but the truth. The production of this colt is\nsurprising. His sire belonged to me, and was of the true breed of\nsea-horses: he was always kept in an enclosure by himself, as I\nwas fearful of his being injured; but it happened one day in the\nspring, that the groom took him for air into the country, and\npicqueted him in the plain. By chance a cow-buffalo coming near\nthe spot, the stallion became outrageous, broke his heel-ropes,\njoined the buffalo, which after the usual period of gestation,\nproduced this colt, to our great astonishment.\"\n\nThe sultan was surprised at this relation. He commanded the\ngenealogist to be sent for, and upon his arrival said, \"Thy words\nhave proved true, and thy wonderful skill in the breed of horses\nis ascertained; but by what mark couldst thou know that the dam\nof this colt was a buffalo?\" The man replied, \"My lord, the mark\nis visible in the colt itself. It is not unknown to any person of\nobservation, that the hoof of a horse is nearly round, but the\nhoof of a buffalo thick and longish, like this colt's: hence I\njudged that the dam must certainly have been a buffalo.\" The\nsultan now dismissed him graciously, and commanded that he should\nbe allowed daily a mess of pottage, and two cakes of bread.\n\nNot long after this the sultan bethought himself of the third\nsharper, who pretended that he was the genealogist of man, and\nsent for him to the presence. On his appearance he said, \"Thou\ncanst trace the descent of man?\" \"Yes, my lord,\" replied the\ngenealogist. Upon this the sultan commanded an eunuch to take him\ninto his haram, that he might examine the descent of his\nfavourite mistress. Upon his introduction, he looked at the lady\non this side and on that, through her veil, till he was\nsatisfied, when he came out; and the sultan exclaimed, \"Well,\nwhat hast thou discovered in my mistress?\" He replied, \"My lord,\nshe is all perfect in elegance, beauty, grace, stature, bloom,\nmodesty, accomplishments, and knowledge, so that every thing\ndesirable centres in herself; but still there is one point that\ndisgraces her, from which if she was free, it is not possible she\ncould be excelled in anything among the whole of the fair sex.\"\nWhen the sultan had heard this, he rose up angrily, and drawing\nhis cimeter, ran towards the genealogist, intending to strike off\nhis head.\n\nJust as he was going to strike, some of the attendants said, \"My\nlord, put not the man to death before thou art convinced of his\nfalsehood.\" Upon which the sultan exclaimed, \"What fault appeared\nto thee in my mistress?\" \"O sultan,\" replied the man, \"she is, as\nto herself, all perfect; but her mother was a rope-dancer.\" Upon\nthis the sultan immediately sent for the father of the lady, and\nsaid, \"Inform me truly who was the mother of thy daughter, or I\nwill put thee to death.\" \"Mighty prince,\" replied the father,\n\"there is no safety for man but in the truth. Her mother was a\nrope-dancer, whom I took when very young from a company of\nstrolling mummers, and educated. She grew up most beautiful and\naccomplished: I married her, and she produced me the girl whom\nthou hast chosen.\"\n\nWhen the sultan heard this, his rage cooled, but he was filled with\nastonishment; and said to the genealogist, \"Inform me what could shew\nthee that my mistress was the daughter of a rope-dancer?\" \"My lord,\"\nreplied the man, \"this cast of people have always their eyes very\nblack, and their eyebrows bushy; such are hers: and from them I\nguessed her descent.\" The sultan was now convinced of his skill,\ndismissed him graciously, and commanded that he should be allowed a\nmess of pottage and three cakes of bread daily, which was done\naccordingly.\n\nSome time after this the sultan reflected on the three sharpers,\nand said to himself, \"These men have proved their skill in\nwhatever I have tried them. The lapidary was singularly excellent\nin his art, the horse genealogist in his, and the last has proved\nhis upon my mistress. I have an inclination to know my own\ndescent beyond a doubt.\" He then ordered the genealogist into his\npresence, and said, \"Dost thou think thou canst prove my\ndescent?\" \"Yes, my lord,\" replied the man, \"but on condition that\nyou spare my life after I shall have informed you; for the\nproverb says, 'When the sultan is present, beware of his anger,\nas there is no delay when he commands to strike.'\" \"There shall\nbe safety for thee,\" exclaimed the sultan, \"in my promise, an\nobligation that can never be forfeited.\"\n\n\"O sultan,\" continued the genealogist, \"when I shall inform thee\nof thy parentage and descent, let not there be any present who\nmay hear me.\" \"Wherefore?\" replied the sultan. \"My lord,\"\nanswered the sharper, \"you know the attributes of the Deity\nshould be veiled in mystery.\" The sultan now commanded all his\nattendants to retire, and when they were alone, the genealogist\nadvanced and said, \"Mighty prince, thou art illegitimate, and the\nson of an adulteress.\"\n\nAs soon as the sultan heard this, his colour changed, he turned\npale, and fainted away. When he was recovered, he remained some\ntime in deep contemplation, after which he exclaimed, \"By him who\nconstituted me the guardian of his people, I swear that if thy\nassertion be found true I will abdicate my kingdom, and resign it\nto thee, for royalty cannot longer become me; but should thy\nwords prove void of foundation, I will put thee to instant\ndeath.\" \"To hear is to assent,\" replied the sharper.\n\nThe sultan now arose, entered the haram, and bursting into his\nmother's apartment with his cimeter drawn, exclaimed, \"By him who\ndivided the heavens from the earth, shouldst thou not answer\nfaithfully to what I shall inquire, I will cut thee to pieces\nwith this cimeter.\" The queen, trembling with alarm, said, \"What\ndost thou ask of me?\" \"Inform me,\" replied the sultan, \"of whom\nam I the son?\" \"Since truth only can save me,\" cried the\nprincess, \"know that thou art the offspring of a cook. My husband\nhad no children either male or female, on which account he became\nsad, and lost his health and appetite. In a court of the haram we\nhad several sorts of birds, and one day the sultan fancying he\nshould relish one of them, ordered the cook to kill and dress it.\nI happened then to be in the bath alone.\n\n\"As I was in the bath,\" continued the sultana, \"I saw the cook\nendeavouring to catch the birds. At that instant it occurred to\nmy mind from the instigation of Satan, that if I bore not a son,\nafter the death of the sultan my influence would be lost. I\ntempted the man, and thou art the produce of my crime. The signs\nof my pregnancy soon appeared; and when the sultan was informed\nof them, he recovered his health, and rejoiced exceedingly, and\nconferred favours and presents on his ministers and courtiers\ndaily, till the time of my delivery. On that day he chanced to be\nupon a hunting excursion at a country palace; but when\nintelligence was brought him of the birth of a son, he instantly\nreturned to me, and issued orders for the city to be decorated,\nwhich was done for forty days together, out of respect to the\nsultan. Such was my crime, and such was thy birth.\"\n\nThe sultan now returned to the adventurer, and commanded him to\npull off his clothes, which he did; when the sultan, disrobing\nhimself, habited him in the royal vestments, after which he said,\n\"Inform me whence thou judgest that I was a bastard?\"\n\n\"My lord,\" replied the adventurer, \"when each of us shewed our\nskill in what was demanded, you ordered him only an allowance of\na mess of pottage and three cakes of bread. Hence I judged you to\nbe the offspring of a cook, for it is the custom of princes to\nreward the deserving with wealth and honours, but you only\ngratified us with victuals from your kitchen.\" The sultan\nreplied, \"Thou hast spoken truly.\" He then made him put on the\nrest of the royal robes and ornaments, and seated him upon the\nthrone; after which he disguised himself in the habit of a\ndervish, and wandered from his abdicated dominions. When the\nlucky adventurer found himself in possession of the throne, he\nsent for his companions; and finding they did not recognize him\nin his royal habiliments, dismissed them with liberal presents,\nbut commanded them to quit his territories with the utmost\nexpedition, lest they should discover him. After this, with a\nsatisfied mind, he fulfilled the duties of his new station with a\nliberality and dignity that made the inhabitants of the\nmetropolis and all the provinces bless him, and pray for the\nprolongation of his reign.\n\n\n\n\n             The Adventures of the Abdicated Sultan.\n\n\n\nThe abdicated prince, disguised as a dervish, did not cease\ntravelling in a solitary mood till he came to the city of Cairo,\nwhich he perceived to be in repose and security, and well\nregulated. Here he amused himself with walking through several\nstreets, till he had reached the royal palace, and was admiring\nits magnificent architecture and extent, and the crowds passing\nin and out, when the sultan with his train appeared in sight\nreturning from a hunting excursion, upon which he retired to one\nside of the road. The sultan observing his dignified demeanour,\ncommanded one of his attendants to invite him to the palace, and\nentertain him till he should inquire after him.\n\nWhen the sultan had reposed himself from the fatigue of his\nexercise, he sent for the supposed dervish to his presence, and\nsaid, \"From what kingdom art thou arrived?\" He answered, \"I am,\nmy lord, a wandering dervish.\" \"Well,\" replied the sultan, \"but\ninform me on what account thou art come here.\" On which he said,\n\"My lord, this cannot be done but in privacy.\" \"Let it be so,\"\nrejoined the sultan; and rising up, led him into a retired\napartment of the palace. The supposed dervish then related what\nhad befallen him, the cause of his having abdicated his kingdom,\nand taken upon himself the character of a religious. The sultan\nwas astonished at his self-denial, and exclaimed, \"Blessed be his\nholy name, who exalteth and humbleth whom he will by his almighty\npower; but my history is more surprising than thine. I will\nrelate it to thee, and conceal nothing.\"\n\n\n\n\n            History of Mahummud, Sultan of Cairo.\n\n\n\nAt my first outset in the world I was an indigent man, and\npossessed none of the conveniences of life, till at length I\nbecame possessed of ten pieces of silver, which I resolved to\nexpend in amusing myself. With this intention, I one day walked\ninto the principal market, intending first to purchase somewhat\ndelicate to feast upon. While I was looking about me, a man\npassed by, with a great crowd following and laughing at him, for\nhe led in an iron chain a monstrous baboon, which he cried for\nsale at the price of ten pieces of silver. Something\ninstinctively impelled me to purchase the creature, so I paid him\nthe money, and took my bargain to my lodging; but on my arrival,\nwas at a loss how to procure a meal for myself or the baboon.\nWhile I was considering what I should do, the baboon having made\nseveral springs, became suddenly transformed into a handsome\nyoung man, beautiful as the moon at the fourteenth night of its\nappearance, and addressed me, saying, \"Shekh Mahummud, thou hast\npurchased me for ten pieces of silver, being all thou hadst, and\nart now thinking how thou canst procure food for me and thyself.\"\n\"That is true,\" replied I; \"but in the name of Allah, from whence\ndost thou come?\" \"Ask no questions,\" replied my companion, \"but\ntake this piece of gold, and purchase us somewhat to eat and\ndrink.\" I took the gold, did as he had desired, and we spent the\nevening merrily together in feasting and conversation, till it\nwas time to repose.\n\nIn the morning the young man said, \"My friend, this lodging is\nnot fitting for us; go, and hire a better.\" \"To hear is to obey,\"\nreplied I, and departed to the principal serai, where I hired an\nupper apartment, to which we removed. He then gave me ten\ndeenars, with orders to purchase carpets and cushions, which I\ndid, and on my return found before him a package, containing\nprincely vestments. These he gave to me, desiring that I would go\nto the bath, and, after bathing, put them on. I obeyed his\ncommands, dressed myself, and found in each pocket a hundred\ndeenars. I was not a little proud of my improved appearance in\nthe rich robes. On my return, he praised my figure, and seated me\nby him, when we refreshed ourselves, and chatted on various\nsubjects. At length he gave me a bundle, desiring that I would\npresent it to the sultan, and at the same time demand his\ndaughter in marriage for myself, assuring me that my request\nwould meet a ready compliance.\n\nThe young man commanded a slave he had bought to attend me, who\ncarried the bundle, and I set out for the palace; near which I\nfound a great crowd of grandees, officers, and guards, who seeing\nme so richly habited, inquired respectfully what I wanted. Upon\nmy replying that my business was with the sultan, they informed\nthe ushers, who introduced me to the presence. I made the\ncustomary obeisance, and the sultan returned my salute; after\nwhich I presented the bundle before him, saying, \"Will my lord\naccept this trifle, becoming my humble situation to offer, but\ncertainly not worthy the royal dignity to receive?\" The sultan\ncommanded the package to be opened; when, lo! it contained a\ncomplete dress of royal apparel, richer than had ever been before\nseen, at which the sultan was astonished, and exclaimed,\n\"Heavens! I have nothing like this, nor ever possessed so\nmagnificent a suit; it shall be accepted: but inform me, Shekh,\nwhat thou requirest in return for so valuable an offering.\"\n\"Mighty sovereign,\" replied I, \"my wish is to become thy relation\nby espousing that precious gem of the casket of beauty, thy\nincomparable daughter.\"\n\nWhen the sultan had heard this request, he turned towards his\nvizier and said, \"Advise me how I should act in this affair.\"\nUpon which the minister replied, \"Shew him, my lord, your most\nvaluable diamond, and inquire if he has any one equally precious\nto match it as a marriage present for your daughter.\" The sultan\ndid so; when I said, \"If I present two, will you give me your\ndaughter?\" To which he assented, and I took my leave, carrying\nwith me the diamond, to shew the young man as a model. Upon my\narrival at our serai, I informed him of what passed, when he\nexamined the diamond, and said, \"The day is now far spent, but\ntomorrow I will procure ten like it, which thou shalt present to\nthe sultan.\" Accordingly in the morning he walked out, and in the\nspace of an hour returned with ten diamonds, which he gave me,\nand I hastened with them to the sultan. When he beheld the\nprecious stones he was enraptured at their brilliancy, and again\nconsulted his vizier how he should act in this business. \"My\nlord,\" replied the minister, \"you only required one diamond of\nthe Shekh, and he has presented you with ten: it is therefore\nincumbent upon you to give him your daughter.\"\n\nThe sultan now sent for the cauzees and effendis, who drew up the\ndeed of espousals, which they gave me, when I returned to our\nserai, and shewed it to the young man, who said, \"It is well; go\nand complete thy marriage; but I entreat that thou wilt not\nconsummate thy nuptials till I shall give thee permission.\" \"To\nhear is to obey,\" replied I. When it was night I entered the\nprincess's apartment, but sat down at a distance from her, and\ndid not speak till morning, when I bade her farewell, and took my\nleave for the day. I observed the same conduct the second night\nand the third, upon which, offended at my coldness, she\ncomplained to her mother, who informed the sultan of my\naffronting behaviour.\n\nThe sultan sent for me to his presence, and with much anger\nthreatened, if I should continue my coldness to the princess\nanother evening, that he would put me to death. Upon this I\nhastened to inform my friend at the serai, who commanded, that\nwhen I should next be alone with my wife I should demand of her a\nbracelet which she wore upon her right arm, and bring it to him,\nafter which I might consummate my nuptials. I replied, \"To hear\nis to obey;\" and the next evening, when I entered the apartment,\nsaid to my wife, \"If thou desirest that we should live happily\ntogether, give me the bracelet on thy right arm.\" She did so\nimmediately, when I carried it to the young man, and, returning\nto the palace, slept, as I supposed, with the princess till\nmorning. Guess, however, what was my surprise, when on awaking I\nfound myself lying in my first humble lodging, stripped of my\nrich vestments, and saw on the ground my former mean attire;\nnamely, an old vest, a pair of tattered drawers, and a ragged\nturban, as full of holes as a sieve. When I had somewhat\nrecovered my senses, I put them on and walked out in a melancholy\nmood, regretting my lost happiness, and not knowing what I should\ndo to recover it. As I strolled towards the palace, I beheld\nsitting in the street a fortune-teller, who had some written\npapers before him, and was casting omens for the bystanders. I\nadvanced, and made him a salute, which he returned kindly; and\nafter looking attentively in my face, exclaimed, \"What! has that\naccursed wretch betrayed thee, and torn thee from thy wife?\" I\nreplied, \"Yes.\" Upon this he desired me to wait a little, and\nseated me by him. When his employers were departed, he said, \"My\nfriend, the ape which you purchased for ten pieces of silver, and\nwho soon after was transformed into a young man, is not of human\nrace, but a genie deeply in love with the princess whom you\nmarried. However, he could not approach her while she wore the\nbracelet, containing a powerful charm, upon her right arm, and\ntherefore made use of thee to obtain it. He is now with her, but\nI will soon effect his destruction, that genii and men may be\nsecure from his wickedness, for he is one of the rebellious and\naccursed spirits who disobeyed our lord Solomon, son of David.\"\n\nAfter this, the fortune-teller wrote a note, which having sealed\nand directed, he gave it to me, saying, \"Go to a certain spot,\nwait there, and observe those who may approach. Fortify thy mind,\nand when thou shall see a great personage attended by a numerous\ntrain, present to him this letter, when he will accomplish thy\ndesires.\" I took the note, immediately departed for the place to\nwhich the fortune-teller had directed me, and after travelling\nall night and half the next day reached it, and sat down to wait\nfor what might happen. The evening shut in, and about a fourth\npart of the night had passed, when a great glare of lights\nappeared advancing towards me from a distance; and as it shone\nnearer, I perceived persons carrying flambeaux and lanterns, also\na numerous train of attendants, as if belonging to some mighty\nsultan. My mind was alarmed, but I recovered myself, and resolved\nto stay where I was. A great concourse passed by me, marching two\nand two, and at length there appeared a sultan of the genii,\nsurrounded by a splendid attendance; upon which I advanced as\nboldly as I could, and having prostrated myself, presented the\nletter, which he opened, and read aloud, as follows:\n\n\"Be it known unto thee, O sultan of the genii, that the bearer of\nthis is in distress, from which thou must relieve him by\ndestroying his enemy. Shouldst thou not assist him, beware of thy\nown safety. Farewell.\"\n\nWhen the sultan of the genii had read the note, he called out to\none of his messengers, who immediately attended before him, and\ncommanded him to bring into his presence without delay the genie\nwho had enchanted the daughter of the sultan of Cairo. \"To hear\nis to obey,\" replied the messenger, and instantly disappearing,\nwas absent for about an hour, when he returned with the criminal,\nand placed him before the sultan of the genii, who exclaimed,\n\"Accursed wretch, hast thou ill-treated this man?\"\n\n\"Mighty sovereign,\" replied the genie, \"my crime proceeded from\nlove of the princess, who wore a charm in her bracelet which\nprevented my approaching her, and therefore I made use of this\nman. He procured me the charm, and I now have her in my power;\nbut I love her tenderly, and have not injured her.\" \"Return the\nbracelet instantly,\" replied the sultan of the genii, \"that the\nman may recover his wife, or I will command an executioner to\nstrike off thy head.\" The offending genie, who was of an accursed\nand obstinate race, upon hearing these words was inflamed with\npassion, and insolently cried out, \"I will not return the\nbracelet, for no one shall possess the princess but myself.\"\nHaving said thus, he attempted to fly away, but in vain.\n\nThe sultan of the genii now commanded his attendants to bind the\ncriminal in chains, which they did, and having forced the\nbracelet from him, struck off his head. The sultan then presented\nme the charm, which was no sooner in my hand than all the genii\nvanished from my sight, and I found myself dressed as before, in\nthe rich habit given me by the pretended young man. I proceeded\nto the city, which I entered, and when I came near the palace was\nrecognized by the guards and courtiers, who cried out in raptures\nof joy, \"Our lost prince is at length returned.\" They paid their\nrespects, and I entered the apartment of the princess, whom I\nfound in a deep sleep, in which state she had been ever since my\ndeparture. On my replacing the bracelet on her arm, she awoke.\nAfter this we lived together in all happiness till the death of\nher father, who appointed me his successor, having no son, so\nthat I am what I am.\n\nWhen the sultan of Cairo had finished his narrative, the\nabdicated prince expressed his surprise at his adventures: upon\nwhich the sultan said, \"Wonder not, my brother, at the\ndispensations of the Almighty, for he worketh in secret, and when\nhe pleaseth revealeth his mysteries. Since thou hast quitted thy\nkingdom, if thou choosest, thou shalt be my vizier, and we will\nlive together as friends and brothers.\" \"To hear is to obey,\"\nreplied the prince. The sultan then constituted him vizier,\nenrobed him in a rich uniform, and committed to him his seal, the\ninkstand, and other insignia of office, at the same time\nconferring upon him a magnificent palace, superbly furnished with\ngorgeous carpets, musnuds, and cushions: belonging to it were\nalso extensive gardens. The vizier entered immediately upon his\nnew office; held his divans regularly twice every day, and judged\nso equitably on all appeals brought before him, that his fame for\njustice and impartiality was soon spread abroad; insomuch, that\nwhoever had a cause or dispute willingly referred it to his\ndecision, and was satisfied with it, praying for his life and\nprosperity. In this state he remained for many years, the\nsovereign pleased with him, and he happy under the protection of\nthe sultan of Cairo, so that he did not regret his abdicated\nkingdom.\n\nIt happened one evening that the mind of the sultan was\ndepressed, upon which he sent for the vizier, who attended; when\nhe said, \"Vizier, my mind is so uneasy that nothing will amuse\nme.\" \"Enter then,\" replied the minister, \"into thy cabinet, and\nlook at thy jewels, the examination of which may perhaps\nentertain thee.\" The sultan did so, but it had no effect on his\nlassitude; when he said, \"Vizier, this dispiritedness will not\nquit me, and nothing gives me pleasure within my palace; let us,\ntherefore, walk out in disguise.\" \"To hear is to obey,\" replied\nthe vizier. They then retired into a private chamber, and putting\non the habits of dervishes of Arabia, strolled through the city\ntill they reached a hospital for lunatics, which they entered.\nHere they beheld two men, one reading and the other listening to\nhim; when the sultan said to himself, \"This is surprising;\" and\naddressed the men, saying, \"Are you really mad?\" They replied,\n\"We are not mad, but our stories are so wonderful, that were they\nrecorded on a tablet of adamant, they would remain for examples\nto them who would be advised.\" \"Let us hear them,\" said the\nsultan; upon which, the man who had been reading exclaimed, \"Hear\nmine first!\" and thus began.\n\n\n\n\n                    Story of the First Lunatic.\n\n\n\nI was a merchant, and had a warehouse in which were Indian goods\nof all sorts, and of the highest value, and I bought and sold to\ngreat advantage. One day as I was sitting in my warehouse,\naccording to custom, busy in buying and selling, an old woman\ncame in, telling her beads, and greeted me. I returned her\nsalute, when she sat down, and said, \"Sir, have you any choice\nIndian cloths?\" \"Yes, my mistress,\" replied I, \"of all sorts that\nyou can possibly wish for.\" \"Bring them,\" said she. I showed her\na piece of great value, with which she was highly pleased, and\ninquired the price. \"Five hundred deenars,\" replied I: she took\nout her purse, paid me the money, and went away with the cloth;\nupon which I had a profit of one hundred and fifty deenars. She\nreturned the next day, bought another piece, paid for it, and, in\nshort, did the same for fifteen days successively, paying me\nregularly for each purchase. On the sixteenth day she came to my\nshop as usual, chose the cloth and was going to pay me, but\nmissed her purse; upon which she said, \"Sir, I have unfortunately\nleft my purse at home.\" \"Mistress,\" replied I, \"it is of no\nconsequence; take the cloth, and if you return, well, if not, you\nare welcome to this trifle:\" she would not take it: I pressed\nher, but in vain. Much friendly argument passed between us, till\nat length she said, \"Sir, you contradict, and I contradict, but\nwe shall never agree unless you will favour me by accompanying me\nto my house to receive the value of your goods; so lock up your\nwarehouse, lest any thing should be lost in your absence.\"\nAccordingly I fastened my doors, and accompanied her; we walked\non conversing, till we came near her house, when she pulled out a\nhandkerchief from her girdle, and said, \"My desire is to tie this\nover thy eyes.\" \"On what account?\" replied I. \"Because,\" said\nshe, \"in our way are several houses, the gates of which are open,\nand the women sitting in their balconies, so that possibly thy\neyes may glance upon some one of them, and thy heart be\ndistracted with love; for in this part are many beautiful\ndamsels, who would fascinate even a religious, and therefore I am\nalarmed for thy peace.\"\n\nUpon this I said to myself, \"This old woman advises me properly,\"\nand I consented to her demand; when she bound the handkerchief\nover my eyes, and we proceeded till we arrived at her house. She\nknocked at the door, which was opened by a damsel, and we\nentered. The old lady then took the handkerchief from my eyes,\nwhen I looked around me, and perceived that I was in a mansion\nhaving several quadrangles, highly ornamented, and resembling the\npalaces of the sultan.\n\nThe old lady now desired me to retire into a room, which I did,\nand there beheld heaped together all the pieces of cloth which\nshe had purchased of me, at which I was surprised, but still more\nso when two damsels beautiful as resplendent moons approached,\nand having divided a piece of cloth into halves, each took one,\nand wrapped it round her hand. They then sprinkled the floor with\nrose water and other scents, wiping it with the cloth, and\nrubbing it till it became bright as silver; after which they\nwithdrew into an adjoining room, and brought out at least fifty\nstools, which they set down, and placed over each a rich\ncovering, with cushions of tissue. They then fetched a large\nstool of gold, and having put upon it a carpet and cushions of\ngold brocade, retired. Not long after this, there descended from\nthe staircase by two and two, as many damsels in number as the\nstools; upon each of which one sat down. At last descended a lady\nattended by ten damsels, who placed herself upon the larger\nstool. When I beheld her, my lord, my senses forsook me, and I\nwas in raptures at her beauty, her stature, and elegance, as she\nchatted and laughed with her companions.\n\nAt length she exclaimed, \"My dear mother!\" when the old woman\nentered; to whom she said, \"Hast thou brought the young man?\" She\nreplied, \"Yes, my daughter, he is ready to attend thee.\" Upon\nwhich the lady said, \"Introduce him to me.\" When I heard this I\nwas alarmed, and said to myself, \"There is no refuge but in the\nmost high God; doubtless she has discovered my being here, and\nwill command me to be put to death.\" The old woman came to me,\nand leading me by the hand, took me before the lady seated on the\ngolden stool, who, on seeing me, smiled, made a graceful salute,\nand waved her hand for a seat to be brought, which was done, and\nplaced close to her own. She then commanded me to sit down, which\nI did with much confusion.\n\nWhen I was seated, the lady began to chat and joke with me,\nsaying, \"What think you of my appearance and my beauty, do you\njudge me worthy of your affection? shall I be your partner and\nyou mine?\" When I had heard these words, I replied, \"How, dear\nlady, dare I presume, who am not worthy to be your servant, to\narrive at such an honour?\" Upon this, she said, \"Young man, my\nwords have no evasion in them; be not discouraged, or fearful of\nreturning me an answer, for my heart is devoted to thy love.\" I\nnow perceived, my lord, that the lady was anxious to marry me;\nbut could not conceive on what account, or who could have given\nher intelligence concerning me. She continued to shew me so many\npleasing attentions, that at length I was emboldened to say,\n\"Lady, if your words to me are sincere, according to the proverb,\nno time is so favourable as the present.\" \"There cannot,\" said\nshe, \"be a more fortunate day than this for our union.\" Upon this\nI replied, \"My dear lady, how can I allot for you a proper\ndowry?\" \"The value of the cloth you intrusted to the old lady,\nwho is my mother,\" answered she, \"is sufficient.\" \"That cannot be\nenough,\" rejoined I. \"Nothing more shall be added,\" exclaimed the\nlady; \"and my intention is this instant to send for the cauzee\nand witnesses, and I will choose a trustee, that they may unite\nus without delay. We will celebrate our nuptials this very\nevening, but upon one condition.\" \"What is that?\" replied I. She\nanswered, \"That you bind yourself not to address or hold\nconversation with any woman but myself.\" My lord, I was eager to\nbe in possession of so beautiful a woman, and therefore said to\nher, \"I agree, and will never contradict thee either by my words\nor actions.\" She then sent for the cauzee and witnesses, and\nappointed a trustee, after which we were married. After the\nceremony, she ordered coffee and sherbet, gave money to the\ncauzee, a dress of honour to her trustee, and they departed.\n\nI was lost in astonishment, and said to myself, \"Do I dream, or\nam I awake?\" She now commanded her damsels to empty the warm\nbath, fill it afresh, and prepare cloths and necessaries for\nbathing. When they had done as she desired, she ordered the\neunuchs in waiting to conduct me to the hummaum, and gave them a\nrich dress. They led me into an elegant apartment, difficult for\nspeech to describe. They spread many-coloured carpets, upon which\nI sat down and undressed; after which I entered the hummaum, and\nperceived delightful odours from sandal wood, of comorin, and\nother sweets diffusing from every part. Here they seated me,\ncovered me with perfumed soaps, and rubbed me till my body became\nbright as silver; when they brought the basins, and I washed with\nwarm water, after which they gave me rose-water, and I poured it\nover me. They next brought in sweet-smelling salves, which I\nrubbed over me, and then repaired to the hummaum, where I found a\nroyal dress, in which the eunuchs arrayed me; and after perfuming\nme with incense of sandal wood, brought in confections, coffee,\nand sherberts of various sorts, with which I refreshed myself. I\nthen left the bath with my attendants, who shewed me into the\ngrand hall of the palace, which was spread with most magnificent\ncarpets, stools, and cushions. Here the lady met me, attired in a\nnew habit, more sumptuous than I had seen her in before.\n\nWhen I beheld my bride, she appeared to me, from the richness of\nher ornaments, like a concealed treasure from which the talisman\nhad just been removed. She sat down by me, and smiled so\nfascinatingly upon me, I could no longer contain my rapture. In a\nshort time she retired, but soon returned again in a dress richer\nthan her last. I again embraced her, and in short, my lord, we\nremained together for ten days in the height of happiness and\nenjoyment. At the end of this period I recollected my mother, and\nsaid to my wife, \"It is so long since I have been absent from\nhome, and since my mother has not seen me, that I am certain she\nmust be anxious concerning me. Will you permit me to visit her\nand look after my warehouse?\" \"There can be no impediment,\"\nreplied she; \"you may visit your mother daily, and employ\nyourself in your warehouse, but the old woman must conduct you\nand bring you back;\" to which I assented.\n\nThe old lady then came in, tied a handkerchief over my eyes,\nconducted me to the spot where she had first blindfolded me, and\nsaid, \"You will return here about the time of evening prayer, and\nwill find me waiting.\" I left her, and repaired to my mother,\nwhom I found in great affliction at my absence, and weeping\nbitterly. Upon seeing me, she ran and embraced me with tears of\njoy. I said, \"Weep not, my dear mother, for my absence has been\nowing to the highest good fortune.\" I then informed her of my\nlucky adventure, when she exclaimed, \"May Allah protect thee, my\nson, but visit me at least every two days, that my affection for\nthee may be gratified.\" I then went to my warehouse, and employed\nmyself as usual till evening, when I returned to the place\nappointed, where I found the old lady, who blindfolded me as\nbefore, and conducted me to the palace of my wife, who received\nme with fondness. For three months I continued to go and come in\nthis manner, but I could not help wishing to know whom I had\nmarried, and wondering at the affluence, splendour, and\nattendance that appeared around her.\n\nAt length I found an opportunity of being in private with one of\nher black slaves, and questioned her concerning her mistress. \"My\nlord,\" replied she, \"the history of my mistress is wonderful; but\nI dare not relate it, lest she should put me to death.\" Upon\nthis, I assured her, that if she would inform me, no one should\nknow it but myself, and I took an oath of secrecy, when she began\nas follows:\n\n\"My mistress one day went to a public bath, intending to amuse\nherself, for which purpose she made such preparations of\ndelicacies and rarities, as were worth a camel's load of\ntreasure, and when she left the hummaum, made an excursion to a\ngarden, where a splendid collation was laid out. Here she\ncontinued enjoying herself till evening, when she ordered her\nretinue to make ready for departure, and the fragments of the\nentertainment to be distributed among the poor. On her return,\nshe passed through the street in which is your warehouse. It was\nupon a Friday, when you were sitting in conversation with a\nfriend, arrayed in your best attire. She beheld you, her heart\nwas stricken with love, but no one perceived her emotion.\nHowever, she had no sooner reached her palace than she became low\nand melancholy, and her appetite failed her. At length she took\nto her bed, her colour left her, sleep forsook her, and she\nbecame very weak. Upon this her mother went to call in a\nphysician, that he might consider what might be the cause of her\ndaughter's indisposition; but on the way she met a skilful old\nlady, with whom she returned home.\n\n\"The old lady on feeling the pulse of her patient, and after\nasking several questions, could perceive in her no bodily ailment\nor pain; upon which she judged she was in love, but did not\nventure to speak to her before her mother of her suspicions. She\ntook leave, and said, 'By God's blessing thou wilt soon recover;\nI will return tomorrow, and bring with me an infallible\nmedicine.' She then took her mother aside, and said, 'My good\nlady, be not angry at what I shall remark, but thy daughter has\nno bodily disorder; she is in love, and there can be no cure for\nher but by a union with her beloved.' The mother, on the\ndeparture of the old lady, repaired to her daughter, and with\nmuch difficulty, after twenty days of denial (for my mistress's\nmodesty was hurt), obtained from her a description of your\nperson, and the street in which you lived; upon which she behaved\nto you in the manner you are well acquainted with, brought you\nhere, and you know what followed. Such is her history,\" concluded\nthe black slave, \"which you must not reveal.\" \"I will not,\"\nreplied I; and after this I continued to live very happily with\nmy wife, going daily to see my mother, to attend in my warehouse,\nand return in the evening, conducted as usual by the old lady my\nmother-in-law.\n\nOne day, after the expiration of some months, as I was sitting in\nmy warehouse, a damsel came into the street with the image of a\ncock, composed of jewelry. It was set with pearls, diamonds, and\nother precious stones, and she offered it to the merchants for\nsale; when they began bidding for it at five hundred deenars, and\nwent to nine hundred and fifty; all which I observed in silence\nand did not interfere by speaking or bidding. At length the\ndamsel came up to me, and said, \"My lord, all the merchants have\nincreased in bidding for my precious toy, but you have neither\nbidden, nor taken any notice of me.\" \"I have no occasion for it,\"\nreplied I. \"Nay,\" exclaimed she, \"but you must bid something\nmore.\" \"Since I must,\" I answered, \"I will give fifty deenars\nmore, which will be just a thousand.\" She accepted the price, and\nI went into my warehouse to fetch the money to pay her, saying to\nmyself, \"I will present this curiosity to my wife, as it may\nplease her.\" When I was going to pay the money, the damsel would\nnot take it, but said, \"My lord, I have a request to make, which\nis, that I may snatch one kiss from your cheek as the price of my\njewelry, for I want nothing else.\" Upon this, I thought to\nmyself, a single kiss of my cheek is an easy price for the value\nof a thousand deenars, and consented; when she came up to me and\ngave me a kiss, but at the same time a most severe bite; left the\npiece of jewelry, and went away with the greatest haste.\n\nIn the evening I repaired to the house of my wife, and found the\nold lady waiting as usual at the accustomed spot. She tied the\nhandkerchief over my eyes, and when she had conducted me home,\ntook it off. I found my wife sitting upon her golden stool, but\ndressed in scarlet, and with an angry countenance; upon which I\nsaid to myself, \"God grant all may be well.\" I approached her,\ntook out the toy set with diamonds and rubies (thinking that on\nsight of it her ill-humour would vanish), and said, \"My mistress,\naccept this, for it is curious, and I purchased it for thee.\" She\ntook it into her hand, and examined it on all sides; after which\nshe exclaimed, \"Didst thou really purchase this on my account?\"\n\"By heavens,\" replied I, \"I bought it for thy sake, for a\nthousand deenars.\" Upon this she frowned angrily upon me, and\nexclaimed, \"What means that wound upon thy cheek?\" I was\noverwhelmed with confusion.\n\nWhile I was in this state, she called out to her attendants, who\nimmediately descended the staircase, carrying the headless corpse\nof a young girl, the head placed upon the middle of the body. I\nlooked, and knew it to be the head of the damsel who had sold me\nthe piece of jewelry for a kiss, and had bitten my cheek. My wife\nnow exclaimed, \"I had no occasion for such baubles, for I have\nmany of them; but I wished to know if thou wert so faithful to\nthy agreement with me, as not to address another woman than\nmyself, and sent the girl to try thee. Since thy promise has been\nbroken, begone, and return no more.\"\n\nWhen my wife had finished her speech, the old woman took me by\nthe hand, tied the handkerchief over my eyes, and conducted me to\nthe usual spot, when she said, \"Begone!\" and disappeared. I was\nso overcome by the sad adventure, and the loss of my wife, that I\nran through the streets like one frantic, crying, \"Ah, what\nbeauty, what grace, what elegance did she possess!\" upon which,\nthe people, supposing me distracted, conducted me to this\nhospital, and bound me in fetters, as you see.\n\nWhen the sultan had heard the young man's story, he was much\naffected, inclined his head for some instants in deep thought,\nthen said to his vizier, \"By Allah, who has intrusted me with\nsovereignty, if thou dost not discover the lady who married this\nyoung man, thy head shall be forfeited.\" The vizier was alarmed,\nbut recovering himself, replied, \"Allow me three days to search,\"\nto which the sultan consented. The vizier then took with him the\nyoung man, and for two days was at a loss how to find out the\nhouse. At length he inquired if he should know the spot where the\nhandkerchief was tied over his eyes, and the gateway at which it\nwas taken off, of both which the youth professed to be certain.\nHe conducted the minister to the street where he was blindfolded,\nand they reached a gateway, at which the vizier knocked. It was\nopened by the domestics, who knowing the vizier, and seeing the\nyoung man with him, were alarmed, and ran to communicate the\nquality of the visitants to their mistress. She desired to know\nthe commands of the vizier, who informed her, that it was the\nsultan's pleasure she should be reconciled to her husband; to\nwhich she replied, \"Since the sultan hath commanded, my duty is\nobedience.\" The young man was reunited to his wife, who was the\ndaughter of a former sultan of Cairo.\n\nSuch were the adventures of the young man who was reading in the\nhospital. We now recite those of the youth who was listening to\nhim. Upon the sultan's inquiring his story, he began as follows.\n\n\n\n\n                   Story of the Second Lunatic.\n\n\n\nMy lord, I was by profession a merchant, and on my commencing\nbusiness the youngest of my trade, having but just entered my\nsixteenth year. As I was one day busy in my warehouse, a damsel\nentering, put into my hands a packet, which, on opening, I found\nto contain several copies of verses in praise of myself, with a\nletter expressive of ardent affection for my person. Supposing\nthem meant only as banter, I foolishly flew into a passion,\nseized the bearer, and beat her severely. On her departure, I\nreflected on my improper behaviour, dreaded lest she should\ncomplain to her relations, and that they might revenge themselves\nupon me by some sudden assault. I repented of what I had done,\nbut alas! it was when repentance would not avail.\n\nTen days had passed, when, as I was sitting in my warehouse as\nusual, a young lady entered most superbly dressed, and\nodoriferously perfumed. She resembled in brightness the moon on\nits fourteenth night, so that when I gazed upon her my senses\nforsook me, and I was incapable of attention to any thing but\nherself. She addressed me, saying, \"Young man, have you in your\nwarehouse any female ornaments?\" to which I replied, \"Of all\nsorts, my lady, that you can possibly require.\" Upon this she\ndesired to see some bracelets for the ankles, which I shewed her,\nwhen holding out her foot, she desired me to try them on. I did\nso. After this, she asked for a necklace, and opening her veil,\nmade me tie it on. She then chose a pair of bracelets, and\nextending her hands, desired me to put them on her wrists, which\nI did; after which, she inquired the amount of the whole, when I\nexclaimed, \"Fair lady, accept them as a present, and inform me\nwhose daughter thou art.\" She replied, \"I am the daughter of the\nchief magistrate;\" when I said, \"My wish is to demand thee in\nmarriage of thy father.\" She consented that I should, but\nobserved, \"When you ask me of my father, he will say, I have only\none daughter, who is a cripple, and wretchedly deformed. Do thou,\nhowever, reply, that thou art willing to accept her, and if he\nremonstrates, still insist upon wedding her.\" I then asked when I\nshould make my proposals. She replied, \"The best time to visit my\nfather is on the Eed al Koorbaun, which is three days hence, as\nthou wilt then find with him all his relations and friends, and\nour espousals will add to his festivity.\"\n\nAgreeably to the lady's instructions, on the third day following\nI repaired with several of my friends to the house of the chief\nmagistrate, and found him sitting in state, receiving the\ncompliments of the day from the chief inhabitants of the city. We\nmade our obeisance, which he graciously noticed, received us with\nkindness, and entered familiarly into conversation. A collation\nwas brought in, the cloth spread, and we partook with him of the\nviands, after which we drank coffee. I then stood up, saying, \"My\nlord, I am desirous of espousing the chaste lady your daughter,\nmore precious than the richest gem.\"\n\nWhen the chief magistrate heard my speech, he inclined his head\nfor some time towards the earth in deep thought, after which he\nsaid, \"Son, my daughter is an unfortunate cripple, miserably\ndeformed.\" To this I replied, \"To have her for my wife is all I\nwish.\" The magistrate then said, \"If thou wilt have a wife of\nthis description, it must be on condition that she shall not be\ntaken from my house, that thou shalt consummate the marriage\nhere, and abide with me.\" I replied, \"To hear is to obey;\"\nbelieving that she was the beautiful damsel who had visited my\nwarehouse, and whose charms I had so rapturously beheld. In\nshort, the nuptial ceremony was performed, when I said to myself,\n\"Heavens! is it possible that I am become master of this\nbeautiful damsel, and shall possess her charms!\"\n\nWhen night set in, the domestics of the chief magistrate\nintroduced me into the chamber of my bride. I ran eagerly to gaze\nupon her beauty, but guess my mortification when I beheld her a\nwretched dwarf, a cripple, and deformed, as her father had\nrepresented. I was overcome with horror at the sight of her,\ndistracted with disappointment, and ashamed of my own foolish\ncredulity, but I dared not complain, as I had voluntarily\naccepted her as my wife from the magistrate: I sat down silently\nin one corner of the chamber, and she in another, for I could not\nbring myself to approach her, as she was disgusting to the sight\nof man, and my soul could not endure her company.\n\nAt day-break I left the house of my father-in-law, repaired to my\nwarehouse, which I opened, and sat down much distressed in mind, with\nmy head dizzy, like one suffering from intoxication, when lo! who\nshould appear before me but the lady who had put upon me so mortifying\na trick. She entered, and paid me the customary salute. I was enraged,\nand began to abuse her, saying, \"Wherefore hast thou put upon me such\na stratagem?\" when she replied, \"Wretch, recollect the day that I\nbrought thee a packet, in return for which you seized, beat, reviled,\nand drove me scornfully away. In retaliation for such treatment, I\nhave taken revenge by giving thee such a delectable bride.\" I now fell\nat her feet, entreated her forgiveness, and expressed my repentance;\nupon which, smiling upon me, she said, \"Be not uneasy, for as I have\nplunged thee into a dilemma, I will also relieve thee from it. Go to\nthe aga of the leather-dressers, give him a sum of money, and desire\nhim to call thee his son; then repair with him, attended by his\nfollowers and musicians, to the house of the chief magistrate. When he\ninquires the cause of their coming, let the aga say, 'My lord, we are\ncome to congratulate thy son-in-law, who is my beloved child, on his\nmarriage with thy daughter, and to rejoice with him.' The magistrate\nwill be furiously enraged, and exclaim, 'Dog, is it possible that,\nbeing a leather-dresser, thou durst marry the daughter of the chief\nmagistrate?' Do thou then reply, 'My lord, my ambition was to be\nennobled by your alliance, and as I have married your lordship's\ndaughter, the mean appellation of leather-dresser will soon be\nforgotten and lost in the glorious title of the son-in-law of your\nlordship; I shall be promoted under your protection, and purified from\nthe odour of the tan-pit, so that my offspring will smell as sweet as\nthat of a syed.\"\n\nI did as the lady had directed me, and having bribed the chief of\nthe leather-dressers, he accompanied me with the body of his\ntrade, and a numerous party of musicians, vocal and instrumental,\nto my father-in-law's house, before which they began to sing and\ndance with great clamour every now and then crying out, \"Long\nlive our noble kinsman! Long live the son-in-law of the chief\nmagistrate!\" The magistrate inquired into the cause of our\nintrusive rejoicing, when I told him my kinsfolk were\ncongratulating me upon my alliance with his illustrious house,\nand come to thank him for the honour he had done the whole body\nof leather-dressers in my person. The chief magistrate on hearing\nthis was passionately enraged, and abused me; but reflecting that\nwithout my consent the supposed disgrace of his noble house could\nnot be done away, he became calm, and offered me money to divorce\nhis daughter. At first I pretended unwillingness, but at length\naffecting to be moved by his earnest entreaties, accepted forty\npurses of gold, which he gave me to repudiate my deformed wife,\nand I returned home with a lightened heart. The day following,\nthe lady came to my warehouse, when I thanked her for having\nfreed me from my ridiculous marriage, and begged her to accept of\nme as a husband. To this she consented, but said she was, she\nfeared, too meanly born for me to marry, as her father was but a\ncook, though of eminence in his way, and very rich. I replied,\n\"Even though he were a leather-dresser, thy charms would grace a\nthrone.\" In short, my lord, we were married, and have lived\ntogether very happily from the day of our union to the present\ntime.\n\nSuch is my story, but it is not so surprising as that of the\nlearned man and his pupil, whose adventures were among the\nmiracles of the age, which I will relate.\n\n\n\n\n Story of the retired Sage and his Pupil, related to the Sultan\n                     by the Second Lunatic,\n\n\n\nThere was a learned and devout sage, who in order to enjoy his\nstudies and contemplations uninterrupted, had secluded himself\nfrom the world in one of the cells of the principal mosque of the\ncity, which he never left but upon the most pressing occasions.\nHe had led this retired life some years, when a boy one day\nentered his cell, and earnestly begged to be received as his\npupil and domestic. The sage liked his appearance, consented to\nhis request, inquired who were his parents, and whence he came;\nbut the lad could not inform him, and said, \"Ask not who I am,\nfor I am an orphan, and know not whether I belong to heaven or\nearth.\" The shekh did not press him, and the boy served him with\nthe most undeviating punctuality and attention for twelve years,\nduring which he received his instructions in every branch of\nlearning, and became a most accomplished youth. At the end of the\ntwelve years, the youth one day heard some young men praising the\nbeauty of the sultan's daughter, and saying that her charms were\nunequalled by those of all the princesses of the age. This\ndiscourse excited his curiosity to behold so lovely a creature.\nHe repaired to his master, saying, \"My lord, I understand that\nthe sultan hath a most beautiful daughter, and my soul longs\nardently for an opportunity of beholding her, if only for an\ninstant.\" The sage exclaimed, \"What have such as we to do, my\nson, with the daughters of sovereigns or of others? We are a\nsecluded order, and should refrain ourselves from associating\nwith the great ones of this world.\" The old man continued to warn\nhis pupil against the vanities of the age, and to divert him from\nhis purpose; but the more he advised and remonstrated, the more\nintent the youth became on his object, which affected his mind so\nmuch, that he grew very uneasy, and was continually weeping.\n\nThe sage observing his distress was afflicted at it, and at\nlength said to the youth, \"Will one look at the princess satisfy\nthy wishes?\" \"It shall,\" replied the pupil. The sage then\nanointed one of his eyes with a sort of ointment; when lo! he\nbecame to appearance as a man divided into half, and the sage\nordered him to go and hop about the city. The youth obeyed his\ncommands, but he had no sooner got into the street than he was\nsurrounded by a crowd of passengers, who gazed with astonishment\nat his appearance. The report of so strange a phenomenon as a\nhalf man soon spread throughout the city, and reached the palace\nof the sultan, who sent for the supposed monster to the presence.\nThe youth was conveyed to the palace, where the whole court gazed\nupon him with wonder; after which he was taken into the haram, to\ngratify the curiosity of the women. He beheld the princess, and\nwas fascinated by the brilliancy of her charms, insomuch, that he\nsaid to himself, \"If I cannot wed her, I will put myself to\ndeath.\"\n\nThe youth being at length dismissed from the palace, returned\nhome; his heart tortured with love for the daughter of the\nsultan. On his arrival, the sage inquired if he had seen the\nprincess. \"I have,\" replied the youth, \"but one look is not\nenough, and I cannot rest until I shall sit beside her, and feast\nmy eyes till they are wearied with gazing upon her.\" \"Alas! my\nson,\" exclaimed the old man, \"I fear for thy safety: we are\nreligious men, and should avoid temptations; nor does it become\nus to have any thing to do with the sultan.\" To this the youth\nreplied, \"My lord, unless I shall sit beside her, and touch her\nneck with my hands, I shall, through despair, put myself to\ndeath.\"\n\nAt these words, the sage was alarmed for the safety of his pupil,\nand said to himself, \"I will, if possible, preserve this amiable\nyouth, and perchance Allah may gratify his wishes.\" He then\nanointed both his eyes with an ointment, which had the effect of\nrendering him invisible to human sight. After this, he said, \"Go,\nmy son, and gratify thy wishes, but return again, and be not too\nlong absent from thy duty.\"\n\nThe youth hastened towards the royal palace, which he entered\nunperceived, and proceeded into the haram, where he seated\nhimself near the daughter of the sultan. For some time he\ncontented himself with gazing on her beauty, but at length\nextending his hands, touched her softly on the neck. As soon as\nshe felt his touch, the princess, alarmed, shrieked out\nviolently, and exclaimed, \"I seek refuge with Allah, from Satan\nthe accursed.\" Her mother and the ladies present, affrighted at\nher outcries, eagerly inquired the cause; when she said, \"Eblees,\nor some other evil spirit, hath this instant touched me on the\nneck.\"\n\nUpon this, the mother was alarmed and sent for her nurse, who,\nwhen informed of what had happened, declared, \"That nothing was\nso specific to drive away evil spirits as the smoke of camel's\nhair;\" a quantity of which was instantly brought, and being set\nfire to, the smoke of it filled the whole apartment, and so\naffected the eyes of the young man, that they watered\nexceedingly, when he unthinkingly wiped them with his\nhandkerchief, so that with his tears the ointment was soon washed\noff.\n\nThe ointment was no sooner wiped away from his eyes than the\nyoung man became visible, and the princess, her mother, and the\nladies, all at once uttered a general cry of astonishment and\nalarm; upon which the eunuchs rushed into the apartment. Seeing\nthe youth, they surrounded him, beat him unmercifully, then bound\nhim with cords, and dragged him before the sultan, whom they\ninformed of his having been found in the royal haram. The sultan,\nenraged, sent for an executioner, and commanded him to seize the\nculprit, to clothe him in a black habit patched over with flame\ncolour, to mount him upon a camel, and after parading with him\nthrough the streets of the city, to put him to death.\n\nThe executioner took the young man, dressed him as he had been\ndirected, placed him upon the camel, and led him through the\ncity, preceded by guards and a crier, who bawled out, \"Behold the\nmerited punishment of him who has dared to violate the sanctuary\nof the royal haram.\" The procession was followed by an\nincalculable crowd of people, who were astonished at the beauty\nof the young man, and the little concern he seemed to feel at his\nown situation.\n\nAt length the procession arrived in the square before the great\nmosque, when the sage, disturbed by the noise and concourse of\nthe people, looked from the window of his cell, and beheld the\ndisgraceful situation of his pupil. He was moved to pity, and\ninstantly calling upon the genii (for by his knowledge of magic\nand every abstruse science he had them all under his control),\ncommanded them to bring him the youth from the camel, and place\nin his room, without being perceived, some superannuated man.\nThey did so, and when the multitude saw the youth, as it were,\ntransformed into a well-known venerable shekh, they were stricken\nwith awe, and said, \"Heavens! the young man turns out to be our\nreverend chief of the herb-sellers;\" for the old man had long\nbeen accustomed to dispose of greens and sugarcane at the college\ngate near the great mosque, and was the oldest in his trade.\n\nThe executioner, on beholding the change of appearance in his\nprisoner, was confounded. He returned to the palace with the old\nman upon the camel, and followed by the crowd. He hastened or\ncontrive my death to the sultan, and said, \"My lord, the young\nman is vanished, and in his room became seated upon the camel\nthis venerable shekh, well known to the whole city.\" On hearing\nthis, the sultan was alarmed, and said to himself, \"Whoever has\nbeen able to perform this, can do things much more surprising He\nmay depose me from my kingdom.\"\n\nThe sultan's fears increased so much, that he was at a loss how\nto act. He summoned his vizier, and said, \"Advise me what to do\nin the affair of this strange youth, for I am utterly\nconfounded.\" The vizier for some time inclined his head towards\nthe ground in profound thought, then addressing the sultan, said,\n\"My lord, no one could have done this but by the help of genii,\nor by a power which we cannot comprehend, and he may possibly, if\nirritated, do you in future a greater injury respecting your\ndaughter. I advise, therefore, that you cause it to be proclaimed\nthroughout the city, that whoever has done this, if he will\nappear before you shall have pardon on the word of a sultan,\nwhich can never be broken. Should he then surrender himself,\nespouse him to your daughter, when perhaps his mind may be\nreconciled by her love. He has already beheld her, and seen the\nladies of the haram, so that nothing can save your honour but his\nunion with the princess.\"\n\nThe sultan approved the advice of his vizier, the proclamation was\nissued, and the crier proceeded through several streets, till at\nlength he reached the square of the great mosque. The pupil\nhearing the proclamation, was enraptured, and running to his\npatron, declared his intention of surrendering himself to the\nsultan. \"My son,\" said the sage, \"why shouldst thou do so? Hast\nthou not already suffered sufficiently?\" The youth replied,\n\"Nothing shall prevent me.\" Upon which the sage exclaimed, \"Go\nthen, my son, and my midnight prayers shall attend thee.\"\n\nThe youth now repaired to the hummaum, and having bathed, dressed\nhimself in his richest habit; after which he discovered himself\nto the crier, who conducted him to the palace. He made a profound\nobeisance to the sultan, at the same time uttering an eloquent\nprayer for his long life and prosperity. The sultan was struck\nwith his manly beauty, the gracefulness of his demeanour, and the\npropriety of his delivery, and said, \"Young stranger, who art\nthou, and from whence dost thou come?\" \"I am,\" replied the youth,\n\"the half man whom you saw, and have done what you are already\nacquainted with.\"\n\nThe sultan now requested him to sit in the most honourable place,\nand entered into conversation on various subjects. He put to him\nseveral difficult questions in science, to which the youth\nreplied with such judgment, that his abilities astonished him,\nand he said to himself, \"This young man is truly worthy of my\ndaughter.\" He then addressed him, saying, \"Young man, my wish is\nto unite thee to my daughter, for thou hast already seen her,\nalso her mother, and after what has passed no one will marry\nher.\" The youth replied, \"I am ready in obedience, but must\nadvise with my friends.\" \"Go then,\" said the sultan, \"consult\nwith thy friends, and return quickly.\"\n\nThe young man repaired to the sage, and having informed him of\nwhat had passed between himself and the sultan, signified his\nwish to marry the princess, when the shekh replied, \"Do so, my\nson; there can be in the measure no crime, as it is a lawful\nalliance.\" \"But I wish,\" said the youth, \"to invite the sultan to\nvisit you.\" \"By all means,\" answered the sage. \"My lord,\"\nrejoined the pupil, \"since I first came, and you honoured me in\nyour service, I have beheld you in no other residence but this\nconfined cell, from which you have never stirred night or day.\nHow can I invite the sultan here?\" \"My son,\" exclaimed the shekh,\n\"go to the sultan, rely upon Allah, who can work miracles in\nfavour of whom he chooseth, and say unto him, 'My patron greets\nthee, and requests thy company to an entertainment five days\nhence.'\" The youth did as he was directed, and having returned to\nhis master, waited upon him as before, but anxiously wishing for\nthe fifth day to arrive.\n\nOn the fifth day, the sage said to his impatient pupil, \"Let us\nremove to our own house, that we may prepare for the reception of\nthe sultan, whom you must conduct to me.\" They arose, and walked,\ntill on coming to a ruinous building about the middle of the\ncity, the walls of which were fallen in heaps, the shekh said,\n\"My son, this is my mansion, hasten and bring the sultan.\" The\npupil, in astonishment, exclaimed, \"My lord, this abode is a heap\nof ruins, how can I invite the sultan here, it would only\ndisgrace us?\" \"Go,\" repeated the sage, \"and dread not the\nconsequences.\" Upon this the youth departed, but as he went on\ncould not help saying to himself, \"Surely my master must be\ninsane, or means to make a jest of us.\" When he had reached the\npalace he found the sultan expecting him; upon which he made his\nobeisance, and said, \"Will my lord honour me by his company?\"\n\nThe sultan arose, mounted his horse, and attended by his whole\ncourt, followed the youth to the place chosen by the venerable\nshekh. It now appeared a royal mansion, at the gates of which\nwere ranged numerous attendants in costly habits, respectfully\nwaiting. The young man, at sight of this transformed appearance,\nwas confounded in such a manner that he could hardly retain his\nsenses. He said to himself, \"It was but this instant that I\nbeheld this place a heap of ruins, yet now it is a palace far\nmore magnificent than any belonging to this sultan. I am\nastonished, but must keep the secret to myself.\"\n\nThe sultan alighted, as did also his courtiers, and entered the\npalace. They were surprised and delighted at the splendour of the\nfirst court, but much more so at the superior magnificence of a\nsecond; into which they were ushered, and introduced into a\nspacious hall, where they found the venerable shekh sitting to\nreceive them. The sultan made a low obeisance; upon which the\nsage just moved his head, but did not rise. The sultan then sat\ndown, when the shekh greeted him, and they entered into\nconversation on various subjects; but the senses of the sultan\nwere confounded at the dignified demeanour of his host, and the\nsplendid objects around him. At length the shekh desired his\npupil to knock at a door and order breakfast to be brought in,\nwhich he did: when lo! the door opened, and there entered a\nhundred slaves, bearing upon their heads golden trays, on which\nwere placed dishes of agate, cornelian, and other stones, filled\nwith various eatables, which they arranged in order before the\nsultan. He was astonished, for he had nothing so magnificent in\nhis own possession. He then partook of the sumptuous collation,\nas did also the venerable shekh, and all the courtiers, till they\nwere satisfied; after which they drank coffee and sherbets of\nvarious sorts, when the sultan and the sage conversed on\nreligious and literary subjects, and the former was edified by\nthe remarks of the latter.\n\nWhen it was noon the shekh again desired his pupil to knock at\nanother door, and order dinner to be brought in. He had no sooner\ndone so, than immediately a hundred slaves, different from the\nformer, entered, bearing trays of the richest viands. They spread\nthe cloth before the sultan, and arranged the dishes, which were\neach thickly set with precious stones, at which he was more\nastonished than before. When all had eaten till they were\nsatisfied, basins and ewers, some of gold and others of agate,\nwere carried round, and they washed their hands; after which the\nshekh said to the sultan, \"Have you fixed what my son must give\nas the dower of your daughter?\" To this, the sultan replied, \"I\nhave already received it.\" This he said out of compliment; but\nthe shekh replied, \"My lord, the marriage cannot be valid without\na dower.\" He then presented a vast sum of money, with many\njewels, for the purpose to his pupil; after which he retired with\nthe sultan into a chamber, and arrayed him in a splendid habit;\nrich dresses were also given to each of his attendants according\nto their rank. The sultan then took leave of the shekh, and\nreturned with his intended son-in-law to the palace.\n\nWhen evening arrived the young man was introduced into the\napartment of the princess, which he found spread with the richest\ncarpets, and perfumed with costly essences, but his bride was\nabsent: at which he was somewhat surprised, but supposed her\ncoming was put off till midnight, for which he waited with\nimpatience. Midnight came, but no bride appeared; when a thousand\nuneasy sensations afflicted his mind, and he continued in\nrestless anxiety till morning: nor were the father and mother of\nthe princess less impatient; for supposing she was with her\nhusband, they waited anxiously, and were mortified at the delay.\n\nAt daylight, the mother, unable to bear longer suspense, entered\nthe chamber; when the young man, rather angrily, inquired what\nhad delayed the coming of his bride. \"She entered before thee,\"\nreplied the mother. \"I have not seen her,\" answered the\nbridegroom. Upon this the sultana shrieked with affright, calling\naloud on her daughter, for she had no other child but her. Her\ncries alarmed the sultan, who rushing into the apartment, was\ninformed that the princess was missing, and had not been seen\nsince her entrance in the evening. Search was now made in every\nquarter of the palace, but in vain; and the sultan, sultana, and\nthe bridegroom, were involved in the deepest distress.\n\nTo account for the sudden disappearance of the princess, be it\nknown, that a genie used often to divert himself with visiting\nthe haram of the sultan; and happening to be there on the\nmarriage night, was so captivated by the charms of the bride,\nthat he resolved to steal her away. Accordingly, having rendered\nhimself invisible, he waited in the nuptial chamber, and upon her\nentering bore her off, and soared into the air. At length he\nalighted with his prey in a delightful garden, far distant from\nthe city; placed the princess in a shady arbour, and set before\nher delicious fruits; but contented himself with gazing upon her\nbeauty.\n\nThe young bridegroom, when recovered from his first alarm,\nbethought himself of his tutor, and, together with the sultan,\nrepaired to the palace where the splendid entertainment had been\ngiven. Here they found every thing in the same order as on the\nday of festivity, and were kindly received by the venerable\nshekh; who on hearing of the loss of the princess, desired them\nto be comforted. He then commanded a chafing-dish of lighted\ncharcoal to be set before him, and after some moments of\ncontemplation, cast into it some perfumes, over which he\npronounced incantations. He had scarcely ended them, when lo! the\nearth shook, whirlwinds arose, lightnings flashed, and clouds of\ndust darkened the air, from which speedily descended winged\ntroops, bearing superb standards and massive spears. In the\ncentre of them appeared three sultans of the genii, who bowing\nlow before the shekh, exclaimed all at once, \"Master, hail! we\nare come to obey thy commands.\"\n\nThe shekh now addressed them, saying, \"My orders are, that you\ninstantly bring me the accursed spirit who hath carried off the\nbride of my son;\" when the genii replied, \"To hear is to obey:\"\nand immediately detached fifty of their followers to reconduct\nthe princess to her chamber, and drag the culprit to the presence\nof the sage. These commands were no sooner issued than they were\nperformed. Ten of the genii carefully conveyed the bride to her\napartment, while the rest having seized the offending genie,\ndragged him before the sage, who commanded the three sultans to\nburn him to ashes, which was executed in an instant. All this was\ndone in the presence of the sultan, who was wrapt in\nastonishment, and viewed with awe the tremendously gigantic\nfigures of the genii, wondering at the submissive readiness with\nwhich they obeyed the commands of the venerable shekh. When the\noffending genie was consumed to ashes, the shekh renewed his\nincantations; during which the sultans of the genii, with their\nfollowers, bowed themselves before him, and when he had ended,\nvanished from sight.\n\nThe sultan and the bridegroom having taken leave of the shekh,\nreturned to the palace, where all was now gladness for the safe\nreturn of the princess. The marriage was consummated, and the\nyoung man was so happy with his bride, that he did not quit the\nharam for seven days. On the eighth, the sultan ordered public\nrejoicings to be made, and invited all the inhabitants of the\ncity to feast at the royal cost; causing it to be proclaimed,\nthat no one, either rich or poor, should for three days presume\nto eat at home, light a fire, or burn a lamp in his own house,\nbut all repair to the nuptial festival of the daughter of the\nsultan. Ample provision was made for all comers in the courts of\nthe palace, and the officers of the household attended day and\nnight to serve the guests according to their quality. During one\nof the nights of this grand festival, the sultan being anxious to\nknow if his proclamation was generally obeyed, resolved to walk\nthrough the city in disguise. Accordingly he and his vizier, in\nthe habit of dervishes of Persia, having quitted the palace\nprivately, began their excursion, and narrowly examined several\nstreets. At length they came to a close alley, in one of the\nhouses of which they perceived a light, and heard the sound of\nvoices. When they had reached the door, they heard a person say\nto another, \"Our sultan understands not how to treat properly,\nnor is he liberal, since the poor have it not in their option to\npartake of the costly feast he has prepared for his daughter's\nnuptials. He should have distributed his bounty among the\nwretched, who dare not presume to enter the palace in their\nragged garments, by sending it to their home.\"\n\nThe sultan, upon hearing this, said to the vizier, \"We must enter\nthis house;\" and knocked at the door, when a person cried out,\n\"Who is there?\" \"Guests,\" replied the sultan. \"You shall be\nwelcome to what we have,\" answered the person, and opened the\ndoor. On entering, the sultan beheld three mean-looking old men,\none of whom was lame, the second broken-backed, and the third\nwry-mouthed. He then inquired the cause of their misfortunes; to\nwhich they answered, \"Our infirmities proceeded from the weakness\nof our understandings.\" The sultan upon this replied in a whisper\nto his vizier, that at the conclusion of the festival he should\nbring the three men to his presence, in order that he might learn\ntheir adventures.\n\nWhen they had tasted of their homely fare, the sultan and vizier\nrose up, and having presented the three maimed companions with a\nfew deenars, took leave and departed. They strolled onwards. It\nwas now near midnight when they reached a house in which, through\na lattice, they could perceive three girls with their mother\neating a slender meal; during which, at intervals, one of them\nsung, and the other two laughed and talked. The sultan resolved\nto enter the house, and commanded the vizier to knock at the\ndoor, which he did; when one of the sisters cried out, \"Who\nknocks at our door at this advanced time of night?\" \"We are two\nforeign dervishes,\" replied the vizier; to which the ladies\nanswered, \"We are women of virtue, and have no men in our house\nto whom you can be introduced: repair to the festival of the\nsultan, who will entertain you!\" \"Alas!\" continued the vizier,\n\"we are strangers unacquainted with the way to the palace, and\ndread lest the magistrate of the police should meet and apprehend\nus. We beg that you will afford us lodging till daylight: we will\nthen depart, and you need not apprehend from us any improper\nbehaviour.\"\n\nWhen the mother of the ladies heard this she pitied the\nstrangers, and commanded them to open the door: upon which the\nsultan and vizier having entered, paid their respects and sat\ndown; but the former, on observing the beauty of the sisters and\ntheir elegant demeanour, could not contain himself, and said,\n\"How comes it that you dwell by yourselves, have no husbands or\nany male to protect you?\" The younger sister replied,\n\"Impertinent dervish, withhold thy inquiries! our story is\nsurprising; but unless thou wert sultan, and thy companion\nvizier, you could not appreciate our adventures.\" The sultan upon\nthis remark became silent on the subject, and they discoursed\nupon indifferent matters till near daylight, when the pretended\ndervishes took a respectful leave, and departed. At the door the\nsultan commanded the vizier to mark it, so that he might know it\nagain, being resolved, when the nuptial festivities should be\nconcluded, to send for the ladies and hear their story.\n\nOn the last evening of the festival the sultan bestowed dresses\nof honour on all his courtiers; and on the following day, affairs\nreturning to their usual course, he commanded his vizier to bring\nbefore him the three maimed men, and ordered them to relate the\ncause of their misfortunes, which they did as follows.\n\n\n\n\n             Story of the Broken-backed Schoolmaster.\n\n\n\nFormerly, O mighty sultan, was a schoolmaster, and had under my\ntuition nearly seventy scholars, of whose manners I was as\ncareful as of their learning: so much did I make them respect me,\nthat whenever I sneezed they laid down their writing boards,\nstood up with arms crossed, and with one voice exclaimed, \"God\nhave mercy upon our tutor!\" to which I replied, \"May he have\nmercy upon me and you, and all who have children.\" If any one of\nthe boys did not join in this prayer, I used to beat him\nseverely. One fine afternoon my scholars requested leave to visit\na certain garden some distance from the town, which I granted;\nand they clubbed their pittances to purchase sweetmeats and\nfruits. I attended them on this excursion, and was as much\ndelighted as themselves with the pleasure they enjoyed, and their\nchildish gambols. When evening approached we returned homewards,\nand on the way, my boys having fatigued themselves with play, as\nwell as eaten much sweets and fruit, were seized with extreme\nthirst, of which they heavily complained. At length we reached a\ndraw-well, but, alas! it had no bucket or cord. I pitied their\nsituation, and resolved, if possible, to relieve them. I\nrequested them to give me their turbans, which I tied to each\nother; but as they were altogether not long enough to reach the\nwater, I fixed one of the turbans round my body, and made them\nlet one down into the well, where I filled a small cup I had with\nme, which they drew up repeatedly till their thirst was\nsatisfied. I then desired them to draw me up again, which they\nattempted; and I had reached nearly the mouth of the well, when I\nwas unfortunately seized with a fit of sneezing; upon which the\nboys mechanically, as they had been accustomed to do in school,\none and all let go their hold, crossed their arms, and exclaimed,\n\"God have mercy upon our venerable tutor!\" while I tumbled at\nonce to the bottom of the well, and broke my back. I cried out\nfrom the agony of pain, and the children ran on all sides for\nhelp. At length some charitable passengers drew me out, and\nplacing me upon an ass, carried me home; where I languished for a\nconsiderable time, and never could recover my health sufficiently\nagain to attend to my school. Thus did I suffer for my foolish\npride: for had I not been so tenacious of respect from my\nscholars, they would not upon my sneezing have let go their hold\nand broken my back.\n\nWhen the broken-backed schoolmaster had finished his story, the\nold man with the wry-mouth thus began:\n\n\n\n\n             Story of the Wry-mouthed Schoolmaster.\n\n\n\nI also, O sultan, was a schoolmaster; and so strict with my\npupils, that I allowed them no indulgence, but even kept them to\ntheir studies frequently after the usual hours. At length, one\nmore cunning than the rest resolved, in revenge, to play me a\ntrick. He instructed the lads as they came into school to say to\nme, \"Dear master, how pale you look!\" Not feeling myself ill, I,\nthough surprised at their remarks, did not much regard them on\nthe first day; but a second, and so on to a fifth passing, on\neach of which all the pupils on entrance uttered the same\nexclamation, I began to think some fatal disorder had seized me,\nand resolved, by way of prevention, to take physic. I did so the\nfollowing morning, and remained in my wife's apartments; upon\nwhich the unlucky lads, clubbing their pittances together to the\namount of about a hundred faloose, requested my acceptance of the\nmoney as an offering for my recovery; and I was so pleased with\nthe present that I gave them a holiday. The receipt of cash in so\neasy a manner was so agreeable to me, that I feigned illness for\nsome days; my pupils made an offering as usual, and were allowed\nto play. On the tenth day the cunning urchin who had planned the\nscheme came into my chamber, as customary, with an offering of\nfaloose. I happened then to have before me a boiled egg, which,\nupon seeing him enter, I clapped into my mouth, supposing, that\nif he perceived me well enough to eat he might not give me the\nmoney. He, however, observed the trick, and coming up to me with\naffected condolence, exclaimed, \"Dear master, how your cheeks are\nswelled!\" at the same time pressing his hands upon my face. The\negg was boiling hot, and gave me intolerable pain, while the\nyoung wit pretended compassionately to stroke my visage. At\nlength, he pressed my jaws together so hard that the egg broke,\nwhen the scalding yolk ran down my throat, and over my beard:\nupon which the artful lad cried out in seeming joy, \"God be\npraised, my dear master, that the dreadful imposthume has\ndischarged itself; we, your pupils, will all return thanks for\nyour happy recovery.\" My mouth was contracted by the scald in the\nmanner you behold, and I became so ridiculed for my folly, that I\nwas obliged to shut up my school.\n\nThe sultan having heard the other man's story, which was of but\nlittle interest, dismissed the three foolish schoolmasters with a\npresent, commanded the vizier to go and recognize the house of\nthe three ladies and their mother, it being his intention to\nvisit them again in disguise and hear their adventures. The\nvizier hastened to the street, but to his surprise and\nmortification found all the houses marked in the same manner, for\nthe youngest sister having overheard the sultan's instructions,\nhad done this to prevent a discovery of their residence. The\nvizier returned to the sultan, and informed him of the trick\nwhich had been played. He was much vexed, but the circumstance\nexcited his curiosity in a greater degree. At length the vizier\nbethought himself of a stratagem, and said, \"My lord, let a\nproclamation be issued for four days successively throughout the\ncity, that whoever presumes after the first watch of the night to\nhave a lamp lighted in his house, shall have his head struck off,\nhis goods confiscated, his house razed to the ground, and his\nwomen dishonoured. It is possible, as these ladies did not regard\nyour proclamation at the nuptials of the princess, they may\ndisobey this, and by that means we may discover their residence.\"\n\nThe sultan approved the contrivance of the vizier, caused the\nproclamation to be made, and waited impatiently for the fourth\nnight, when he and his minister having disguised themselves as\nbefore, proceeded to the street in which the ladies lived. A\nlight appeared only in one house, which it being now tolerably\ncertain was that they were in quest of, they knocked at the door.\n\nImmediately on their knocking the youngest sister called out,\n\"Who is at the door?\" and they replied, \"We are dervishes, and\nentreat to be your guests.\" She exclaimed, \"What can you want at\nsuch a late hour, and where did you lodge last night?\" They\nanswered, \"Our quarters are at a certain serai, but we have lost\nour way, and are fearful of being apprehended by the officers of\npolice. Let your kindness then induce you to open the door, and\nafford us shelter for the remainder of the night: it will be a\nmeritorious act in the eye of heaven.\" The mother overhearing\nwhat was said, ordered the door to be opened.\n\nWhen they were admitted, the old lady and her daughters rose up,\nreceived them respectfully, and having seated them, placed\nrefreshments before them, of which they partook, and were\ndelighted with their treatment. At length the sultan said,\n\"Daughters, you cannot but know of the royal proclamation; how\ncomes it that you alone of all the inhabitants of the city have\ndisobeyed it by having lights in your house after the first watch\nof the night?\" Upon this the youngest sister replied, \"Good\ndervish, even the sultan should not be obeyed but in his\nreasonable commands, and as this proclamation against lighting\nour lamps is tyrannical, it ought not to be complied with,\nconsistently with the law of scripture; for the Koraun says,\n'Obedience to a creature in a criminal matter, is a sin against\nthe Creator.' The sultan (may God pardon him!) acts against\nscripture, and obeys the dictates of Satan. We three sisters,\nwith our good mother, make it a rule to spin every night a\ncertain quantity of cotton, which in the morning we dispose of,\nand of the price of our labour we lay out a part in provisions,\nand the remainder in a new supply of materials for working to\nprocure us a subsistence.\"\n\nThe sultan now whispered to his vizier, saying, \"This damsel\nastonishes me by her answers; endeavour to think of some question\nthat may perplex her.\" \"My lord,\" replied the vizier, \"we are\nhere in the characters of strangers and dervishes as their\nguests: how then can we presume to disturb them by improper\nquestions?\" The sultan still insisted upon his addressing them:\nupon which, the vizier said to the ladies, \"Obedience to the\nsultan's orders is incumbent upon all subjects.\" \"It is true he\nis our sovereign,\" exclaimed the youngest sister, \"but how can he\nknow whether we are starving or in affluence?\" \"Suppose,\" replied\nthe vizier, \"he should send for you to the presence, and question\nyou concerning your disobedience to his commands, what could you\nadvance in excuse for yourselves?\" \"I would say to the sultan,\"\nrejoined she, \"'Your majesty has acted in contradiction to the\ndivine law.'\"\n\nThe vizier upon this turned towards the sultan, and said in a\nwhisper, \"Let us leave off disputing further with this lady on\npoints of law or conscience, and inquire if she understands the\nfine arts.\" The sultan put the question; upon which she replied,\n\"I am perfect in all:\" and he then requested her to play and\nsing. She retired immediately, but soon returning with a lute,\nsat down, tuned it, and played in a plaintive strain, which she\naccompanied with the following verses:\n\n\"It is praiseworthy in subjects to obey their sovereigns, but his\nreign will continue long who gains their affections by kindness.\nBe liberal in thy manners, and he who is dependent upon thee will\npray for thy life, for the free man alone can feel gratitude. To\nhim who confers gifts man will ever resort, for bounty is\nfascinating. Sadden not with denial the countenance of the man of\ngenius, for the liberal mind is disgusted at stinginess and\nhaughty demeanour. Not a tenth part of mankind understand what is\nright, for human nature is ignorant, rebellious, and ungrateful.\"\n\nWhen the sultan had heard these verses, he remained for some time\nimmersed in thought; then whispering his vizier, said, \"This\nquotation was certainly meant in allusion to ourselves, and I am\nconvinced they must know that I am their sultan, and thou vizier,\nfor the whole tenor of their conversation shews their knowledge\nof us.\" He then addressed the lady, saying, \"Your music, your\nperformance, your voice, and the subject of your stanzas have\ndelighted me beyond expression.\" Upon this she sang the following\nverse:\n\n\"Men endeavour to attain station and riches during an age of toil\nand oppression, while, alas! their accounts to heaven and their\ngraves are decreed from their very birth.\"\n\nThe sultan, from the purport of these last verses, was more\nassured than ever that she knew his quality. She did not leave\noff singing and playing till day-light, when she retired, and\nbrought in a breakfast, of which the sultan and the vizier\npartook; after which she said, \"I hope you will return to us this\nnight at the conclusion of the first watch, and be our guests.\"\nThe sultan promised, and departed in admiration at the beauty of\nthe sisters, their accomplishments, and graceful manners; saying\nto the vizier, \"My soul is delighted with the charms of these\nelegant women.\"\n\nThe following evening the sultan and vizier, disguised as usual,\nrepaired to the house of the sisters, taking with them some\npurses of deenars, and were received with the same respectful\nwelcome. Being seated, supper was set before them, and after it\nbasins and ewers to wash their hands. Coffee was then served up,\nand conversation on various subjects amused them till the prayer\ntime of the first watch; they then arose, performed their\nablutions, and prayed. When, their devotions were ended, the\nsultan presented a purse of a thousand deenars to the youngest\nsister, and said, \"Expend this upon your necessary occasions.\"\nShe took the purse with a profound obeisance, kissed his hands,\nand was convinced, as she had before suspected, that he must be\nthe sultan; at the same time hinting privately to her mother and\nsisters the quality of their guests, and prostrating herself\nbefore him.\n\nThe other ladies upon this arose, and followed the example of\ntheir sister; when the sultan said aside to his vizier, \"They\ncertainly know us:\" and then turning to the ladies, addressed\nthem saying, \"We are merely dervishes, and you pay us a respect\nonly due to sovereigns; I beseech you refrain.\" The youngest\nsister again fell at his feet, and repeated the following verse:\n\n\"May prosperous fortune daily accompany thee in spite of the\nmalice of the envious! May thy days be bright and those of thy\nenemies gloomy!\"\n\n\"I am convinced thou art the sultan, and thy companion thy\nvizier.\" The sultan replied, \"What reason have you for such a\nsupposition?\" She answered, \"From your dignified demeanour and\nliberal conduct, for the signs of royalty cannot be concealed\neven in the habit of a recluse.\"\n\nThe sultan replied, \"You have indeed judged truly, but inform me\nhow happens it, that you have with you no male protectors?\" She\nanswered, \"My lord the sultan, our history is so wonderful, that\nwere it written on a tablet of adamant it might serve as an\nexample in future ages to such as would be advised.\" The sultan\nrequested her to relate it, which she did in the following\nmanner.\n\n\n\n\n          Story of the Sisters and the Sultana their Mother.\n\n\n\nWe are not, my lord the sultan, natives of this city, but of\nEerauk, of which country our father was sovereign, and our mother\nhis sultana the most beautiful woman of her time, insomuch that\nher fame was celebrated throughout distant regions. It chanced\nthat in our infancy our father the sultan marched upon a hunting\nexcursion throughout his dominions, for some months, leaving his\nvizier to conduct affairs at the capital. Not long after the\ndeparture of the sultan, our mother, taking the air on the roof\nof the palace, which adjoined that of the vizier, who was then\nsitting upon his terrace, her image was reflected in a mirror\nwhich he held in his hand. He was fascinated with her beauty, and\nresolved, if possible, to seduce her to infidelity and compliance\nwith his wishes.\n\nThe day following he sent the female superintendant of his haram\nwith a package, containing a most superb dress, and many\ninestimable jewels, to the sultana, requesting her acceptance of\nthem, and that she would allow him to see her either at the\npalace or at his own house. My mother, when the old woman was\nadmitted into her apartments, received her with kindness,\nsupposing that she must be intrusted with some confidential\nmessage from the vizier respecting the affairs of her husband, or\nwith letters from him.\n\nThe old woman having paid her obeisance, opened the bundle, and\ndisplayed the rich dress and dazzling jewels; when my mother,\nadmiring them much, inquired the value, and what merchant had\nbrought them to dispose of. The wretched old woman, supposing\nthat the virtue of the sultana would not be proof against such a\nvaluable present, impudently disclosed the passion of the vizier:\nupon which my mother, indignant with rage at this insult offered\nto her virtue and dignity, drew a sabre, which was near, and\nexerting all her strength, struck off the head of the procuress,\nwhich, with the body, she commanded her attendants to cast into\nthe common sewer of the palace.\n\nThe vizier finding his messenger did not return, the next day\ndespatched another, to signify that he had sent a present to the\nsultana, but had not heard whether it had been delivered. My\nmother commanded the infamous wretch to be strangled, and the\ncorpse to be thrown into the same place as that of the old woman,\nbut she did not make public the vizier's baseness, hoping that he\nwould reform. He, however, continued every day to send a female\ndomestic, and my mother to treat her in the same way as the\nothers till the sultan's return; but my mother, not wishing to\ndestroy the vizier, and still trusting that he would repent of\nhis conduct, for in other respects he was a faithful and prudent\nminister, kept his treachery a secret from my father.\n\nSome years after this, the sultan my father resolved on a\npilgrimage to Mecca, and having, as before, left the vizier in\ncharge of his kingdom, departed. When he had been gone ten days,\nthe vizier, still rapturously in love, and yet presumtuously\nhoping to attain his wishes, sent a female domestic, who, being\nadmitted into the apartment of the sultana, said, \"For Heaven's\nsake have compassion on my master, for his heart is devoted to\nlove, his senses are disturbed, and his body is wasted away. Pity\nhis condition, revive his heart, and restore his health by the\nsmiles of condescension.\"\n\nWhen my mother heard this insolent message, she in a rage\ncommanded her attendants to seize the unfortunate bearer, and\nhaving strangled her, to leave the carcase for public view in the\nouter court of the palace, but without divulging the cause of her\ndispleasure. Her orders were obeyed. When the officers of state\nand others saw the body they informed the vizier, who, resolving\nto be revenged, desired them for the present to be silent, and on\nthe sultan's return he would make known on what account the\nsultana had put to death his domestic, of which they could bear\ntestimony.\n\nWhen the time of the sultan's return from Mecca approached, and\nthe treacherous vizier judged he was on his march, he wrote and\ndespatched to him the following letter:\n\n\"After prayers for thy health, be it known, that since thy\nabsence the sultana has sent to me five times, requesting\nimproper compliances, to which I would not consent, and returned\nfor answer, that however she might wish to abuse my sovereign, I\ncould not do it, for I was left by him guardian of his honour and\nhis kingdom: to say more would be superfluous.\"\n\nThe messenger reached the sultan's camp when distant eight days'\njourney from the city, and delivered the letter. On reading it\nthe countenance of my father became pale, his eyes rolled with\nhorror, he instantly ordered his tents to be struck, and moved by\nforced marches till he arrived within two days' journey of his\ncapital. He then commanded a halting day, and despatched two\nconfidential attendants with orders to conduct our innocent and\nunfortunate mother, with us three sisters, a day's distance from\nthe city, and then to put us to death. They accordingly dragged\nus from the haram, and carried us into the country; but on\narriving at the spot intended for our execution, their hearts\nwere moved with compassion, for our mother had conferred many\nobligations on these men and their families. They said one to\nanother, \"By heavens, we cannot murder them!\" and informed us of\nwhat the vizier had written to our father: upon which the sultana\nexclaimed, \"God knows that he hath most falsely accused me;\" and\nshe then related to them all that she had done, with the\nstrictest fidelity.\n\nThe men were moved even to tears at her misfortunes, and said,\n\"We are convinced that thou hast spoken truly.\" They then caught\nsome fawns of the antelope, killed them, and having required an\nunder garment from each of us, dipped it in the blood, after\nwhich they broiled the flesh, with which we satisfied our hunger.\nOur preservers now bade us farewell, saying, \"We intrust you to\nthe protection of the Almighty, who never forsaketh those who are\ncommitted to his care;\" and then departed from us. We wandered\nfor ten days in the desert, living on such fruits as we could\nfind, without beholding any signs of population, when, at length,\nfortunately we reached a verdant spot, abounding in various sorts\nof excellent vegetables and fruits. Here also was a cave, in\nwhich we resolved to shelter ourselves till a caravan might pass\nby. On the fourth day of our arrival one encamped near our\nasylum. We did not discover ourselves, but when the caravan\nmarched, speedily followed its track at some distance, and after\nmany days of painful exertion reached this city, where, having\ntaken up our lodging in a serai, we returned thanks to the\nalmighty assister of the distressed innocent for our miraculous\nescape from death and the perils of the desert.\n\nWe must now quit for awhile the unfortunate sultana and her\ndaughters, to learn the adventures of the sultan her husband. As\nhe drew near his capital, the treacherous vizier, attended by the\nofficers of government and the principal inhabitants of the city,\ncame out to meet him; and both high and low congratulated his\nsafe return from the sacred pilgrimage.\n\nThe sultan, as soon as he had alighted at his palace, retired\nwith the vizier alone, and commanded him to relate the\nparticulars of the atrocious conduct of his wife; upon which he\nsaid, \"My lord, the sultana in your absence despatched to me a\nslave, desiring me to visit her, but I would not, and I put the\nslave to death that the secret might be hidden; hoping she might\nrepent of her weakness, but she did not, and repeated her wicked\ninvitation five times. On the fifth I was alarmed for your\nhonour, and acquainted you of her atrocious behaviour.\"\n\nThe sultan, on hearing the relation of the vizier, held down his\nhead for some time in profound thought, then lifting it up,\ncommanded the two attendants whom he had despatched with orders\nto put his wife and children to death to be brought before him.\nOn their appearance, he said, \"What have you done in execution of\nthe charge I gave you?\" they replied, \"We have performed that\nwhich you commanded to be done, and as a testimony of our\nfidelity, behold these garments dyed with the blood of the\noffenders!\" The sultan took the garments; but the recollection of\nhis beauteous consort, her former affectionate endearments, of\nthe happiness he had enjoyed with her, and of the innocence of\nhis guiltless children, so affected his mind, that he wept\nbitterly and fainted away. On his recovery he turned to the\nvizier, and said, \"Is it possible thou canst have spoken the\ntruth?\" He replied, \"I have.\"\n\nThe sultan, after a long pause, again said to the two attendants,\n\"Have you really put to death my innocent children with their\nguilty mother?\" They remained silent. The sultan exclaimed, \"Why\nanswer ye not, and wherefore are ye silent?\" They replied, \"My\nlord, the honest man cannot support a lie, for lying is the\ndistinction of traitors.\" When the vizier heard these words his\ncolour changed, his whole frame was disordered, and a trembling\nseized him, which the sultan perceiving, he said to the\nattendants, \"What mean you by remarking that lying is the\ndistinction of traitors? Is it possible that ye have not put them\nto death? Declare the truth instantly, or by the God who hath\nappointed me guardian of his people, I will have you executed\nwith the most excruciating torments.\"\n\nThe two men now fell at the feet of the sultan, and said, \"Dread\nsovereign, we conveyed, as thou commandest us, the unfortunate\nsultana and thy daughters to the middle of the desert, when we\ninformed them of the accusation of the vizier and thy orders\nconcerning them. The sultana, after listening to us with\nfortitude, exclaimed, 'There is no refuge or asylum but with the\nAlmighty; from God we came, and to God we must return; but if you\nput us to death, you will do it wrongfully, for the treacherous\nvizier hath accused me falsely, and he alone is guilty.' She then\ninformed us of his having endeavoured to corrupt her by rich\npresents, and that she had put his messengers to death.\"\n\nThe sultan at these words exclaimed in agony, \"Have ye slain\nthem, or do they yet live?\" \"My lord,\" replied the attendants,\n\"We were so convinced of the innocence of the sultana, that we\ncould not put her to death. We caught some fawn antelopes, killed\nthem, and having dipped these garments belonging to the abused\nmother and your children in their blood, dressed the flesh, and\ngave it to our unfortunate mistress and thy daughters, after\nwhich we said to them, 'We leave you in charge of a gracious God\nwho never deserts his trust; your innocence will protect you.' We\nthen left them in the midst of the desert, and returned to the\ncity.\"\n\nThe sultan turned in fury towards the vizier, and exclaimed,\n\"Wretched traitor! and is it thus thou hast estranged from me my\nbeloved wife and innocent children?\" The self-convicted minister\nuttered not a word, but trembled like one afflicted with the\npalsy. The sultan commanded instantly an enormous pile of wood to\nbe kindled, and the vizier, being bound hand and foot, was forced\ninto an engine, and cast from it into the fire, which rapidly\nconsumed him to ashes. His house was then razed to the ground,\nhis effects left to the plunder of the populace, and the women of\nhis haram and his children sold for slaves.\n\nWe now return to the three princesses and their mother. When the\nsultan had heard their adventures, he sympathized with their\nmisfortunes, and was astonished at the fortitude with which they\nhad borne their afflictions, saying to his vizier, \"How sad has\nbeen their lot! but blessed be Allah, who, as he separateth\nfriends, can, when he pleaseth, give them a joyful meeting.\" He\nthen caused the sultana and the princesses to be conveyed to his\npalace, appointed them proper attendants and apartments suitable\nto their rank, and despatched couriers to inform the sultan their\nfather of their safety. The messengers travelled with the\ngreatest expedition, and on their arrival at the capital, being\nintroduced, presented their despatches. The sultan opened them,\nand began to read; but when he perceived the contents, was so\novercome with joy, that, uttering a loud exclamation of rapture,\nhe fell to the ground and fainted away. His attendants were\nalarmed, lifted him up, and took means for his recovery. When he\nwas revived, he informed them of his sultana and daughters being\nstill alive, and ordered a vessel to be prepared to convey them\nhome.\n\nThe ship was soon ready, and being laden with every necessary for\nthe accommodation of his family, also rich presents for the\nfriendly sultan who had afforded them protection, sailed with a\nfavourable wind, and speedily arrived at the desired haven.\n\nThe commander of the vessel was welcomely received by the sultan,\nwho issued orders for his entertainment and that of his whole\ncrew at the royal cost, and at the expiration of three days the\nsultana and her daughters, being anxious to return home after so\nlong an absence, and that so unfortunate, took leave and\nembarked. The sultan made them valuable presents, and the wind\nbeing fair they set sail. For three days the weather was\npropitious, but on the evening of the last a contrary gale arose,\nwhen they cast anchor, and lowered their topmasts. At length the\nstorm increased to such violence that the anchor parted, the\nmasts fell overboard, and the crew gave themselves over for lost.\nThe vessel was driven about at the mercy of the tempest till\nmidnight, all on board weeping and wailing, when at length she\nstruck upon the rocks, and went to pieces. Such of the crew whose\ndeaths were decreed perished, and those whose longer life was\npredestined escaped to shore, some on planks, some on chests, and\nsome on the broken timbers of the ship, but all separated from\neach other.\n\nThe sultana mother was tossed about till daylight on a plank,\nwhen she was perceived by the commander of the vessel, who with\nthree of his crew had taken to the ship's boat. He took her in,\nand after three days' rowing they reached a mountainous coast, on\nwhich they landed, and advanced into the country. They had not\nproceeded far when they perceived a great dust, which clearing\nup, displayed an approaching army. To their joyful surprise it\nproved to be that of the sultan, who, after the departure of the\nvessel, dreading lest an accident might happen, had marched in\nhopes of reaching the city where they were before his wife and\ndaughters should sail, in order to conduct them home by land. It\nis impossible to describe the meeting of the sultan and his\nconsort, but their joy was clouded by the absence of their\ndaughters, and the dreadful uncertainty of their fate. When the\nfirst raptures of meeting were over, they wept together, and\nexclaimed, \"We are from God, and to God we must return.\" After\nforty days' march they arrived at their capital, but continually\nregretting the princesses, saying, \"Alas, alas! most probably\nthey have been drowned, but even should they have escaped to\nshore, perhaps they may have been separated; and ah! what\ncalamities may have befallen them!\" Constantly did they bemoan\ntogether in this manner, immersed in grief, and taking no\npleasure in the enjoyments of life.\n\nThe youngest princess, after struggling with the waves till\nalmost exhausted, was fortunately cast ashore on a pleasant\ncoast, where she found some excellent fruits and clear fresh\nwater. Being revived, she reposed herself awhile, and then walked\nfrom the beach into the country; but she had not proceeded far,\nwhen a young man on horseback with some dogs following him met\nher, and upon hearing that she had just escaped shipwreck,\nmounted her before him, and having conveyed her to his house,\ncommitted her to the care of his mother. She received her with\ncompassionate kindness, and during a whole month assiduously\nattended her, till by degrees she recovered her health and\nbeauty.\n\nThe young man was legal heir to the kingdom, but his succession\nhad been wrested from him by a usurper, who, however, dying soon\nafter the arrival of the princess, he was reinstated in his\nrights and placed on the throne, when he offered her his hand;\nbut she said, \"How can I think of marriage while I know not the\ncondition of my unfortunate family, or enjoy repose while my\nmother and sisters are perhaps suffering misery? When I have\nintelligence of their welfare I will be grateful to my\ndeliverer.\"\n\nThe young sultan was so much in love with the princess, that the\nmost distant hope gave him comfort, and he endeavoured to wait\npatiently her pleasure; but the nobles of the country were\nanxious to see him wedded, he being the last of his race, and\nimportuned him to marry. He promised to conform to their wishes,\nbut much time elapsing, they became importunate and discontented,\nwhen his mother, dreading a rebellion, earnestly entreated the\nprincess to consent to a union as the only measure that could\nprevent disturbances. The princess, who really loved her\npreserver, was unwilling to endanger the safety of one to whom\nshe owed such important obligations, and at length consented,\nwhen the marriage was celebrated with the greatest pomp and\nrejoicings. At the expiration of three years the sultana was\ndelivered of two sons, whose birth added to the felicity of the\nunion.\n\nThe second princess, after being long driven about by the waves\nupon a plank, was at length cast on shore near a large city,\nwhich she entered, and was fortunately compassionated by a\nvenerable matron, who invited her to her house, and adopted her\nas a daughter in the room of her own, who had lately died. Here\nshe soon recovered her health and beauty. It chanced that the\nsultan of this city, who was much beloved for his gentle\ngovernment and liberality, was taken ill, and not withstanding\nthe skill of the most celebrated physicians, daily became worse,\ninsomuch that his life was despaired of, to the general grief of\nthe people. The princess having heard her venerable protectress\nlament the danger of the sultan, said, \"My dear mother, I will\nprepare a dish of pottage, which, if you will carry to the\nsultan, and he can be prevailed upon to eat it, will, by the\nblessing of Allah, recover him from his disorder.\" \"I fear,\"\nreplied the matron, \"I shall hardly be allowed admittance to the\npalace, much less to present him the pottage.\" \"You can but try,\"\nanswered the princess; \"and even the attempt at a good action is\nacceptable to God.\" \"Well,\" rejoined the old woman,  \"prepare your\npottage, my dear daughter, and I will endeavour to get\nadmission.\"\n\nThe princess prepared the dish of pottage, composed of various\nminerals, herbs, and perfumes, and when it was ready the old\nwoman took it to the sultan's palace. The guards and eunuchs\ninquired what she had brought, when she said, \"A dish of pottage,\nwhich I request you will present to the sultan, and beg him to\neat as much of it as he can, for by God's help it will restore\nhim to health.\" The eunuchs introduced her into the chamber of\ntheir sick sovereign, when the old woman taking off the cover of\nthe dish, such a grateful perfume exhaled from the contents as\nrevived his spirits. Being informed what the venerable matron had\nbrought, he thanked her and tasted the pottage, which was so\nagreeably flavoured that he ate part of it with an appetite to\nwhich he had been long a stranger. He then presented the bearer\nwith a purse of deenars, when she returned home, informed the\nprincess of her welcome reception, and of the present she had\nreceived.\n\nThe sultan had no sooner eaten part of the pottage than he felt\nan inclination to repose, and sunk into a refreshing sleep, which\nlasted for some hours. On his awakening he found himself\nwonderfully revived, and having a desire afresh to eat, finished\nthe whole. He now wished for more, and inquired after the old\nwoman, but none of his attendants could inform him where she\nlived. However, in the evening she brought another mess, which\nthe princess had prepared, and the sultan ate it with renewed\nappetite; after which, though before quite helpless, he was now\nable to sit up and even to walk. He inquired of the old woman if\nit was her own preparation; to which she replied, \"No, my lord,\nbut my daughter dressed it, and entreated me to bring it.\" The\nsultan exclaimed, \"She cannot be thy own daughter, as her skill\nshews her of much higher quality.\" He then made her a present,\nand requested that she would bring him every morning a fresh\nsupply, to which she said, \"To hear is to obey;\" and retired.\n\nThe princess sent regularly for seven mornings successively a\ndish of pottage, and the sultan as regularly presented her\nadopted mother with a purse of deenars; for such was the rapidity\nof his recovery, that at the expiration of the sixth day he was\nperfectly well, and on the seventh he mounted his horse and\nrepaired to his country palace to make the absolution of health\nand enjoy the fresh air. During her visits he had questioned the\nold lady concerning her adopted daughter, and she so described\nher beauty, virtues, and accomplishments, that his heart was\nsmitten, and he became anxious to see her.\n\nThe sultan, in order to gratify his curiosity, disguised himself\none day in the habit of a dervish, and repairing to the house of\nthe old woman, knocked at the door. On being questioned what he\nwanted, he replied, \"I am a wandering dervish, a stranger in this\ncity, and distressed with hunger.\" The old woman being fearful of\nadmitting an unknown person, would have sent him away, but the\nprincess exclaimed, \"Hospitality to strangers is incumbent upon\nus, especially to the religious poor.\" Upon this he was admitted,\nand the princess having seated him respectfully, set victuals\nbefore him, of which he ate till he was satisfied, and having\nwashed, rose up, thanked the old woman and her supposed daughter\nfor their bounty, and retired, but his sight was fascinated with\nher beauty, and his heart devoted to her love.\n\nThe sultan on his return to the palace sent for the old woman,\nand on her arrival presented her with a rich dress and valuable\njewels, desiring that she would give them to her daughter, and\nprevail upon her to put them on. The old lady promised obedience,\nand as she walked homewards, said to herself, \"If this adopted\ndaughter of mine is wise, she will comply with the sultan's\ndesires, and put on the dress, but if she does not, I will expel\nher from my house.\" When she reached home, she displayed the\nsuperb habit and the dazzling ornaments; but the princess at\nfirst refused to accept them, till at length, moved by the\nentreaties of her protectress, whom she could not disoblige, she\nput them on, and the old lady was delighted with her appearance.\n\nThe sultan, who had slipped on a female dress, having covered\nhimself with a close veil, followed the old woman to her house,\nand listened at the door to know if the daughter would accept his\npresent. When he found that she had put on the dress, he was\novercome with rapture, and hastening back to his palace, sent\nagain for the old lady, to whom he signified his wish to marry\nher daughter. When the princess was informed of the offer she\nconsented, and the sultan, attended by a splendid cavalcade,\nconducted her that evening to his palace, where the cauzee united\nthem in marriage. A general feast was made for all the\ninhabitants of the city for seven days successively, and the\nsultan and the princess enjoyed the height of felicity. In the\ncourse of five years the Almighty blessed them with a son and two\ndaughters.\n\nThe eldest princess on the wreck of the ship having clung to a\npiece of timber, was after much distress floated on shore, where\nshe found a man's habit, and thinking it a safe disguise for the\nprotection of her honour, she dressed herself in it, and\nproceeded to a city which appeared near the coast. On her\nentrance she was accosted by a maker of cotton wallets for\ntravelling, who observing that she was a stranger, and supposing\nher a man, asked if she would live with him, as he wanted an\nassistant. Being glad to secure any asylum, she accepted his\noffer of maintenance, and daily wages of half a dirhem. He\nconducted her to his house, and treated her with kindness. The\nnext day she entered upon her business, and so neat was the work\nshe executed, that in a short time her master's shop was more\nfrequented than any other.\n\nIt happened that the shop was situated near the palace of the\nsultan. One morning the princess his daughter looking through the\nlattice of a balcony beheld the seeming young man at work, with\nthe sleeves of his vest drawn up to his shoulder: his arms were\nwhite and polished as silver, and his countenance brilliant as\nthe sun unobscured by clouds. The daughter of the sultan was\ncaptivated in the snare of love.\n\nThe sultan's daughter continued gazing at the supposed young man\ntill he withdrew from work, when she retired to her apartment;\nbut so much was she fascinated by his charms, that she became\nrestless, and at length indisposed. Her nurse who attended her\nfelt her pulse, and asked her several questions, but could find\nno symptoms of bodily illness upon her. She said, \"My dear\ndaughter, I am convinced that nothing has afflicted thee but\ndesire of some youth with whom thou art in love.\" The princess\nexclaimed, \"My dear mother, as thou hast discovered my secret,\nthou wilt, I trust, not only keep it sacred, but bring to me the\nman I love.\" The nurse replied, \"No one can keep a secret closer\nthan myself, so that you may safely confide it to my care.\" The\nprincess then said, \"Mother, my heart is captivated by the young\nman who works in the shop opposite my windows, and if I cannot\nmeet him I shall die of grief.\"\n\nThe nurse replied, \"My dear mistress, he is the most beautiful\nyouth of the age, and the women of the whole city are distracted\nwith his charms; yet he is so bashful as to answer no advances,\nand shrinks from notice like a school-boy, but I will endeavour\nto overcome his shyness, and procure you a meeting.\" Having said\nthus, she went immediately to the wallet-maker's, and giving him\na piece of gold, desired he would let his assistant accompany her\nhome with two of his best wallets. The man was pleased with her\ngenerosity, and selecting his choicest manufacture, commanded his\njourneyman to accompany the nurse.\n\nThe old woman led the disguised princess through by-paths to a\nprivate passage of the palace, and introduced her into the\napartments of the daughter of the sultan, who received her\nsupposed beloved with emotions of joy too violent to be\nconcealed. Pretending to admire the goods, she asked some\nquestions, and giving him twenty pieces of gold, desired him to\nreturn with more goods on the following evening, to which the\nseeming journeyman replied, \"To hear is to obey.\"\n\nThe disguised princess on her return home delivered the twenty\npieces of gold to her employer, who was alarmed, and inquired\nfrom whence they came: upon which she informed him of her\nadventure, when the   wallet-maker was in greater terror than\nbefore, and said to himself, \"If this intrigue goes on, the\nsultan will discover it, I shall be put to death, and my family\nruined on account of this young man and his follies.\" He then\nbesought him not to repeat his visit, but he answered, \"I cannot\nforbear, though I dread my death may be the consequence.\" In\nshort, the disguised princess went every evening with the old\nnurse to the apartments of the sultan's daughter, till at length\nthe sultan one night suddenly entered, and perceiving, he\nsupposed, a man with the princess, commanded him to be seized and\nbound hand and foot.\n\nThe sultan then sent for an executioner, resolved to put the\nculprit to death. The executioner on his arrival seized the\ndisguised princess; but what was the surprise of all present,\nwhen, on taking off the turban and vest, they discovered her sex.\nThe sultan commanded her to be conducted to his haram, and\ninquired her story, when having no resource but the truth, she\nrelated her adventures.\n\nWhen the princess had informed the sultan of the treachery of the\nvizier, the consequent conduct of her father, the distress of her\nmother, her sisters and herself, their being relieved, and her\nescape from shipwreck, with what had happened since, he was\nfilled with wonder and compassion, and ordered his daughter to\naccommodate her in the haram. The love of the latter was now\nchanged to sincere friendship, and under her care and attentions\nthe unfortunate princess in a few months recovered her former\nbeauty. It chanced that the sultan visiting his daughter was\nfascinated with the charms of the princess, but unwilling to\ninfringe the rules of hospitality concealed his love, till at\nlength he became dangerously ill, when the daughter suspecting\nthe matter, prevailed upon him to reveal the cause of his\ncomplaint. She then informed her friend, and entreated her to\naccept her father in marriage; but the princess said, at the same\ntime weeping bitterly, \"Misfortune hath separated me from my\nfamily; I know not whether my sisters, my father and my mother,\nare living, or, if so, what is their condition. How can I be\nhappy or merry, while they are perhaps involved in misery?\"\n\nThe daughter of the sultan did not refrain from comforting the\nunfortunate princess, at the same time representing the hopeless\ncondition of her father, till at length she consented to the\nmarriage. This joyful intelligence speedily revived the love-lorn\nsultan, and the nuptials were celebrated with the utmost joy and\nmagnificence.\n\nThe aged sultan and sultana continued to lament the loss of their\ndaughters for some years, when at length the former resolved to\ntravel in search of them, and having left the government in\ncharge of his wife, departed, attended only by his vizier. They\nboth assumed the habit of dervishes, and after a month's\nuninterrupted travelling reached a large city extending along the\nsea coast, close upon which the sultan of it had erected a\nmagnificent pleasure house, where the pretended dervishes beheld\nhim sitting in one of the pavilions with his two sons, one six\nand the other seven years old. They approached, made their\nobeisance, and uttered a long invocation, agreeably to the usage\nof the religious, for his prosperity. The sultan returned their\ncompliment, desired them to be seated, and having conversed with\nthem till evening, dismissed them with a present, when they\nrepaired to a caravanserai, and hired an apartment. On the\nfollowing day, after amusing themselves with viewing the city,\nthey again repaired to the beach, and saw the sultan sitting with\nhis children, as before. While they were admiring the beauty of\nthe structure, the younger prince, impelled by an unaccountable\nimpulse, came up to them, gazed eagerly at them, and when they\nretired followed them to their lodging, which they did not\nperceive till he had entered with them and sat down. The old\nsultan was astonished at the child's behaviour, took him in his\narms, kissed and fondled him, after which he desired him to\nreturn to his parents, but the boy insisted upon staying, and\nremained four days, during which the pretended dervishes did not\nstir from their caravanserai.\n\nThe sultan missing his son, supposed that he had gone to his\nmother, and she imagined that he was still with his father; but\non the latter entering the haram the loss was discovered.\nMessengers were despatched every way, but no tidings of the boy\ncould be obtained. The miserable parents now supposed that he had\nfallen into the sea and was drowned. Nets were dragged, and\ndivers employed for three days, but in vain. On the fifth day\norders were issued to search every house in the city, when the\ninfant prince was at length discovered at the caravanserai in the\napartment of the pretended dervishes, who were ignominiously\ndragged before the sultan.\n\nThe sultan was transported with joy at the recovery of his son,\nbut supposing the dervishes had meant to steal him away, he\nordered them instantly to be put to death. The executioners\nseized them, bound their hands behind them, and were going to\nstrike, when the child with loud outcries ran up, and clinging to\nthe knees of the elder victim could not be forced away. The\nsultan was astonished, and ordering the execution for the present\nto be delayed, went and informed the mother of the child of his\nwonderful behaviour.\n\nThe sultana, on hearing it, was no less surprised than the\nsultan, and felt a curiosity to hear from the dervish himself on\nwhat account he had enticed away her son. She said, \"It is truly\nextraordinary that the boy should express such affection for a\nstrange dervish. Send for him to your closet, and order him to\nrelate his adventures, to which I will listen from behind a\ncurtain.\"\n\nThe sultan sent for the supposed dervish, and commanding all his\nattendants to retire, withdrew with him into his closet, and\ndesired him to be seated; after which he said, \"Wicked dervish,\nwhat could have induced thee to entice away my son, or to visit\nmy kingdom?\" He replied, \"Heaven knows, O sultan, I did not\nentice him. The boy followed me to my lodging, when I said, 'My\nson, return to thy father,' but he would not; and I remained in\ncontinual dread till what was decreed occurred.\" The sultan was\nsoftened, spoke kindly to him, and begged him to relate his\nadventures, when the pretended dervish wept, and said, \"My\nhistory is a wonderful one. I had a friend whom I left as my\nagent and guardian to my family, while I was performing a\npilgrimage to Mecca; but had scarcely left my house ten days,\nwhen accidently seeing my wife he endeavoured to debauch her, and\nsent an old woman with a rich present to declare his adulterous\nlove. My wife was enraged, and put the infamous messenger to\ndeath. He sent a second, and a third, whom she also killed.\"\n\nThese last words were scarcely spoken, when the sultana bursting\nfrom her concealment ran up to the dervish, fell upon his neck,\nand embraced him: upon which, the sultan her husband was enraged,\nput his hand to his cimeter, and exclaimed, \"What means this\nshameless behaviour?\" The sultana, at once laughing and crying\nwith rapture, informed him that the supposed dervish was her\nfather: upon which the sultan also fell at his feet and welcomed\nhim. He then ordered the other dervish his vizier to be released,\ncommanded royal robes to be brought for his father-in-law, and a\nsuite of apartments in the palace to be prepared for his\nreception, with an attendance befitting his dignity.\n\nWhen the old sultan had spent some time with his youngest\ndaughter thus happily recovered, he became anxious to search\nafter the others, and signified his intention of departing; but\nhis son-in-law declared that he would accompany him on the\nexpedition with a number of his nobles, and an army, lest some\nfatal accident might occur from his being unattended.\nPreparations were accordingly made for march, the two sultans\nencamped without the city, and in a few days began their\nexpedition, which proved successful to their wishes. The aged\nmonarch having recovered his children retired to his own kingdom,\nwhere he reigned prosperously till the angel of death summoned\nhim to Paradise.\n\n\n\n\n            STORY OF THE BANG-EATER AND THE CAUZEE.\n\n\n\nIn a certain city there was a vagabond fellow much addicted to\nthe use of bang, who got his livelihood by fishing. When he had\nsold the product of his day's labour, he laid part of it out in\nprovisions and part in bang, with which (his day's, work over) he\nsolaced himself till he became intoxicated, and such was his\nconstant practice. One night, having indulged more than ordinary,\nhis senses were unusually stupefied; and in this, condition he\nhad occasion to come down into the square in which was his\nlodging. It happened to be the fourteenth night of the moon, when\nshe shone uncommonly bright, and shed such a lustre upon the\nground, that the bang-eater from the dizziness of his head\nmistook the bright undulations of her reflection on the pavement\nfor water, and fancied he was upon the brink of the river. He\nreturned to his chamber, and brought down his line, supposing\nthat he should catch his usual prey.\n\nThe bang-eater threw out his line, made of strong cord, and\nbaited on several hooks with bits of flesh, into the square, when\na dog, allured by the scent, swallowed one of the pieces, and\nfeeling pain from the hook which stuck in his throat, pulled\nstrongly at the cord. The bang-eater, supposing he had caught a\nmonstrous fish, lugged stoutly, but in vain. The dog, agonized by\nthe hook, resisted; at the same time yelping hideously, when the\nbang-eater, unwilling to quit his prey, yet fearing he should be\ndragged into the imaginary river, bellowed aloud for help. The\nwatch came up, seized him, and perceiving him intoxicated,\ncarried him bound to the cauzee.\n\nIt happened that the cauzee often privately indulged himself with\nbang. Seeing the intoxicated situation of the fisherman, he\npitied his condition, and ordered him to be put into a chamber to\nsleep off his disorder; at the same time saying to himself, \"This\nis a man after my own heart, and to-morrow evening I will enjoy\nmyself with him.\" The fisherman was well taken care of during the\nday, and at night the cauzee sent for him to his apartment;\nwhere, after eating, they took each a powerful dose of bang,\nwhich soon operating upon their brains, they began to sing,\ndance, and commit a thousand extravagancies.\n\nThe noise which they made attracted the notice of the sultan, who\nwith his vizier was traversing the city, disguised as merchants.\nFinding the doors open, they entered, and beheld the cauzee and\nhis companion in the height of their mirth, who welcomed them,\nand they sat down. At length, after many ridiculous tricks, the\nfisherman starting up, exclaimed, \"I am the sultan!\" \"And I,\"\nrejoined the cauzee, \"am my lord the bashaw!\" \"Bashaw!\" continued\nthe fisherman, \"if I choose I can strike off thy head.\" \"I know\nit,\" returned the cauzee, \"but at present I am not worth\nbeheading; give me first a rich government, that I may be worth\npunishing.\" \"Thou sayest true,\" answered the fisherman; \"I must\nmake thee fat before thou wilt be fit for killing.\"\n\nThe sultan laughed at their extravagancies, and said to his\nvizier, \"I will amuse myself with these vagabonds to-morrow\nevening:\" then rising up, he and his minister departed.\n\nThe next evening the cauzee and the fisherman indulged themselves\nas before, and while they were making merry, the sultan and his\nvizier entered, but in different disguises from those they had\nworn on the former night. They brought with them a strong\nconfection of opium, which they presented to their hosts, who,\nhighly delighted, greedily devoured it, and such were the effects\nthat they became madder than ever. At length, the fisherman\nstarting up, exclaimed, \"The sultan is deposed, and I am\nsovereign in his stead.\" \"Suppose the sultan should hear thee,\"\nreplied the prince. \"If he opposes me,\" cried the fisherman, \"I\nwill order my bashaw to strike off his head; but I will now\npunish thee for thy insolent question.\" He then ran up and seized\nthe sultan by the nose, the cauzee at the same time attacking the\nvizier: it was with difficulty that they made their escape from\nthe house.\n\nThe sultan, notwithstanding his tweak by the nose, resolved to divert\nhimself further with the bang-eaters, and the next evening putting on\na fresh disguise, repaired to the cauzee's house with his vizier;\nwhere he found the happy companions in high glee. They had taken it\ninto their heads to dance, which they did with such vehemence, and for\nso long a time, that at length they fell down with fatigue. When they\nhad rested a little, the fisherman perceiving the sultan, said,\n\"Whence comest thou?\" \"We are strangers,\" replied the sultan, \"and\nonly reached this city to-night; but on our way through the streets,\nhearing your mirth, we made bold to enter, that we might participate\nit with you. Are ye not, however, fearful lest the sultan should hear\nyou on his rounds, and punish you for an infringement of the laws?\"\n\"How should the sultan hear us?\" answered the fisherman; \"he is in his\npalace, and we in our own house, though, perhaps, much merrier than\nhe, poor fellow, with the cares of state upon his mind,\nnotwithstanding his splendour.\"\n\n\"How comes it,\" rejoined the sovereign, \"that you have not\nvisited the sultan? for you are merry fellows, and I think he\nwould encourage you.\" \"We fear,\" replied the fisherman, \"his\nguards would beat us away.\" \"Never mind them,\" said the sultan;\n\"if you choose I will give you a letter of recommendation, which\nI am sure he will pay attention to, for we were intimate when\nyouths.\" \"Let us have it,\" cried the fisherman. The sultan wrote\na note, directed to himself, and departed.\n\nIn the morning the cauzee and the fisherman repaired to the\npalace, and delivered the note to one of the guards, who, on\nsight of it, placed it on his head, prostrated himself to the\nground, and then introduced them to the sultan. Having read the\nletter, the sultan commanded them to be led into separate\napartments, and to be treated respectfully. At noon a handsome\ncollation was served up to each, and at sunset a full service,\nafter which they were presented with coffee. When about two hours\nof the night had passed, the sultan ordered them into his\npresence, and on their making their obeisance returned their\nsalutes, and desired them to be seated, saying, \"Where is the\nperson who gave you this letter?\"\n\n\"Mighty sultan,\" replied the fisherman, \"two men who last night\nvisited our house inquired why we did not repair to your majesty,\nand partake of your bounty. We replied, that we feared the guards\nwould drive us away; when one of them gave us this note, saying,\n'Fear not; take this recommendation to the sultan, with whom in\nmy youth I was intimate.' We followed his direction, and have\nfound his words to be true. We inquired whence they came; but\nthey would not tell us more than that they were strangers in this\ncity.\" \"It is,\" continued the sultan, \"absolutely necessary that\nyou should bring them to my presence, for it is long since I have\nbeheld my old friends.\" \"Permit us then to return home, where\nthey may possibly visit us again,\" said the fisherman, \"and we\nwill oblige them to come with us.\" \"How can you do that,\" replied\nthe sultan, \"when the other evening you could not prevent your\nguest escaping, though you had him by the nose?\"\n\nThe poor fisherman, and his companion the cauzee, were now\nconfounded at the discovery that it was the sultan himself who\nhad witnessed their intoxication and ridiculous transports. They\ntrembled, turned pale, and fell prostrate to the ground, crying,\n\"Pardon, pardon, gracious sovereign, for the offences we have\ncommitted, and the insult which in our madness we offered to the\nsacred person of your majesty.\"\n\nThe sultan, after laughing heartily at their distress, replied,\n\"Your pardon is granted, for the insult was involuntary, though\ndeserved, as I was an impertinent intruder on your privacy; make\nyourselves easy, and sit down; but you must each of you relate to\nme your adventures, or some story that you have heard.\" The\ncauzee and the fisherman, having recovered from their confusion,\nobeyed the commands of the sultan, and being seated, the latter\nrelated the following tale.\n\n\n\n\n               Story of the Bang-eater and His Wife.\n\n\n\nThere lived formerly, near Bagdad, a half-witted fellow, who was\nmuch addicted to the use of bang. Being reduced to poverty, he\nwas obliged to sell his stock. One day he went to the market to\ndispose of a cow; but the animal being in bad order, no one would\nbid for it, and after waiting till he was weary he returned\nhomewards. On the way he stopped to repose himself under a tree,\nand tied the cow to one of the branches while he ate some bread,\nand drank of an infusion of his beloved bang, which he always\ncarried with him. In a short time it began to operate, so as to\nbereave him of the little sense he possessed, and his head was\nfilled with ridiculous reveries. While he was musing, a magpie\nbeginning to chatter from her nest in the tree, he fancied it was\na human voice, and that some woman had asked to purchase his cow:\nupon which he said, \"Reverend mother of Solomon, dost thou wish\nto buy my cow?\" The bird croaked again. \"Well,\" replied he, \"what\nwilt thou give if I will sell her a bargain.\" The bird repeated\nher croak. \"Never mind,\" said the foolish fellow, \"for though\nthou hast forgotten to bring thy purse, yet, as I dare say thou\nart an honest woman, and hast bidden me ten deenars, I will trust\nthee with the cow, and call on Friday for the money.\" The bird\nrenewed her croaking, which he fancied to be thanks for his\nconfidence; so leaving the cow tied to the branch of the tree, he\nreturned home exulting in the good bargain he had made for the\nanimal.\n\nWhen he entered the house, his wife inquired what he had gotten\nfor the cow; to which he replied, that he had sold her to an\nhonest woman named Am Solomon, who had promised to pay him on the\nnext Friday ten pieces of gold. The wife was contented, and when\nFriday arrived, her idiot of a husband having, as usual, taken a\ndose of bang, repaired to the tree, and hearing the bird\nchattering, as before, said, \"Well, my good mother, hast thou\nbrought the gold?\" The bird croaked. Supposing the imaginary\nwoman refused to pay him, he became angry, and threw up his\nspade, which frightening the bird, it flew from the nest, and\nalighted on a heap of soil at some distance. He fancied that Am\nSolomon had desired him to take his money from the heap, into\nwhich he dug with his spade, and found a brazen vessel full of\ngold coin. This discovery convinced him he was right, and being,\nnotwithstanding his weakness, naturally honest, he only took ten\npieces; then replacing the soil, said, \"May Allah requite thee\nfor thy punctuality, good mother!\" and returned to his wife, to\nwhom he gave the money, informing her at the same time of the\ngreat treasure his friend Am Solomon possessed, and where it was\nconcealed. The wife waited till night, when she went and brought\naway the pot of gold; which her husband observing, said, \"It is\ndishonest to rob one who has paid us so punctually, and if thou\ndost not return it to its place, I will inform the (walee)\nofficer of police.\"\n\nThe wife laughed at his folly; but fearing the ill consequences\nof his executing his threat, she planned a stratagem to prevent\nthem. Going to the market, she purchased some broiled meat and\nfish ready dressed, which she brought privately home, and\nconcealed in the house. At night, the husband having regaled\nhimself with his beloved bang, retired to sleep off his\nintoxication; but about midnight she strewed the provisions she\nhad brought at the door, and awakening her partner, cried out, in\npretended astonishment, \"Dear husband, a most wonderful\nphenomenon has occurred; there has been a violent storm while you\nslept, and, strange to tell, it has rained pieces of broiled meat\nand fish, which now lie at the door!\" The husband, still in a\nstate of stupefaction from the bang, got up, went to the door,\nand seeing the provisions, was persuaded of the truth of his\nwife's story. The fish and flesh were gathered up, and he partook\nwith much glee of the miraculous treat; but he still threatened\nto inform the walee of her having stolen the treasure of the good\nold woman Am Solomon.\n\nIn the morning the foolish bang-eater actually repaired to the\nwalee, and informed him that his wife had stolen a pot of gold,\nwhich she had still in her possession. The walee upon this\napprehended the woman, who denied the accusation, when she was\nthreatened with death. She then said, \"My lord, the power is in\nyour hands; but I am an injured woman, as you will find by\nquestioning my unfortunate husband; who, alas! is deranged in his\nintellects. Ask him when I committed the theft.\" The walee did\nso; to which he replied, \"It was on the evening of that night on\nwhich it rained broiled flesh and fish ready dressed.\" \"Wretch!\"\nexclaimed the walee, \"dost thou dare to utter falsehoods before\nme? Who ever saw it rain any thing but water?\" \"As I hope for\nlife, my lord,\" replied the bang-eater, \"I speak the truth; for\nmy wife and myself ate of the fish and flesh which fell from the\nclouds.\" The woman being appealed to, denied the assertion of her\nhusband.\n\nThe walee being now convinced that the man was crazy, released\nhis wife, and sent the husband to the madhouse; where he remained\nsome days, till the wife, pitying his condition, contrived to get\nhim released by the following stratagem. She visited her husband,\nand desired him when any one inquired of him if he had seen it\nrain flesh and fish, to answer, \"No: who ever saw it rain any\nthing but water?\" She then informed the keeper that he was come\nto his senses, and desired him to put the question. On his\nanswering properly he was released.\n\nThe fisherman had not long been in the service of the sultan,\nwhen walking one day near the house of a principal merchant, his\ndaughter chanced to look through a window, and the buffoon was so\nstruck with her beauty that he became devoted to love. Daily did\nhe repair to the same spot for weeks together in hopes of once\nseeing her, but in vain; for she did not again appear at the\nwindow. At length, his passion had such an effect upon him that\nhe fell sick, kept his bed, and began to rave, exclaiming, \"Ah!\nwhat charming eyes, what a beautiful complexion, what a graceful\nstature has my beloved!\" In this situation he was attended by an\nold woman, who, compassionating his case, desired him to reveal\nthe cause of his uneasiness.\n\n\"My dear mother,\" replied he, \"I thank thee for thy kindness; but\nunless thou canst assist me I must soon die.\" He then related\nwhat he had seen, and described to her the house of the merchant.\nWhen she said, \"Son, be of good cheer; for no one could so\nreadily have assisted thee in this dilemma as myself. Have\npatience, and I will speedily return with intelligence of thy\nbeloved.\" Having spoken thus, she departed, and upon reaching her\nown house disguised herself as a devotee. Throwing over her\nshoulders a coarse woollen gown, holding in one hand a long\nstring of beads, in the other a walking staff, she proceeded to\nthe merchant's house, at the gate of which she cried, \"God is\nGod, there is no God but God; may his holy name be praised, and\nmay God be with you,\" in a most devout tone.\n\nThe merchant's daughter, on hearing this devout ejaculation, came\nto the door, saluted the old woman with great respect, and said,\n\"Dear mother, pray for me:\" when she exclaimed, \"May Allah\nprotect thee, my beloved child, from all injury!\" The young lady\nthen introduced her into the house, seated her in the most\nhonourable place, and with her mother sat down by her. They\nconversed on religious subjects till noon, when the old woman\ncalled for water, performed her ablutions, and recited prayers of\nan unusual length: upon which the mother and daughter remarked to\none another that the aged matron must certainly be a most\nreligious character. When prayers were ended, they set a\ncollation before her; but she declined partaking, saying, \"I am\nto day observing a fast.\" This increased their respect and\nadmiration of her sanctity, so that they requested her to remain\nwith them till sunset, and break her fast with them, to which she\nconsented. At sunset she prayed again, after which she ate a\nlittle, and then uttered many pious exhortations. In short, the\nmother and daughter were so pleased with her, that they invited\nher to stay all night. In the morning, she rose early, made her\nablutions, prayed for a considerable time, and concluded with a\nblessing upon her entertainers in learned words, which they could\nnot understand. When she rose up, they supported her by the arms\nrespectfully, and entreated her longer stay; but she declined it,\nand having taken leave, departed; promising, however, with the\npermission of Allah, to make them soon another visit.\n\nOn the second day following, the old woman repaired again to the\nmerchant's house, and was joyfully received by the mother and\ndaughter; who, kissing her hands and feet, welcomed her return.\nShe behaved the same as before, and inspired them with stronger\nveneration for her sandity. Her visits now grew frequent, and she\nwas always a welcome guest in the merchant's family. At length,\none evening she entered, and said, \"I have an only daughter,\nwhose espousals are now celebrating, and this night the bride\ngoes in state to her husband's house. My desire is that my good\nyoung lady should attend the ceremony, and receive the benefit of\nmy prayers.\" The mother replied, \"I am unwilling to let her go,\nlest some accident should befall her:\" upon which the pretended\nreligious exclaimed, \"What canst thou fear, while I and other\ndevout women shall be with her?\" The daughter expressing great\neagerness to attend the nuptials, her mother at length consented.\n\nWhen the merchant's daughter had adorned herself in her richest\nhabit, she accompanied the old woman; who, after leading her\nthrough several streets, conducted her to the lodging of the late\nfisherman, but now favourite to the sultan, who was eagerly\nexpecting her arrival. The young lady was astonished on her\nentrance at beholding a comely looking man; who, she saw, could\nhardly restrain his raptures at the sight of her. Her first alarm\nwas great at finding herself betrayed into such a snare by the\nhypocritical beldam; but having naturally much presence of mind,\nshe concealed her fears, and considered how she might escape. She\nsat down, and after looking round the apartment affected to\nlaugh, saying to the gallant, \"It is commonly usual when a lover\ninvites his mistress to his house to have an entertainment\nprepared; for what is love without the accompaniment of a feast?\nIf you wish, therefore, that I should spend the evening here, go\nand bring in some good cheer, that our joy may be complete. I\nwill with my good mother wait your return.\"\n\nThe gallant, rejoiced at her commands, exclaimed, \"Thou hast\nspoken truly, and to hear is to obey;\" after which, he went\ntowards the market to order a splendid entertainment. When he was\ngone, the young lady locked the door after him, and thanking the\nold woman for introducing her to so handsome a lover, threw her\noff her guard, while she walked about the apartment meditating\nher escape. At length she found in one corner of it a sharp\nsabre, and drawing up her sleeve to her elbow, she grasped the\nweapon, which she struck with such force at her false friend, who\nwas reclining on a sofa, as to cleave the head of the abandoned\nprocuress in two, and she fell down weltering in her blood, to\nrise no more.\n\nThe merchant's daughter now searched the room, and finding a rich\ndress which the favourite usually wore when he visited the\nsultan, rolled it up in a bundle, and carrying it under her veil,\nunlocked the door, and hastened homewards. Luckily she reached\nher father's house without interruption. Her mother welcomed her\nwith joy; but on perceiving the bundle, said, \"My dear daughter,\nwhat can have been given thee at the nuptials of a poor\nreligious?\" The daughter, whose mind had been over agitated with\nher late adventure, was not able to answer; her spirits sunk at\nthe recollection of her narrow escape, and she fainted away. The\nmother shrieked aloud with affright, which brought in her husband\nand attendants, who used various means for the young lady's\nrecovery; and at length, having regained her senses, she related\nwhat had passed. The merchant having cursed the memory of the old\nwoman for her hypocritical deception, comforted his virtuous\ndaughter, and taking up the dress which he knew, and to whom it\nbelonged, hastened to make his complaint to the sultan.\n\nWhen the sultan had heard the complaint of the merchant, he was\nenraged against his unworthy favourite, and commanded him to be\napprehended; but he could no where be found, for having on his\nreturn home seen the old woman weltering in her blood, he guessed\nwhat had happened; and apprehensive of being called to an\naccount, putting on a mean disguise, made his escape from the\ncity. Fortunately for him a caravan was just taking its\ndeparture, and with it he travelled for five days successively,\nwith a mind tortured by disappointed love, and the fear of\ndiscovery. At length the caravan passed the confines of his late\nmaster, and encamped before a large city, which he entered, and\nhaving hired a room at a caravanserai, he resolved to repose, and\nseek out for some employment less dangerous than making love, or\nserving princes.\n\nWhen he had rested himself for some days, he repaired to a\nmarket, where labourers stood to be hired; and had not waited\nlong, when a woman coming up asked if he wanted work, to which he\nreplied in the affirmative. She then said, \"Part of the wall\nround the court of my house is so much decayed, that I must have\nit taken down and rebuilt, and if thou art willing to undertake\nthe job I will employ thee.\" On his consenting, she led him to\nher house, and shewing him the wall, gave him a pick-axe,\ndirecting him as he went on to place the stones in one heap and\nthe rubbish in another. He replied, \"To hear is to obey.\" She\nthen brought him some provision and water, when he refreshed\nhimself, and having thanked God that he had escaped, and was able\nto get his living, began his task, which he continued till\nsunset. His employer paid him ten pieces of silver for his day's\nwork, and he returned contented to his lodging.\n\nThe following morning he again went to labour, and was treated\nwith the same kindness as before. About noon, as he was stocking\nup the foundation of the wall he found a copper vessel, which\nupon examination proved to be full of golden coin. He carried the\nvessel to his lodging, where he counted the money, upwards of a\nhundred deenars, and returned to his work. As he was coming home\nin the evening, he saw a crowd following a man who carried upon\nhis head a large chest, which he offered for sale at a hundred\ndeenars, but refused to mention the contents.\n\nThe fisherman was seized with an irresistible impulse to purchase\nthe chest, and having a small silver coin of not more value than\na silver penny, said to himself, \"I will try my fate, possibly it\nmay contain something valuable; but if not, I will disregard the\ndisappointment;\" ordered it to be conveyed to his lodging, and\npaid the price demanded. He then locked his door and opened the\nchest, when, to his astonishment, he beheld in it a beautiful\ngirl very richly dressed, but apparently lifeless. However, on\nputting his hand to her mouth, he perceived that she breathed,\nand was only in a deep sleep, from which he endeavoured to awake\nher, but in vain. He then took her out of the chest, laid her\ngently on his carpet, and continued to gaze at her charms; till\nat length about midnight she awoke, and in an exclamation of\nalarm and surprise exclaimed, \"Gracious Allah, where am I?\"\n\nWhen the lady's first alarm had subsided, she asked the fisherman\nhow he had brought her to his lodging, and on being informed of\nthe circumstances her mind became easy; for he behaved towards\nher with respectful attention. Concealing for the present her\ncondition and adventures, she said, \"This lodging is too mean, on\nthe morrow you must hire a better. Serve me with fidelity, do as\nI desire, and you shall be amply rewarded.\" The fisherman, who,\ncautioned by his last love adventure, was fearful of taking\nliberties, and awed by her dignified demeanour, made a profound\nobeisance, and professed himself her slave. He set before her the\nbest refreshments he could procure, and when she had supped left\nher, and retired to sleep in a separate chamber.\n\nEarly the next morning he went and hired a decent house, to which\nhe conveyed her in a covered litter, and did not cease to attend\nupon her in all her commands for twenty days, she supplying him\nwith money to purchase necessaries.\n\nIt is proper now to mention, that the lady bought by the\nfisherman in the chest was the favourite mistress of the sultan:\nhaving deserted for her all his other women, they had become\nenvious; but the sultana, who, before the arrival of Koout al\nKoolloob (for such was her name) had presided over the haram, was\nmore mortified than the rest, and had resolved to effect her\nremoval. For this a favourable opportunity soon occurred, owing\nto the sultan's departure for twenty days upon a hunting\nexcursion. In a day or two after his absence, the sultana invited\nKoout al Koolloob to an entertainment, and having mixed a strong\nsoporific in some sherbet, presented it her to drink. The effect\nof the potion was instantaneous, and she sunk into a trance; when\nthe sultana putting her into the chest, commanded it to be given\nto a broker, and sold without examination of the contents, for a\nhundred deenars; hoping, that whoever might be the purchaser, he\nwould be so fascinated with the charms of the beautiful Koout al\nKoolloob, as to enjoy his good fortune in secrecy; and that she\nshould thus get rid of a rival without the crime of\nassassination.\n\nWhen the sultan returned from his excursion, immediately on\nentering the palace he inquired for his favourite; when the\nsultana entering with affected sadness, said, \"Alas! my lord, the\nbeautiful and affectionate Koout al Koolloob, unable to bear the\npangs of absence, three days after your departure fell sick, and\nhaving lingered for seven days, was gathered to the mercy of the\nAlmighty.\" The sultan, on hearing this, burst into an agony of\ngrief, and exclaimed, \"There is no asylum or refuge but with God;\nfrom God we came, and to God we must return.\" He was overcome\nwith affliction, and remained the whole night involved in\nmelancholy. In the morning he sent for his vizier, and commanded\nhim to look out for a spot on the bank of the river for the\nerection of a building in which he might sit retired, and\nmeditate on his beloved Koout al Koolloob.\n\nThe vizier replied, \"To hear is to obey;\" and taking with him an\narchitect, fixed upon a pleasant spot, on which he ordered him to\nmark out a space of ninety yards in length and seventy in breadth\nfor the intended building. The necessary materials, of stone and\nmarbles, were soon collected, and the work was begun upon; which\nthe minister for two days superintended in person. On the third\nthe sultan came to view the progress. He approved of the plan,\nand said, \"It is truly beautiful; but, alas! only worthy of the\nresidence of Koout al Koolloob;\" after which he wept bitterly.\nSeeing the distress of the sultan, his vizier said, \"My lord, be\nresigned under distress; for the wise have written, 'Be moderate\nwhen prosperity occurs, and when calamity afflicts thee exercise\npatience.'\"\n\nThe sultan replied, \"It is true, O vizier, that resignation is\npraiseworthy, and impatience blamable; for a poet has justly\nsaid, 'Be calm under adversity; for calmness can alone extricate\nfrom danger.' To affliction joy often succeeds, and after trouble\nwe generally enjoy repose; but, alas! human nature cannot divest\nitself of feeling; and Koout al Koolloob was so dear to me, and\nso delighted my soul, that I dread I shall never find another\nmistress her equal in beauty and accomplishments.\" The vizier\nconsoled his master, and at length prevailed upon him to submit\nto his misfortune with some degree of resignation.\n\nThe sultan and vizier daily repaired to view the progress of the\nnew edifice, the report of which had spread through the city, and\nat length reached Koout al Koolloob, who said to the fisherman,\n\"We are every day expending our money, and getting nothing:\nsuppose, therefore, you seek employment in the building which the\nsultan is erecting. Report says that he is liberal, so that\npossibly advantage may accrue.\" The fisherman replied, \"My dear\nmistress, how shall I bear the least absence from you?\" for he\nloved her, and she perceiving it, often dreaded that he would\nhave made advances; but the remembrance of what he had endured\nfrom the conduct of the merchant's daughter had made him\ncautious. She replied, \"Dost thou really love me?\" \"Canst thou\ndoubt it?\" answered he; \"thou art my life, and the light of my\neyes!\" \"If so,\" exclaimed she, \"take this necklace, and when you\nthink of me as you are working, look at it, and it will console\nyou till your return home.\"\n\nThe fisherman obeyed the commands of Koout al Koolloob, repaired\nto the spot where the edifice was erecting, and beheld the sultan\nand vizier observing the workmen. The former inquired if he\nwanted employment, to which he replied in the affirmative, and\nwas hired. He began his labour; but so much was his mind engaged\nwith his mistress, that every now and then, dropping his\nimplements, he drew out the necklace, and looking upon it heaved\na deep sigh, which the sultan observing, said to his vizier,\n\"This man, perchance, is more unhappy than myself; let us call\nhim to us, and inquire into his circumstances.\" The vizier\nbrought him to the presence, and desired him to tell honestly why\nhe had sighed so deeply. \"Alas!\" replied he, \"I am absent from my\nbeloved, who gave me this necklace to look at whenever I might\nthink upon her; and my mind is so taken up with her, that I\ncannot help laying down my tools, and admiring it constantly.\"\n\nWhen the sultan saw the necklace, he recollected that it was one\nwhich he had purchased for Koout al Koolloob for a thousand\ndeenars. He concealed his agitation, and said, \"To whom does this\nnecklace belong?\" \"To my slave,\" replied the labourer, \"whom I\npurchased for a hundred deenars.\" \"Canst thou admit us to thy\nlodging,\" rejoined the sultan, \"that we may see her?\" \"I dread,\"\nanswered the labourer, \"that her modesty may be offended; but I\nwill consult her, and if she assents, I will invite you to my\nlodging.\" \"That is but just,\" said the sultan, \"and no more than\nwhat is proper.\"\n\nThe labourer at sunset returned home, and informed Koout al\nKoolloob of his adventure, when she desired him on the morrow to\npurchase what was requisite for a decent entertainment, at the\nsame time giving him five deenars. In the morning he bought what\nshe had desired, and going to his work, informed the sultan and\nvizier that they were welcome to his homely fare, and to see his\nslave; or rather, said he, \"My divinity, for as such I have at\nhumble distance adored her.\"\n\nThe sultan and vizier accompanied the labourer to his house where\nthey were astonished to find prepared an elegant collation, of\nwhich they partook; after which they drank sherbet and coffee.\nThe sultan then desired to see his slave, who just made her\nappearance, but retired immediately. However, the sultan knew\nher; and said to the labourer, \"Wilt thou dispose of this\ndamsel?\" \"I cannot, my lord,\" replied the labourer, \"for my soul\nis wholly occupied with her love, though as yet unreturned.\" \"May\nthy love be rewarded!\" exclaimed the sultan; \"but bring her with\nthee at sunset to the palace.\" \"To hear is to obey,\" replied the\nlabourer.\n\nAt sunset the labourer conducted his slave to the palace, when\nthe eunuchs attended, and would have led her into the haram; but\nhe clung round her, and exclaimed, \"She is my beloved, and I\ncannot part with her.\" Upon this the sultan related the\ncircumstances of his having lost her; and requested him to give\nher up. Knowing that he durst not oppose the sovereign, he\nsubmitted to his commands with resignation, when the sultan\npresented him with fifteen hundred deenars, and a beautiful\nslave, also a rich dress, at the same time receiving him among\nthe most distinguished of his officers. So well did he conduct\nhimself in his new station, that in a short time he was promoted\nto the rank of prime minister, and fulfilled the duties of it\nwith such ability and integrity, that he became celebrated by the\ntitle of the Just Vizier.\n\nSuch was the celebrity of the vizier's decisions, that in a short\ntime appeals were made from the most distant provinces to his\njudgment. One of the most remarkable cases was the following. Two\nwomen belonging to one man conceived on the same day, and were\ndelivered, one of a boy, the other of a girl, at the same time,\nand in one apartment. The female infant died, when each laid\nclaim to the male child. The magistrates, unable to decide\nbetween the mothers, referred the decision to the just vizier;\nwho, on hearing the circumstances, commanded two eggs to be\nbrought, and the contents to be drawn out without breaking the\nshells; after which he ordered them to be filled with milk from\nthe breast of each woman. This being done, he placed the shells\nin separate scales, and finding one outweigh the other, declared\nthat she whose milk was heaviest must be the mother of the male\nchild; but the other woman was not satisfied with this decision,\nand still affirmed she was the mother of the boy.\n\nThe vizier, vexed at her obstinacy, now commanded the infant to\nbe cut in two; when she, whom he had said was the mother, fell\ninto agonies, and besought its life; but the other was unmoved,\nand assented to the death of the child. He then ordered her to be\nseverely punished, and committed the boy to its afflicted mother.\nOn being asked on what proofs he had grounded his decision, he\nreplied, \"On two: the first, because the milk of a woman having\nproduced a male child is always heavier than that of the mother\nof a female infant: the second, because the pretended mother\nconsented to the boy's death; and I supposed it impossible for a\nwoman to agree to the destruction of her offspring, which is a\npart of herself.\"\n\n\n\n\n            THE SULTAN AND THE TRAVELLER MHAMOOD AL\n                           HYJEMMEE.\n\n\n\nThere was a sultan, who one evening being somewhat low-spirited,\nsent for his vizier, and said, \"I know not the cause, but my mind\nis uneasy, and I want something to divert it.\" \"If so,\" replied\nthe vizier, \"I have a friend, named Mhamood al Hyjemmee, a\ncelebrated traveller, who has witnessed many wonderful\noccurrences, and can relate a variety of astonishing narratives.\nShall I send for him to the presence?\" \"By all means,\" answered\nthe sultan, \"that I may hear his relations.\" The minister\ndeparted, and informed his friend that the sultan desired to see\nhim. \"To hear is to obey,\" replied Mhamood, and hastened with the\nvizier to the palace.\n\nWhen they had entered the palace, Mhamood made the obeisance\nusual to the caliphs, and uttered a poetical invocation for the\nprosperity of the sultan, who returned his salute; and after\ndesiring him to be seated, said, \"Mhamood, my mind is uneasy, and\nas I hear you are acquainted with many curious events, I wish you\nto relate some of them to amuse me.\" Mhamood replied, \"To hear is\nto obey;\" and thus began an adventure of his own.\n\n\n\n\n                          The Koord Robber.\n\n\n\nSome years ago I took a journey from my own country to the land\nof Yemen, accompanied by a slave, who was a lad of much ready\nwit, and who carried a wallet containing a few necessaries. As we\nwere entering a town, a rascally koord snatched the wallet from\nhis hands, and asserted that it was his own, which we had stolen\nfrom him: upon which, I called out to some passengers to assist\nme in the recovery of my property, and they helped me to carry\nthe sharper before the cauzee, to whom I complained of his\nassault. The magistrate asked the koord what he had to allege in\nhis defence; to which he replied, \"My lord, I lost this wallet\nsome days since, and found it in possession of the complainant,\nwho pretends that it is his own, and will not resign it.\" \"If it\nbe thine,\" rejoined the cauzee, \"describe to me what it contains,\nwhen I shall be satisfied that thou speakest the truth.\"\n\nThe koord assented, and with a loud voice cried out, \"In this\nwallet, my lord, are two chests, in which are collyrium for the\neyes, a number of rich napkins, drinking vessels of gold, lamps,\ncooking utensils, dishes, basins, and ewers; also bales of\nmerchandize, jewels, gold, silks, and other precious articles,\nwith a variety of wearing apparel, carpets, cushions, eating\ncloths, and other things too tedious to enumerate; besides, I can\nbring a number of my brother koords to testify to the truth of\nwhat I have said, and that the wallet is mine.\"\n\nWhen the koord had finished, the cauzee smiled, and asked me and\nmy slave what we could describe to be in the wallet: upon which,\nmy slave said, \"My lord, there is nothing in it of what the koord\nhas mentioned, for it contains only both worlds, with all their\nlands, seas, cities, habitations, men, animals, and productions\nof every kind.\" The cauzee laughed, and turning to the koord,\nsaid, \"Friend, thou hast heard what has past; what further canst\nthou say?\" \"The bag is mine,\" continued the koord: upon which,\nthe cauzee ordered it to be emptied; when, lo! there were found\nin it some cakes of bread, a few limes, a little pepper, and a\ncruet of oil. Seeing this, the koord exclaimed, \"Pardon me, my\nlord the cauzee, I have been mistaken, the wallet is not mine;\nbut I must away and search for the thief who has stolen my\nvaluable property.\" Having said this, he ran off, leaving the\ncauzee, myself, and the spectators bursting with laughter at his\nimpudent knavery.\n\nThe sultan was much diverted with the relation of Mhamood, and\nrequested him to relate another story, which he did as follows.\n\n\n\n\n                    Story of the Husbandman.\n\n\n\nA certain husbandman having reared some choice vegetables and\nfruits earlier than usual, resolved to present them to the\nsultan, in hopes of receiving a handsome present. He accordingly\nloaded his ass and set off for the capital, on the road to which\nhe met the sultan, whom he had never before seen; and who being\non a hunting excursion had separated from his attendants. The\nsultan inquired where he was going, and what he carried. \"I am\nrepairing,\" said the husbandman, \"to our lord the sultan, in\nhopes that he will reward me with a handsome price for my fruits\nand vegetables, which I have reared earlier than usual.\" \"What\ndost thou mean to ask him?\" replied the sultan. \"A thousand\ndeenars,\" answered the husbandman; \"which if he refuses to give,\nI will demand five hundred; should he think that sum too much, I\nwill come down to two hundred; and if he declines to give so\nmuch, I will ask thirty deenars, from which price I will not\ndepart.\"\n\nThe sultan now left the husbandman, and hastening to the city,\nentered the palace, where the latter soon after arrived with his\nfruits, and was introduced to the presence. Having made his\nobeisance, the sultan returning his salute, said, \"Father, what\nhast thou brought with thee?\" \"Fruits, reared earlier than\nusual,\" answered the husbandman: to which the sultan replied,\n\"They are acceptable,\" and uncovering them, sent a part by the\neunuchs into his haram, and distributed the rest to his\ncourtiers, excepting a few which he ate himself, talking all the\nwhile to the countryman, whose sensible remarks gave him much\npleasure. He presented him with two hundred deenars, and the\nladies of the haram sent him a present of half that sum. The\nsultan then desired him to return home, give the money to his\nfamily, and come back with speed, as he wished to enjoy his\nconversation. The husbandman having replied, \"To hear is to\nobey,\" blessed the sultan for his bounty, and hastening home gave\nthe deenars to his wife, informing her that he was invited to\nspend the evening at court, and took his leave. It was sunset\nwhen he arrived at the palace, and the sultan being at his\nevening meal invited him to partake. When they were satisfied,\nthey performed their ablutions, and having said the evening\nprayer, and read a portion of the Koraun, the sultan, desiring\nhim to be seated, commanded the husbandman to relate him some\nnarrative. The husbandman being seated, thus began.\n\n\n\n\n            Story of the Three Princes and Enchanting Bird.\n\n\n\nIt has been lately related that there was formerly a sovereign of\nthe East who had three sons, the eldest of whom had heard some\ntraveller describe a particular country where there was a bird\ncalled Bulbul al Syach, who transformed any passenger who came\nnear him into stone. The prince resolved to see this wonderful\nbird; and requested leave to travel from his father, who\nendeavoured in vain to divert him from his purpose. He took\nleave, and on his departure, pulling off a ring set with a\nmagical gem, gave it to his second brother, saying, \"Whenever you\nperceive this ring press hard upon your finger, be assured that I\nam lost beyond recovery.\" Having begun his journey, he did not\ncease travelling till he reached the spot where was the bird's\ncage, in which it used to pass the night, but in the daytime it\nflew about for exercise and food.\n\nIt was the custom of the bird to return about sunset to the cage;\nwhen, if it perceived any person near, it would cry out in a\nplaintive tone, \"Who will say to a poor wanderer, Lodge? who will\nsay to an unhappy Bulbul, Lodge?\" and if the person replied,\n\"Lodge, poor bird!\" it immediately hovered over his head, and\nscattering upon him some earth from its bill, the person became\ntransformed into a stone. Such proved the fate of the unfortunate\nprince.\n\nThe transformation of the eldest prince had no sooner taken place\nthan the ring pressed hard upon the finger of the second, who\nexclaimed, \"Alas! alas! my brother is lost; but I will travel,\nand endeavour to find out his condition.\" It was in vain that the\nsultan his father, and the sultana his mother, remonstrated. He\ndeparted after he had delivered the magical ring to his younger\nbrother, and journeyed till he reached the cage of the bird; who\nhaving ensnared him to pronounce the word lodge, scattered some\nearth upon his head, when he, also, immediately became\ntransformed into stone.\n\nAt this instant the youngest prince was sitting at a banquet with\nhis father; when the ring pressed so hard to his finger, as to\nput him to much pain. He rose up, and exclaimed, \"There is no\nrefuge or asylum but with God; for his we are, and to him we must\nreturn.\" The sultan, upon this, inquired the cause of his grief;\nwhen he said, \"My brother has perished.\"\n\nThe old sultan was loudly lamenting the loss of his two children,\nwhen the youngest continued, \"I will travel and learn the fate of\nmy brothers.\" \"Alas!\" said the father, \"is it not enough that I\nhave lost them, but thou also wilt rush into destruction? I\nentreat thee not to leave me.\" \"Father,\" replied the prince,\n\"fate impels me to search for my brothers, whom, perhaps, I may\nrecover; but if I fail, I shall only have done my duty.\" Having\nsaid this, he departed, in spite of the tears and lamentations of\nhis parents, and travelled till he had reached the residence of\nthe bird; where he found his brothers transformed into images of\nstone. At sunset the bird began its usual tone; but the prince\nsuspecting some deceit, forbore to speak, till at length the\nBulbul retired to his cage, and fell asleep; when watching the\nopportunity, the prince darted upon it, and fastened the door.\nThe bird awoke at the noise, and seeing himself caught, said,\n\"Thou hast won the prize, O glorious son of a mighty sultan!\" \"If\nso,\" exclaimed the prince, \"inform me by what means thou hast\nenchanted so many persons as I see around me changed into images\nof marble, and how I may release them from their unhappy state.\"\n\"Behold,\" replied the bird, \"yonder two heaps of earth, one white\nand the other blue. The blue enchants, and the other will recover\nfrom transformation.\"\n\nThe prince immediately took up handfuls of the white earth, and\nscattering it over the numerous images, they instantly became\nanimated and restored to all their functions. He embraced his two\nbrothers, and received their thanks; also those of the sons of\nmany sultans, bashaws, and great personages, for giving them new\nlife. They informed him that near the spot was a city, all the\ninhabitants of which had been, like them, transformed into stone.\nTo this he repaired, and having relieved them from their\nenchantment, the people out of gratitude made him rich presents,\nand would have chosen him for their sovereign, but he declined\ntheir offer, and resolved to conduct his brothers in safety to\ntheir father.\n\nThe two elder princes, notwithstanding they owed the restoration\nof their lives to their brother, became envious of the valuable\npresents he had received, and of the fame he would acquire at\nhome for his achievement. They said to one another, \"When we\nreach the capital the people will applaud him, and say, 'Lo! the\ntwo elder brothers have been rescued from destruction by the\nyoungest.'\"\n\nThe youngest prince being supplied with horses, camels, and\ncarriages, for himself and companions, began his march homewards,\nand proceeded by easy stages towards the capital of his father;\nwithin one day's journey of which was a reservoir of water lined\nwith marble. On the brink of this he ordered his tents to be\npitched, resolving to pass the night and enjoy himself in\nfeasting with his brothers. An elegant entertainment was\nprepared, and he sat with them till it was time to repose; when\nthey retired to their tents, and he lay down to sleep, having on\nhis finger a ring, which he had found in the cage of the Bulbul.\n\nThe envious brothers thinking this a fit opportunity to destroy\ntheir generous preserver, arose in the dead of night, and taking\nup the prince, cast him into the reservoir, and escaped to their\ntents undiscovered. In the morning they issued orders of march,\nthe tents were struck, and the camels loaded; but the attendants\nmissing the youngest prince, inquired after him; to which the\nbrothers replied, that being asleep in his tent, they were\nunwilling to disturb him. This satisfied them, and having pursued\ntheir march they reached the capital of their father, who was\noverjoyed at their return, and admired the beauty of the Bulbul,\nwhich they had carried with them; but he inquired with eagerness\nwhat was become of their brother.\n\nThe brothers replied, \"We know nothing of him, and did not till\nnow hear of his departure in search of the bird, which we have\nbrought with us.\" The sultan dearly loved his youngest son; and\non hearing that his brothers had not seen him, beat his hands\ntogether, exclaiming, \"Alas! alas! there is no refuge or asylum\nbut with the Almighty, from whom we came, and to whom we must\nreturn.\"\n\nWe must now return to the youngest brother. When he was cast into\nthe reservoir he awoke, and finding himself in danger, exclaimed,\n\"I seek deliverance from that God who relieveth his servants from\nthe snares of the wicked.\" His prayer was heard, and he reached\nthe bottom of the reservoir unhurt; where he seated himself on a\nledge, when he heard persons talking. One said to another, \"Some\nson of man is near.\" \"Yes,\" replied the other, \"he is the\nyoungest son of our virtuous sultan; who, after having delivered\nhis two brothers from enchantment, hath been treacherously cast\ninto this reservoir.\" \"Well,\" answered the first voice, \"he may\neasily escape, for he has a ring upon his finger, which if he\nwill rub a genie will appear to him and perform whatever he may\ncommand.\"\n\nThe prince no sooner heard these words than he rubbed his hand\nover the ring, when a good genie appearing, said, \"Prince, what\nare thy commands?\"\n\n\"I command,\" replied the prince, \"that thou instantly prepare me\ntents, camels, domestics, guards, and every thing suitable to my\ncondition.\" \"All is ready,\" answered the genie; who, at the same\ninstant taking him from the ledge, conducted him into a splendid\nencampment, where the troops received him with acclamations. He\nordered signals of march to be sounded, and proceeded towards the\ncapital of his father. When he had arrived near the city, he\ncommanded his tents to be pitched on the plain. Immediately his\norders were obeyed, the tents were raised (a most magnificent one\nfor himself), before which the servants raised a gorgeous awning,\nand sprinkled water to lay the dust. The cooks lighted their\nfires, and a great smoke ascended, which filled the plain.\n\nThe inhabitants of the city were astonished at the approach of\nthe army, and when they saw the encampment pitched, supposed it\nto be that of a powerful enemy preparing for assaulting them.\nIntelligence of this unexpected host was conveyed to the sultan;\nwho, on hearing it, instead of alarm, felt a pleasure which he\ncould not account for, and said, \"Gracious Allah! my heart is\nfilled with delight; but why I know not.\" Immediately he\ncommanded his suite to attend, and repaired to the encampment of\nhis son, to whom he was introduced; but the prince being habited\nvery richly, and differently from what he had seen him in, was\nnot known by the sultan.\n\nThe prince received his father with the honours due to his rank,\nand when they were seated, and had entered into conversation,\nsaid, \"What is become of thy youngest son?\" The words were\nscarcely uttered, when the old sultan fell fainting to the earth.\nOn his recovery, he exclaimed, \"Alas! my son's imprudence led him\nto travel, and he has fallen a prey to the beasts of the forest.\"\n\"Be comforted,\" replied the prince; \"the disasters of fortune\nhave not reached thy son, for he is alive and in health.\" \"Is it\npossible?\" cried the sultan; \"ah! tell me where I shall find\nhim!\" \"He is before thee,\" replied the prince: upon which, the\nsultan looking more closely, knew him, fell upon his neck, wept,\nand sunk to the earth overpowered with ecstacy.\n\nWhen the sultan had recovered, he desired his son to relate his\nadventures, which he did from first to last. Just as he had\nfinished the elder brothers arrived, and seeing him in such\nsplendour, hung down their heads, abashed and unable to speak;\nbut yet more envious than ever. The old sultan would have put\nthem to death for their treachery, but the youngest prince said,\n\"Let us leave them to the Almighty, for whoever commits sin will\nmeet its punishment in himself.\"\n\nWhen the husbandman had concluded the above story, the sultan was\nso highly pleased that he presented him with a large sum of\nmoney, and a beautiful slave, inquiring at the same time if he\ncould divert him with another story, to which he replied in the\naffirmative.\n\nOn another night, when the sultan and the countryman had sat down\nto converse, the former desired him to relate some ancient story,\nwhen the latter began as follows.\n\n\n\n\n        Story of a Sultan of Yemen and his three Sons.\n\n\n\nIt has been related, that in the kingdom of Yemen there was a\nsultan who had three sons, two of whom were born of the same\nmother, and the third of another wife, with whom becoming\ndisgusted from some caprice, and having degraded her to the\nstation of a domestic, he suffered her and her son to live\nunnoticed among the servants of the haram. The two former, one\nday, addressed their father, requesting his permission to hunt:\nupon which he presented them each with a horse of true blood,\nrichly caparisoned, and ordered proper domestics to attend them\nto the chase.\n\nWhen they had departed, the unfortunate youngest brother repaired\nto his unhappy mother, and expressed his wishes to enjoy, like\nthe elder princes, the pleasures of the field. \"My son,\" replied\nshe, \"it is not in my power to procure thee a horse or other\nnecessaries.\" Upon this he wept bitterly; when she gave him some\nof her silver ornaments, which he took, and having sold them,\nwith the price purchased a foundered steed. Having mounted it,\nand provided himself with some bread, he followed the track of\nhis brothers for two days, but on the third lost his way. After\nwandering two days more he beheld upon the plain a string of\nemeralds and pearls, which shone with great lustre. Having taken\nit up, he wreathed it round his turban, and returned homewards\nexulting in his prize; but when he had arrived near the city his\nbrothers met him, pulled him from his horse, beat him, and forced\nit from him. He excelled them both in prowess and vigour, but he\nwas fearful of the sultan's displeasure, and his mother's safety,\nshould he punish his insulters. He therefore submitted to the\nindignity and loss, and retired.\n\nThe two cowardly princes entered the palace, and presented the\nstring of jewels to the sultan; who, after admiring it, said, \"I\nshall not rest satisfied till the bird arrives to whom this\ncertainly must have belonged:\" upon which the brothers replied,\n\"We will travel in search of it, and bring it to our august\nfather and sultan.\"\n\nPreparations being made, the brothers departed, and the youngest\nprince having mounted his lame steed followed them. After three\ndays' journey he reached an arid desert, which having passed over\nby great exertion, he arrived almost exhausted at a city; which\non entering he found resounding with the shrieks of lamentation\nand woe. At length he met with a venerable old man, to whom\nhaving made a respectful salute, he inquired of him the cause of\nsuch universal mourning. \"My son,\" replied the old man, \"on a\ncertain day during the last forty-three years, a terrible monster\nhas appeared before our city, demanding a beautiful virgin to be\ndelivered up to him, threatening to destroy it in case of\nrefusal. Unable to defend ourselves, we have complied with his\ndemand, and the damsels of the city have drawn lots for the\ndreadful sacrifice; but this year the chance has fallen upon the\nbeautiful daughter of our sultan. This is the day of the\nmonster's usual arrival, and we are involved in universal\nlamentation for her unhappy fate.\"\n\nWhen the young prince heard the above, he, under the direction of\nthe old man, repaired to the place of the monster's resort,\nresolved to conquer him or die. Scarcely had he reached it, when\nthe princess approached it, splendidly habited, but with a\ndejected head, and drowned in tears. He made a respectful salute,\nwhich she returned, saying, \"Hasten, young man, from this spot,\nfor a monster will soon appear, to whom, by my unhappy fate, I am\ndestined. Should he discover thee, he will tear thee in pieces.\"\n\"Princess,\" replied he, \"I know the circumstance, and am resolved\nto become a ransom for thy beauty.\"\n\nThe prince had hardly uttered these words, when a column of dust\narose; from which with dreadful howlings and fury the monster\nissued, lashing his gigantic sides with his thick tail. The\nprincess shrieked, and wept in the agonies of fear; but the\nprince drawing his sabre, put himself in the way of the savage\nmonster; who, enraged, snorted fire from his wide nostrils, and\nmade a spring at the prince. The gallant youth with wonderful\nagility evaded his talons, and darting from side to side of the\nmonster, watched his opportunity, till rushing upon him, he cleft\nhis head asunder just between his eyes, when the huge creature\nfell down and growled his last in a tremendous roar.\n\nThe princess, on seeing the monster expire, ran to her deliverer,\nwiped the dust and sweat from his face with her veil, uttering\ngrateful thanks, to which he replied, \"Return to thy lamenting\nparents;\" but she would not, and said, \"My lord, and light of my\neyes, thou must be mine and I thine.\" \"That is perhaps\nimpossible,\" rejoined the prince; and hastening from her, he\nreturned to the city, where he took up his lodging in an obscure\ncorner. She now repaired to the palace. On her entrance, the\nsultan and her mother were astonished, and inquired in alarm the\ncause of her return; fearing that she had escaped from the\nmonster, who would in revenge destroy the city.\n\nThe princess related the story of her deliverance by a handsome\nyouth: upon which, the sultan, with his attendants, and most of\nthe inhabitants of the place, repaired to view the monster, whom\nthey found extended dead on the earth. The whole city was now\nfilled with grateful thanksgivings and universal rejoicing. The\nsultan, eager to shew his gratitude to the gallant youth, said to\nthe princess, \"Shouldst thou know thy deliverer wert thou to see\nhim again?\" \"Certainly!\" replied she; for love had impressed his\nimage on her mind too strongly to be ever erased.\n\nThe sultan, upon this, issued a proclamation, commanding every\nmale in the city to pass under the windows of his daughter's\napartment; which was done successively for three days; but she\ndid not recognize her beloved champion. The sultan then inquired\nif all the men of the city had obeyed his commands, and was\ninformed that all had done so, except a young man at a certain\nserai, who was a foreigner, and therefore had not attended. The\nsultan ordered him to appear; and he had no sooner approached the\nwindow than the princess threw down upon his head an embroidered\nhandkerchief, exclaiming, \"This is our deliverer from the fangs\nof the monster.\"\n\nThe sultan now ordered the young prince to be introduced to his\npresence, to which he advanced, making the obeisances customary\nto royal personages in a graceful manner. \"Art thou the destroyer\nof the monster?\" exclaimed the sultan. \"I am,\" answered the\nprince. \"Tell me how I can reward thee?\" replied the sultan. \"My\nrequest to God and your majesty,\" answered the prince, \"is, that\nthe princess thy daughter may be given me in marriage.\" \"Rather\nask me a portion of my treasures,\" rejoined the sultan. Upon\nthis, the officers of the court observed, that as he had saved\nthe princess from death, he was worthy of her; and the sultan at\nlength consenting, the marriage knot was tied. The young prince\nreceived his bride, and the nuptials were consummated. Towards\nthe close of night he arose, and having taken off her ring, put\nhis own in its room on her finger, and wrote upon the palm of her\nhand, \"I am called Alla ad Deen, the son of a potent sultan, who\nrules in Yemen; if thou canst come to me there, well; otherwise\nremain with thy father.\"\n\nWhen the prince had done as above related, he left his bride\nasleep, and quitting the palace and city, pursued his travels;\nduring which he married another wife, whom he had saved from an\nelephant in a similar way: he left her in the same manner as the\nfirst.\n\nWhen the prince had left his second wife, he proceeded in search\nof the bird to whom the string of emeralds and pearls had\nbelonged, and at length reached the city of its mistress, who was\ndaughter to the sultan, a very powerful monarch. Having entered\nthe capital, he walked through several streets, till at last he\nperceived a venerable old man, whose age seemed to be, at least,\nthat of a hundred years, sitting alone. He approached him, and\nhaving paid his respects, sat down, and entering into\nconversation, at length said, \"Canst thou, my uncle, afford me\nany information respecting a bird, whose chain is composed of\npearls and emeralds, or of its mistress?\"\n\nThe old man remained silent, involved in thought, for some\ninstants; after which, he said, \"My son, many sultans and princes\nhave wished to attain this bird and the princess, but failed in\nthe attempt; however, do thou procure seven lambs, kill them,\nflay and cut them up into halves. In the palace are eight courts,\nat the gates of seven of which are placed two hungry lions; and\nin the latter, where the princess resides, are stationed forty\nslaves. Go, and try thy fortune.\"\n\nThe prince having thanked the old man, took his leave, procured\nthe lambs, cut them up as directed, and towards midnight, when\nthe step of man had ceased from passing, repaired to the first\ngate of the palace, before which he beheld two monstrous lions,\ntheir eyes flaming like the mouth of a lighted oven. He cast\nbefore each half a lamb, and while they were devouring it passed\non. By the same stratagem he arrived safely into the eighth\ncourt: at the gate of which lay the forty slaves sunk in profound\nsleep. He entered cautiously, and beheld the princess in a\nmagnificent hall, reposing on a splendid bed; near which hung her\nbird in a cage of gold wire strung with valuable jewels. He\napproached gently, and wrote upon the palm of her hand, \"I am\nAlla ad Deen, son of a sultan of Yemen. I have seen thee\nsleeping, and taken away thy bird. Shouldst thou love me, or wish\nto recover thy favourite, come to my father's capital.\" He then\ndeparted from the palace, and having reached the plain, stopped\nto repose till morning.\n\nThe prince being refreshed, at day-light having invoked Allah to\nprotect him from discovery, travelled till sunset, when he\ndiscovered an Arab encampment, to which he repaired and requested\nshelter. His petition was readily attended to by the chief; who\nseeing him in possession of the bird, which he knew, said to\nhimself, \"This young man must be a favourite of heaven, or he\ncould not have obtained a prize for which so many potent sultans,\nprinces, and viziers, have vainly fallen sacrifices.\" He\nentertained him with hospitality, but asked no questions, and in\nthe morning dismissed him with prayers for his welfare, and a\npresent of a beautiful horse. Alla ad Deen having thanked his\ngenerous host took leave, and proceeded unceasingly till he\narrived within sight of his father's capital. On the plain he was\nagain overtaken by his two brothers, returning from their\nunsuccessful expedition, who seeing the bird and splendid cage in\nhis possession, dragged him suddenly from his horse, beat him\ncruelly, and left him. They entered the city, and presenting the\ncage to their father, framed an artful tale of danger and escapes\nthat they had undergone in procuring it; on hearing which, the\nsultan loaded them with caresses and praises, while the\nunfortunate Alla ad Deen retired bruised and melancholy to his\nunhappy mother.\n\nThe young prince informed his mother of his adventures,\ncomplained heavily of his loss, and expressed his resolves to be\nrevenged upon his envious brothers. She comforted him, entreated\nhim to be patient, and wait for the dispensations of Allah; who,\nin proper season, would shew his power in the revealment of\njustice. We now return to the princess who had lost her bird.\n\nWhen she awoke in the morning, and missed her bird, she was\nalarmed; but on perceiving what was written upon her palm still\nmore so. She shrieked aloud; her attendants ran in, and finding\nher in a frantic state, informed the sultan; who, anxious for her\nsafety, hastened to the apartment. The princess being somewhat\nrecovered, related the loss of her bird, shewed the writing on\nher hand, and declared that she would marry no one but him who\nhad seen her asleep. The sultan finding remonstrances vain,\nagreed to accompany his daughter in search of the prince, and\nissued orders for his army to prepare for a march to Yemen.\n\nWhen the troops were assembled, the sultan conducted his daughter\nto the camp, and on the day following marched; the princess with\nher ladies being conveyed in magnificent equipages. No halt was\nmade till the army arrived near the city, where Alia ad Deen had\ndelivered the daughter of its sultan by killing the elephant. A\nfriendly ambassador being dispatched to request permission to\nencamp and purchase a supply of provisions, he was honourably\nreceived, and the sultan of the city proceeded in great pomp to\nvisit his brother monarch, who then informed him of the object of\nhis expedition. This convinced the other sultan that the stealer\nof the bird must also have been the deliverer of his daughter,\nand he resolved to join in the search. Accordingly, after three\ndays of splendid entertainments and rejoicings, the two sultans,\nwith the two princesses, and their united forces, moved towards\nYemen. Their route lay through the capital, the daughter of whose\nsultan Alla ad Deen had saved from the fangs of the savage\nmonster.\n\nOn the arrival of the allies at this city an explanation similar\nto the last took place, and the third sultan resolved to\naccompany them in search of the husband of his daughter, who\nreadily agreed to join the other princesses. They marched; and on\nthe route the princess who had lost her bird was fully informed\nby the others of the beauty, prowess, and manly vigour of Alla ad\nDeen; which involved her more than ever in anxious impatience to\nmeet him. At length, by continued and uninterrupted movements,\nthe three sultans reached Yemen, and pitched their encampments\nabout sunset on a verdant plain well watered, near the capital.\n\nIt was with much dread and apprehension that the sultan of Yemen\nbeheld such a numerous host encamped so near his residence; but\nhe concealed his fears, and gave proper orders for securing it\nfrom surprise during the night. With the morning his alarms were\nremoved, as the allied sultans dispatched an ambassador with rich\npresents, assurances that they had no hostile intentions, and a\nrequest that he would honour them by a visit to their camp, and\nfurnish it with supplies. The sultan complied with the\ninvitation, and the suite being prepared, he proceeded, attended\nby all his courtiers in the highest magnificence, to the\nencampment; where he was received with due honours. At the\noutposts the three sultans met him, and after the usual greetings\nof ceremony conducted him to a splendid tent made of crimson\nvelvet, the fringes and ropes of which were composed of gold\nthreads, the pins of solid silver, and the lining of the richest\nsilver tissue, embroidered with flowers of raised work in silks\nof all colours, intermixed with foils and gold. It was covered\nwith superb carpets, and at the upper end on a platform spread\nwith gold brocade were placed four stools, the coverings of\nwhich, and the cushions, were magnificent beyond description,\nbeing made of Persian velvet, fringed and flowered with costly\npearls.\n\nWhen the four sultans were seated, and some conversation had\ntaken place, in which the latter was informed of the occasion of\nthe others having marched into his country, the cloth was spread,\nand a magnificent entertainment served up in dishes of agate,\ncrystal, and gold. The basins and ewers for washing were of pure\ngold set with jewels. Such was the richness of every thing, that\nthe sultan with difficulty refrained from shewing his surprise,\nand inwardly exclaimed, \"By Allah, till now I never have beheld\nsuch a profusion of splendour, elegance, and valuable furniture!\"\nWhen the meal was ended, coffee, various sorts of confections,\nand sherbets were brought in; after which the company conversed.\nThe three sultans inquired of their royal guest if he had any\nchildren, to which he replied that he had two sons.\n\nThe sultans then requested that he would send for them: upon\nwhich, their father dispatched a messenger to summon them to his\npresence. They repaired to the camp, mounted on chargers richly\ncaparisoned, and most splendidly dressed. On their entering the\ntent, the princesses, who were seated in a recess concealed from\nview by blinds of gold wire, gazed eagerly at them; and she who\nhad lost her bird inquired of the other two if either of them was\ntheir husband. They replied in the negative, remarking that he\nwas of personal beauty, and dignified appearance, far superior to\nthese princes. The three sultans, also, questioned their\ndaughters on the subject, and received similar answers.\n\nThe sultans, upon this, inquired of the father of the princes if\nhe had any other sons; to which he replied that he had one; but\nthat he had long rejected him, and also his mother, from notice;\nand that they lived among the domestics of the palace. The\nsultans entreated to see him, and he was introduced, but in a\nmean habit. The two princesses whom he had delivered from the\nmonsters and married immediately recognized him, and exclaimed\ntogether, \"This is truly our beloved husband!\" He was then\nembraced by the sultans, and admitted to his wives; who fell upon\nhis neck in transports of joy and rapture, kissing him between\nhis eyes, while the princess who had lost the bird prostrated\nherself before him, covered with a veil, and kissed his hand.\n\nAfter this scene the young prince returned to his father, and the\nother sultans, who received him respectfully, and seated him by\nthem, at which the father was astonished; but more so, when,\nturning to his brothers, he addressed them, saying, \"Which of you\nfirst found the string of emeralds and pearls?\" To this they made\nno reply: when he continued, \"Who of you killed the monster,\ndestroyed the elephant, or, fortifying his mind, dared to enter\nthe palace of this sultan, and bring away the cage with the bird?\nWhen you both, coward-like, rushed upon me, robbed me of my\nprizes, and wounded me, I could easily have overcome you; but I\nfelt that there was a season appointed by Providence for justice\nupon you and my wretched father, who rejected my mother and\nmyself, depriving us of our just claims.\" Having thus spoken, he\ndrew his sabre, and rushing upon the two guilty princes struck\nthem dead, each at one blow. He would, in his rage, have attacked\nhis father; but the sultans prevented him, and having reconciled\nthem, the old sultan promised to leave him his heir, and to\nrestore his mother to her former rank and consequence. His\nnuptials with the third princess were then celebrated; and their\nfathers, after participating for forty days in the magnificent\nentertainments given on the occasion, took leave, and returned to\ntheir several kingdoms. The old sultan finding himself, from age,\nincapable of the cares of government, resigned the throne to his\nson, whose authority was gladly submitted to by the people, who\nadmired his prowess and gallantry.\n\nSome time after his accession to the kingdom, attended only by\nsome select courtiers, and without the cumbrous appendages of\nroyalty, he left his capital upon a hunting excursion. In the\ncourse of the sport, passing over a desert plain, he came to a\nspot where was the opening of a cave, into which he entered, and\nobserved domestic utensils and other marks of its being\ninhabited; but no one was then within it.\n\nThe curiosity of the sultan being excited, he resolved to wait\nuntil the owners of the cave should appear, and cautioned his\nattendants not to mention his rank. He had not sat long, when a\nman was seen advancing with a load of provisions and two skins of\nwater. On his coming to the mouth of the cave, the sultan\naddressed him, saying, \"Whence comest thou, where art thou going,\nand what dost thou carry?\" \"I am,\" replied the man, \"one of three\ncompanions, who inhabit this cave, having fled from our city to\navoid imprisonment, and every ten days one of us goes to purchase\nprovisions: to-day was my turn, and my friends will be here\npresently.\" \"What was the cause of your flight?\" rejoined the\nsultan. \"As to that,\" answered the man, \"it can only be\ncommunicated by the relation of our adventures, which are\ncurious, and if you wish to hear them, stay with us to-night, and\nwe will each, in our turn, relate his own story.\"\n\nThe sultan upon this, said to himself, \"I will not move from this\nspot until I have heard their adventures;\" and immediately\ndispatched his attendants, excepting a few, with orders to bring\nfrom the city some necessaries for the night. \"For,\" thought he,\n\"hearing these stories will be pleasanter than hunting, as they\nmay, perhaps, inform my mind.\" He remained in the cave with his\nfew followers; and soon after arrived the two other inmates, who\nwere succeeded by the sultan's messengers with the requisites for\na substantial repast, of which all partook without ceremony. When\nit was finished, the sultan desired the owners of the cave to\nrelate their adventures; and they replied, \"To hear is to obey:\"\nthe first beginning as follows.\n\n\n\n\n              Story of the First Sharper in the Cave.\n\n\n\nMy father died when I was a youth, leaving my mother and myself\nwith little property, but an old she-goat, which we sold, and\nwith the price bought a calf, and nourished her as well as we\ncould for a whole year; when my mother desired me to go and\ndispose of her in the market. Accordingly I went, and soon\nperceived that there was not a fatter or finer beast in the\nmarket. The company of butchers, composed of forty persons, fixed\ntheir eyes upon the calf, and supposing me an ignorant lad,\nresolved to have her for little or nothing, and feast themselves\nupon her flesh. After concerting among themselves, one of them\ncoming up, said, \"My lad, dost thou mean to sell this she-goat?\"\n\"Goat!\" replied I, \"it is a calf.\" \"Nay,\" answered he, \"surely\nthou must be blind or under enchantment; but, old as the goat is,\nif thou wilt sell it, I will give thee a koorsh for her.\" I\nangrily refused, and he went away; when presently up came\nanother; and, in short, in regular succession the whole forty,\nthe last of whom was the chief of the butchers. I perceived the\nconnivance to cheat me, and resolving to be revenged, said, \"I am\nconvinced I am deceived, so you shall have the goat, if such she\nis, for the koorsh, provided you let me have her tail.\" This was\nagreed to, and it being cut off, I delivered my calf to the chief\nof the butchers, received the money, and returned home.\n\nOn my arrival at home, my mother asked if I had sold the calf; to\nwhich I replied, \"Yes, for a koorsh, and her tail into the\nbargain.\" She thought me stupid or mad, and inquired what I would\ndo with the latter. I answered, \"I will be amply revenged on the\nsharpers, who pretended that my calf was a she-goat, and force\nfrom them, at least, a thousand times the price they gave me.\"\nAfter this, I skinned the tail, cut the leather into thongs, and\ntwisted them into a whip with hard thick knots. I then disguised\nmyself in female attire, taking pains to make myself look as\nhandsome as possible with the assistance of my mother, who put\nsoorma into my eyelids, and arranged my eyebrows, stained my\nhands with hinna, and directed me how to ogle and smile. In\nshort, as I was then a beardless lad, and reckoned comely, I\nappeared as a very desirable maiden in my disguise.\n\nOn my arrival at the house of the chief of the butchers, I found\nhim sitting with his companions in the court. The whole of my\ncalf had been cooked in various ways, and they were just going to\nspread the cloth and feast upon it. On my entrance I made a\nprofound salutation: upon which they all rose up to return it,\nand having seated me welcomely, whispered one to another,\nsaying, \"By Allah, this will be a night of glorious festivity,\nillumined by so much beauty! however, our chief must have the\npreference, this night shall be his; after which we will all cast\nlots for his turn of enjoyment.\"\n\nWhen we had feasted on my calf, and the night was far advanced,\nthe butchers took leave, departed to their homes, and I remained\nalone with the chief, who began to entertain me with amusing\nconversation. Observing a rope hanging from the ceiling of an\napartment, I, as if ignorant of its purpose, inquired the use of\nit; when the venerable chief of the butchers informed me it was\nfor suspending animals to cut up; also, occasionally his\ndependants, whose crimes required the punishment of flogging.\nUpon this I expressed a great desire to be tied with the rope,\ndrawn up, and swung for amusement. \"My dear lady,\" replied he,\n\"the cord will hurt thy delicate skin; but thou shall put it\nround me, draw me up, and see the use without injuring thyself.\"\n\nI consented to the wish of the chief butcher, placed the cord\nunder his arms, and drew him up till the ends of his toes\nscarcely touched the ground. I then secured the rope, and for\nsome moments kept running playfully round him, and tickling his\nsides, which made him laugh with delight. At length, tired of his\nposture, he desired me to release him; but I refused, saying, \"My\ndear chief, I have not yet finished my amusement;\" after which I\ntore the clothes from his back, as if in merriment. When I had\ndone this, I pulled out my whip, which was well knotted, saying,\n\"This is the tail of a she-goat, and not of a calf.\" The butcher\nnow began to be somewhat alarmed, asking me who I was, and whence\nI came? to which I replied, \"I am the owner of the fat calf, of\nwhich thou and thy villanous companions so rascally cheated me.\"\nI then bared my arm to my elbow, and so belaboured his back and\nsides with my whip that he roared in agony; nor did I leave off\ntill his skin was completely flayed, and he fainted from the\npain. After this I searched the apartment, found a bag containing\nthree hundred deenars, some handsome dresses, and other valuable\narticles, all of which I bundled up, and carried off; leaving the\nchief of the butchers, suspended, to his fate. When I had reached\nhome, I gave my prize to my mother, saying, \"This is only part of\nthe value of my calf, which I have just received of the\npurchaser.\"\n\nEarly in the morning the butchers repaired, as usual, to the\nresidence of their chief, and finding the door of the court-yard\nlocked, joked one with another, saying, \"Our old gentleman has\nbeen so fatigued with his happiness that he sleeps longer than\nordinary.\" They waited till near noon, when they called out for\nadmittance; but receiving no answer, became apprehensive of some\ndisaster, and forcing the door, found their chief suspended,\nalmost lifeless, and his scars dropping blood. To their inquiries\ninto the cause of his doleful situation, he replied, \"That\npretended vixen was no woman, but a brawny youth, the owner of\nthe calf; who, in return for our roguery, has flogged me thus,\nand carried off all he could find in my chamber worth having.\"\nThe butchers vowed revenge, saying, \"We will seize and put him to\ndeath;\" but their chief requested them for the present to be\npatient, and carry him to a warm bath, that he might wash and get\nhis wounds dressed.\n\nI observed the chief butcher enter the bathing house alone, while\nhis followers waited at the gate: upon which I went to a\nslaughter-house, poured over my back the blood of a sheep, dabbed\nit with plaisters of cotton, and leaning on a crutch, as if in\nagony of pain, repaired to the bath. At first the butchers\nrefused me admittance, saying their chief was within; but on my\nentreating their compassion for my miserable condition, they at\nlength permitted me to enter. Passing through the different\nrooms, I came to the bath, in which I found the unfortunate chief\nwashing his scars. I pulled out my whip, and having said to him,\n\"Shekh, this is the tail of my calf!\" flogged him again so\nseverely that he fainted; after which I made my escape by another\nentrance to the hummaum, which opened into a different street.\n\nThe butchers growing impatient at the long stay of their chief in\nthe bath, at length entered, and found him in extreme agony. He\ninformed them of this second revenge of the owner of the calf,\nand requested that he would take him into the country, pitch a\ntent for his reception, and remain to guard him till he should be\ncured of his wounds. They did so; but I watched their motions,\nand disguising myself, repaired in the evening towards the tent.\nHere I found a Bedouin Arab, whom I bribed with a piece of gold\nto cry out, \"I am the owner of the calf, and will have the life\nof your chief!\" cautioning him at the same time, after he had so\nexclaimed, to make his escape as quickly as possible from the\nbutchers, who would pursue him. \"I shall not heed them,\" replied\nhe, \"though they may be mounted on the fleetest coursers.\"\n\nHaving said this, the Bedouin went up close to the tents, bawling\nout vociferously, as I had directed him: upon which all the\nbutchers started up and pursued him, but in vain, to a great\ndistance. I then entered the tent in which the chief was reposing\nalone, and pulling out my whip, once more flogged him till he\nroared with agony. When I was tired I bundled up such articles as\nI could lay my hands on; and returning home, presented them to my\nmother, saying, \"Here is the balance of the price of our calf.\"\n\nThe butchers having attempted to overtake the Bedouin, till they\nwere wearied with running, but in vain, returned to their chief,\nwhom they found in a fainting fit from the pain of his wounds.\nHaving sprinkled water on his face, they recovered him so far\nthat he was able to inform them of what had happened; and to\nrequest them to convey him once more to his own house, to give\nout that he was dead of his wounds, and make a mock funeral;\nwhen, possibly, the owner of the calf, believing him departed\nthis life, might cease to torment him.\n\nThe butchers obeyed the commands of their chief, and reporting\nthat he was dead, laid him in a litter, and marched in mournful\nprocession towards the burying ground, followed by a great\nconcourse of people. Mixing with the crowd, in disguise, I at\nlength stooped under the litter, and giving the chief, who lay\nextended in a winding sheet, a smart poke with a pointed stick,\nup he jumped, to the astonishment of the beholders; who cried\nout, \"A miracle! a miracle! the dead is raised to life!\" while I\nmade my escape in the throng; but being fearful that the many\ntricks I had played, especially this last, might excite inquiry,\nand lead to a discovery, I fled from the city, and resolved to\nremain in this cave till curiosity should subside.\n\nThe sultan exclaimed, \"These adventures are surprising;\" when the\nsecond inhabitant of the cave said, \"My lord, my story is much\nmore wonderful than the last; for I contrived not only to be dead\nand buried, but to escape from the tomb.\" \"Possibly,\" said the\nsultan, \"thy adventures may have been stranger than those of this\nman; but if any of you are acquainted with the memoirs of ancient\nmonarchs, I could wish you to relate them; however, at present, I\nmust take you with me to the palace, that I may make you\nwelcome.\" When the men heard this proposition, they were alarmed,\nand cried out, \"What, my lord, would you carry us to the city\nfrom which we have escaped to save our lives?\" \"Fear not,\"\nreplied he, \"I am the sultan, and was amusing myself with hunting\nwhen I chanced to discover your cave.\" They bowed themselves\nbefore him, and exclaimed, \"To hear is to obey;\" after which they\nattended him to the city. On their arrival, the sultan ordered\nthem proper apartments and suitable entertainment, and invested\neach of them with a rich habit. For some days they remained\nenjoying themselves; when, at length, one evening the sultan\ncommanded them to his presence, and requested a narrative, when\none of them related the following story.\n\n\n\n\n                  History of the Sultan of Hind.\n\n\n\nIn ancient days there lived a sultan of Hind, than whom no prince\nof the age was greater in extent of territory, riches, or force;\nbut Heaven had not allotted to him offspring, either male or\nfemale: on which account he was involved in sorrow. One morning,\nbeing even more melancholy than usual, he put on a red habit, and\nrepaired to his divan; when his vizier, alarmed at the robes of\nmourning, said, \"What can have occasioned my lord to put on this\ngloomy habit?\" \"Alas!\" replied the sultan, \"my soul is this\nmorning overclouded with melancholy.\" \"Repair then to the\ntreasury,\" said the vizier, \"and view thy wealth; as, perhaps,\nthe lustre of gold, and the brilliant sparkling of jewels, may\namuse thy senses and disperse thy sorrow.\" \"Vizier,\" answered the\nsultan, \"this world to me is all vanity; I regard nothing but the\ncontemplation of the Deity: yet how can I be relieved from\nmelancholy, since I have lived to this age and he has not blessed\nme with children, either sons or daughters, who are the ornaments\nof manhood in this world?\"\n\nThe sultan had scarcely ceased speaking, when a human figure of a\ndusky hue appeared before him, and said, \"My sovereign, here is a\nconfection left me by my ancestors, with an assurance, that\nwhoever might eat of it would have offspring.\" The sultan eagerly\ntook the confection, and by the blessing of Allah, one of the\nladies of his haram conceived that very night. When her pregnancy\nwas made known to him, the sultan was overjoyed, distributed\nlarge sums in charity to the poor, and every day comforted the\ndistressed by his bounty.\n\nWhen the sultana had gone her full time, she was delivered of a\nson beautiful in aspect, and of graceful person; at which the\nsultan became overjoyed, and on that day set apart one half of\nhis treasures for the use of the infant prince, who was intrusted\nto the charge of experienced nurses. After he had thrived\nsufficiently at the breast he was weaned, and at six years of age\nput under the care of learned tutors, who taught him to write, to\nread the Koran, and instructed him in the other several branches\nof literature. When he had completed his twelfth year, he was\naccomplished in horsemanship, archery, and throwing the lance,\ntill at length he became a distinguished cavalier, and excelled\nthe most celebrated equestrians.\n\nThe young prince being on a certain day hunting in the vicinity\nof the capital, there suddenly appeared soaring and wheeling in\nthe air a bird, whose plumage was of the most beautiful and\nglossy green. The prince let fly an arrow, but without effect,\nand the bird suddenly disappeared. It was in vain that he turned\nhis eye to all quarters, in hopes of again discovering his\nwished-for prey, for the bird had flown out of sight, and the\nprince after searching in all directions till the close of day,\nreturned vexed and much disappointed to his father's palace. On\nhis entrance, the sultan and sultana perceiving his countenance\ngloomy, inquired the cause of his melancholy, when he informed\nthem of the bird: upon which, they said, \"Dear son, the creatures\nof the Almighty are innumerably diversified; and, doubtless,\nthere are many birds as beautiful, and wonderfully more so than\nthis, whose escape you so much regret.\" \"It may be so,\" replied\nthe prince; \"but unless I shall be able to take this, which has\nso captivated my fancy, I will abstain from food.\"\n\nOn the following morning the prince repaired again to the chase,\nand having reached the same spot on the plain, to his great joy\nbeheld the green bird. Having taken a cautious aim, he let fly an\narrow; but she evaded it, and soared before him in the air. The\nprince spurred his courser and followed, keeping his desired prey\nin sight unceasingly till sunset; when both himself and his horse\nbeing exhausted he gave up the pursuit, and returned towards the\ncity. As he was riding slowly, and almost fainting with hunger\nand fatigue, there met him a venerable looking personage, who\nsaid, \"Prince, both thyself and thy charger seem exhausted; what\ncan have been the cause of such over exercise?\" \"Father,\"\nanswered the prince, \"I have been pursuing, but in vain, a\nbeautiful green bird, on which I had set my mind.\" \"Son,\" replied\nthe sage, \"if thou wert to follow it for a whole year's journey,\nthy pursuit would be useless; for thou couldst never take it.\nThis bird comes from a city in the country of Kafoor, in which\nare most delightful gardens abounding in such birds as this, and\nmany other species still more beautiful, some of which sing\nenchantingly, and others talk like human beings; but, alas thou\ncanst never reach that happy spot. Give up then all thoughts of\nthe bird, and seek some other object for a favourite that thou\nmayst enjoy repose, and no longer vex thyself for\nimpossibilities.\" When the prince heard this from the old man, he\nexclaimed, \"By Allah! nothing shall prevent me from visiting the\ncharming country thou hast mentioned;\" and leaving the sage, he\nrode homewards, his mind wholly taken up in meditating on the\nland of Kafoor.\n\nWhen the prince had reached the palace, the sultan perceiving his\ndisordered state, inquired the adventures of the day; and being\ninformed of his fruitless pursuit, and the remarks of the old\nman, said, \"My son, discharge this idle chimera from thy mind,\nnor perplex thyself longer, since he who wishes for an\nimpossibility may pine himself to death, but can never gain his\ndesires: calm then thy soul, nor vex thyself longer in vain.\" \"By\nAllah!\" answered the prince, \"my soul, O my father, is captivated\nwith the desire of possessing this bird more strongly than ever,\nfrom the words of the venerable old man; nor is it possible I can\nenjoy repose till I have travelled to the island of Kafoor, and\nbeheld the gardens containing such a wonderful feathered\nspecies.\" \"Alas! my dear son,\" exclaimed the sultan, \"think how\nafflicting must be to myself and thy mother thy absence from our\nsight, and for our sakes give up such a fruitless expedition.\"\n\nThe prince, notwithstanding the remonstrances of his father,\ncontinued obstinate, and said, \"My travelling is inevitable:\ngrant me then permission, or I will put myself to death.\" \"If\nso,\" exclaimed the affrighted sultan, \"there is no refuge or help\nbut from the omnipotent Allah: well has the proverb remarked,\nthat the nestling would not be restrained from the air, when\nsuddenly the raven pounced upon it and bore it away. Heaven guard\nmy son from the consequences of his imprudence.\" Having said\nthus, the sultan commanded preparations for the requisites of\ntravel, and ordered a force to accompany the headstrong prince;\nwho, having taken leave of his afflicted parents, began his\nexpedition towards the country of Kafoor.\n\nThe prince pursued his journey without any extraordinary\nadventure for a whole month, and at the expiration of it arrived\nat a spot from which branched out three roads. At the junction of\nthem was erected a lofty pyramid, each face fronting one of the\nroads. On one face was inscribed, \"This is named the Path of\nSafety:\" on the second, \"This is called the Way of Repentance:\"\nand on the third, \"Whoever follows this road will not probably\nreturn.\" \"I will pursue this last,\" said the prince to himself,\nand accordingly striking into it, proceeded onwards for twenty\ndays, at the end of which he encamped near a desolated city,\ncrumbling into ruin, wholly destitute of inhabitants. He\ncommanded his attendants, as no provisions could be found in the\ncity, to kill five sheep of the flocks he had brought with him,\nand dress them for their refreshment in various ways. When all\nwere ready, and the simmaut was spread out, having performed his\nablutions, he sat down with his principal followers.\n\nThe prince and his company had scarcely seated themselves, when,\nlo! there advanced from the desolated city a Genie, whom the\nprince seeing, stood up, and thus accosted, \"Hail! and welcome to\nthe sovereign of the Aoon, friendly to his brethren, and ruler of\nthis extensive desert.\" He then addressed him, flatteringly, in\nfluent language and eloquent expression. The hair of this Oone\nGenie hung shaggily over his eyes, and flowed in matted tresses\nupon his shoulders. The prince took out a pair of scissors, and\nhaving condescendingly cut his hair, pared his nails, and washed\nhim, seated him at the cloth, and placed before him the dish\ndressed peculiarly for himself.\n\nThe Oone ate, and was delighted with the affability of the\nprince, whom he addressed, saying, \"By Allah, O Mahummud, son of\na sultan! I am doomed to death by thy arrival here; but what, my\nlord, was thy object in coming?\" Upon this the prince informed\nhim of his having seen the bird, his vain attempts to take her,\nthe account he had received from the old man, and his resolution,\nin consequence of his information, to penetrate to the kingdom of\nKafoor, to visit the gardens, and bring away some of the\nwonderful birds.\n\nWhen the Oone heard this, he said, \"O son of a sultan, that\ncountry to thee is impenetrable, thou canst not reach it; for the\ndistance from hence is a journey of three hundred years to the\nmost laborious traveller; how then canst thou hope to arrive at\nit, much more return? But, my son, the good old proverb remarks,\nthat kindness should be returned with kindness, and evil with\nevil, and that none are so cruel or so benevolent as the\ninhabitants of the desert. As thou hast treated me kindly, so,\nGod willing, shalt thou have a return for thy goodness; but thou\nmust leave here thy attendants and thy effects. Thou and I only\nwill go together, and I will accomplish thy wish in gratitude for\nwhat thou hast done for me.\" The prince immediately retired from\nhis encampment with the Oone, who said, \"Mount upon my\nshoulders.\"\n\nThe prince obeyed the commands of the Oone, who having first\nstopped his rider's ears with cotton, mounted into the air, and\nafter soaring for some hours descended; when the prince found\nhimself in the island of Kafoor, and near the desired garden.\nHaving alighted from the shoulders of the generous Oone, he\nexamined the spot, beheld groves, blooming shrubs, flowers\nbordering clear streams, and beautiful birds chanting various\nmelodies. The Oone said, \"Behold the object, of thy search, enter\nthe garden!\" Upon this the prince left him, passed the gate,\nwhich was open, and entered. He walked on every quarter, and\ndepending from the branches of flowering shrubs saw cages holding\na variety of beautiful birds, two birds in each cage.\n\nThe prince took down a large cage, and having examined the birds,\nplaced in it such as pleased him to the number of six, with which\nhe was preparing to leave the garden; when at the gate a watchman\nmet him, who cried out loudly, \"A robber! a robber!\" Instantly\nnumerous guards rushing out, seized the prince, bound, and\ncarried him before the sultan, to whom they complained, saying,\n\"We found in the garden this young man, carrying off a cage with\nsix birds. He must certainly be a robber.\"\n\nThe sultan addressed the prince, saying, \"What induced thee,\nyouthful stranger, to violate my property, trespass on the\ngarden, and attempt stealing these birds?\" The prince returned no\nanswer: upon which the sultan exclaimed, \"Young man, thou art\nverging upon death; yet still, if thy soul is bent upon having\nthese birds, bring me from the Black Island some bunches of\ngrapes, which are composed of emeralds and diamonds, and I will\ngive thee six birds in addition to those thou hast stolen.\"\nHaving said this, the sultan released the prince, who repaired to\nhis generous friend the Oone, whom he informed of the unlucky\nconclusion of his adventure. \"Our task is an easy one,\" answered\nthe Oone; \"mount upon my shoulders.\"\n\nThe prince did as he was desired, and after two hours flight the\nOone descended and alighted, when the prince found himself in the\nBlack Island. He immediately advanced towards the garden in which\nwas the fruit composed of emeralds and diamonds. On the way a\nmonster met him of terrible appearance.\n\nThe monster sprung at the prince, who, with surprising agility,\ndrawing his sword, wounded the furious beast on the forehead with\nsuch effect, that, uttering a dreadful groan, he fell dead at his\nfeet. It happened, by divine decree, that the sultan's daughter\nlooking from a window of the haram, beheld the combat, and,\nstricken with the manly beauty and prowess of the prince,\nexclaimed, \"Who can withstand thy courage, or who resist thy all\nconquering charms?\" But he did not see the princess, or hear her\napplause.\n\nThe prince, after having slain the monster, proceeded to the\ngarden, the gate of which he found open, and on entering,\nperceived variety of artificial trees composed of precious\nstones. Among them was one resembling the vine, the fruits of\nwhich were of emeralds and diamonds. He plucked off six bunches,\nand was quitting the garden when a sentinel met him; who, being\nalarmed, cried out, \"A robber! a robber!\" The guards rushed out,\nand having bound him, carried him before the sultan, saying, \"My\nlord, we found this youth stealing the fruit from the garden of\njewels.\"\n\nThe sultan was enraged, and on the point of ordering him to be\nput to death, when a number of persons entered, crying out, \"Good\ntidings to our sovereign.\" \"On what account?\" exclaimed the\nsultan. \"The horrible monster,\" replied they, \"who used annually\nto appear and devour our sons and daughters, we have just now\nfound dead and cloven in two.\" The sultan was so rejoiced at this\nhappy event, that he refrained from the blood of the prince, and\nexclaimed, \"Whoever has destroyed this monster let him come to\nme, and I swear by Allah, who has invested me with royalty, that\nI will give him my daughter in marriage; and whatever else he may\ndesire, even to the half of my empire.\"\n\nUpon the sultan's declaration being proclaimed, several young men\nappeared, pretending that they had killed the monster, and gave\nvarious accounts of the combat, which made the prince smile. \"By\nAllah! it is strange,\" said the sultan, \"that a youth in such a\nperilous situation should be so unconcerned as to smile.\" While\nthe sultan was ruminating on this occurrence, a eunuch entered\nfrom the haram, requesting that he would come and speak to the\nprincess his daughter, who had business of importance to\ncommunicate; upon which the sultan arose, and retired from the\nhall of audience.\n\nWhen the sultan had entered the princess's apartment, he said,\n\"What can have happened which has occasioned you to send for me\nso suddenly?\" She replied, \"Is it thy wish to know who slew the\nmonster, and to reward the courageous hero?\" \"By Allah,\" answered\nthe sultan, \"who created subjects and their sovereigns, if I can\ndiscover him, my first offer to him shall be to espouse thee,\nwhatever be his condition, or though he dwell in the most distant\nregion.\" The princess rejoined, \"No one slew the monster but the\nyouth who entered the garden of gems, and was bearing off the\nfruit, whom thou wast just now on the point of putting to death.\"\n\nWhen the sultan heard the above from his daughter, he returned to\nthe divan, and calling the prince before him, said, \"Young man, I\ngrant thee thy pardon; art thou he who destroyed the monster?\" \"I\nam,\" replied the prince. The sultan would instantly have summoned\nthe cauzee to perform the espousals; but the prince said, \"I have\na friend to consult; permit me to retire, and I will soon\nreturn.\" The sultan consented, saying, \"Thy request is but\nreasonable; but come back quickly.\" The prince having repaired to\nhis friend the Oone, informed him of what had happened to him,\nand of the offer of the sultan's daughter in marriage: upon which\nthe Oone said, \"Accept the princess; but on condition that, if\nyou marry her, you shall be allowed to carry her to your own\nkingdom.\" The prince having returned to the sultan, proposed his\nterms, which were readily agreed to, and the nuptials were\ncelebrated with the most splendid magnificence. After abiding in\nthe palace of the sultan for a month and three days, he requested\npermission to depart with his bride towards his own country,\nwhich was granted.\n\nOn the departure of the prince, his father-in-law presented him\nwith a hundred bunches of the grapes composed of emeralds and\ndiamonds, and he repaired to his friend the Oone; who, having\nfirst stopped their ears with cotton, mounted them upon his\nshoulders, and soaring into the air, after two hours descended\nnear the capital of the island of Kafoor. The prince, taking four\nbunches of the jewelled fruit, hastened to the palace, and laid\nthem before the sultan; who, in astonishment, exclaimed, \"Surely,\nthis young stranger must be a powerful magician, or how could he\nhave travelled the distance of three hundred years' journey, and\nhave accomplished his purpose in less time than three months!\nSuch an action is truly miraculous. Hast thou, indeed, young\nman,\" said the sultan, \"been at the Black Island?\" \"I have,\"\nanswered the prince. \"Describe it to me,\" replied the sultan,\n\"its appearance, its buildings, its gardens, and rivers.\" The\nprince having answered all his queries, the sultan said, \"Noble\nyouth, you may assuredly ask of me whatever you wish!\" \"I want\nnothing but the birds,\" rejoined the prince. \"They are thine,\"\nreturned the sultan; \"but annually on a certain day, and this is\nit, there descends from yonder mountain a monstrous vulture,\nwhich tears in pieces our men, women, and children; and having\nflown away with them in his gigantic talons devours their flesh.\nI have a beautiful daughter, whom, if thou canst overcome this\ncalamitous monster, I will give to thee in marriage.\"\n\nThe prince replied, \"I will consult my friend;\" and then returned\nto the Oone, whom he informed of the offer; but he had scarcely\ndone speaking, when, lo! the vulture appeared: upon which the\nOone, ascending into the air, attacked the monster, and after a\nfierce combat, tore him into halves; after which he descended to\nthe prince, and said, \"Go to the sultan, and acquaint him that\nhis destructive enemy is slain.\"\n\nThe prince did as he was directed: upon which the sultan with his\ntrain, and an immense crowd of the inhabitants of the city, came\nout on horseback, and beheld the monstrous vulture, stretched\ndead on the ground, torn in halves. The sultan then conducted the\nprince of Hind to the palace; where his marriage with the\nprincess was instantly celebrated, amid the highest festivity and\nrejoicings; and after remaining a full month at the sultan's\ncourt, he requested leave to depart; when his father-in-law\npresented him with ten cages, in each of which were four of the\nbeautiful birds of variously coloured plumage, and dismissed him,\nafter an affectionate farewell, with his daughter.\n\nThe prince having departed from the sultan repaired to his\nfaithful friend the Oone, who welcomed his return; and having\nmounted him upon his back with his two brides, his jewel fruit,\nand the cages, immediately ascended into the air, from whence,\nafter soaring for some hours, he gradually descended, and\nalighted near the ruined city, where the prince had left his\ntents, cattle, and followers, whom he found anxiously expecting\nhis arrival. The friendly Oone had scarcely set him down, when he\nsaid to the prince, \"My young friend Mahummud, the obligation\nalready conferred upon me by thy coming here was great; but I\nhave one more favour to request.\" \"What can that be?\" replied the\nprince. \"That thou leave not this spot,\" continued the Oone,\n\"until thou hast washed my corpse, enshrouded, and laid it in the\ngrave.\" Having said thus, the Oone suddenly uttered one loud\ngroan, and instantly his soul took its flight from the body. The\nastonished prince stood for some time overpowered with sorrow;\nbut at length recovering himself, he, with the assistance of his\ndomestics, washed the corpse, wrapped it in a winding sheet, and\nhaving prayed over it, deposited it in the earth.\n\nThe funeral ceremonies of his friend being over, he commenced his\nmarch homewards, and after three days arrived in sight of the\ninscribed pyramid, near which he perceived an extensive\nencampment, which, on reconnoitring, he found to be that of his\nfather. The aged sultan, unable to bear the absence of his son,\nhad marched from his capital in hopes of overtaking him; but on\nhis arrival at the junction of the three ways, being confounded\nat the sight of the inscriptions, he had halted, not knowing\nwhere to proceed. Great was his joy on discovering the prince\nadvancing towards that face of the pyramid on which was engraved,\n\"Whoever travels this road will probably never return.\" When the\nraptures of meeting and mutual congratulations were over, the\nprince informed the sultan of his wonderful and successful\nadventures, which overpowered him with astonishment and joy.\nAfter reposing a few days, they proceeded towards the capital of\nthe sultan; where tidings having arrived of their approach, the\ninhabitants ornamented the city with silks, carpets, and\ntransparent paintings; and the nobles and respectable persons\nissued forth with splendid trains to meet and congratulate their\nsovereign and the prince, who entered in triumphal procession,\namid the greatest rejoicings and prayers for their welfare and\nprosperity.\n\n\n\n\n                 STORY OF THE FISHERMAN'S SON.\n\n\n\nA fisherman's son having in company with his father caught a\nlarge fish, the latter proposed to present it to the sultan, in\nhopes of receiving a great reward. While he was gone home to\nfetch a basket, the son, moved by compassion, returned the fish\ninto the water; but fearful of his father's anger, fled from his\ncountry, and repaired to a distant city, where he was entertained\nby a person as a servant. Strolling one day in the market, he saw\na Jew purchase of a lad a cock at a very high price, and send it\nby his slave to his wife, with orders to keep it safely till his\nreturn home. The fisherman's son supposing that as the Jew gave\nso great a price for the cock it must possess some extraordinary\nproperty, resolved to obtain it; and, accordingly, having bought\ntwo large fowls, carried them to the Jew's wife, whom he informed\nthat her husband had sent him for the cock, which he had\nexchanged for the fowls. She gave it him; and he having retired,\nkilled the bird, in whose entrails he found a magical ring; which\nbeing rubbed by his touch, a voice proceeded from it demanding\nwhat were the commands of its possessor, which should be\nimmediately executed by the genii who were servants of the ring.\nThe fisherman's son was rejoiced at his good fortune, and while\nmeditating what use he should make of his ring, passed by the\nsultan's palace, at the gates of which were suspended many human\nheads. He inquired the reason, and was informed that they were\nthose of unfortunate princes, who having failed in performing the\nconditions on which the sultan's daughter was offered them in\nmarriage, had been put to death. Hoping to be more fortunate than\nthem by the aid of his ring, he resolved to demand the princess's\nhand. He rubbed the ring, when the voice asked his commands: upon\nwhich he required a rich dress, and it was instantly laid before\nhim. He put it on, repaired to the palace, and being introduced\nto the sultan, demanded his daughter to wife. The sultan\nconsented, on condition that his life should be forfeited unless\nhe should remove a lofty and extensive mound of sand that lay on\none side of the palace, which must be done before he could wed\nthe princess. He accepted the condition; but demanded an interval\nof forty days to perform the task. This being agreed to, he took\nhis leave, and having repaired to his lodging, rubbed his ring,\ncommanded the genii to remove the mound, and erect on the space\nit covered a magnificent palace, and to furnish it suitably for a\nroyal residence. In fifteen days the task was completed; he was\nwedded to the princess, and declared heir to the sultan. In the\nmean while, the Jew whom he had tricked of the cock and the\nmagical ring resolved to travel in search of his lost prize, and\nat last arrived at the city, where he was informed of the\nwonderful removal of the mound, and the erection of the palace.\nHe guessed that it must have been done by means of his ring, to\nrecover which he planned the following stratagem. Having\ndisguised himself as a merchant, he repaired to the palace, and\ncried for sale valuable jewels. The princess hearing him, sent an\nattendant to examine them and inquire their price, when the Jew\nasked in exchange only old rings. This being told to the\nprincess, she recollected that her husband kept an old shabby\nlooking ring in his writing stand, and he being asleep, she took\nit out, and sent it to the Jew; who, knowing it to be the one he\nhad so long sought for, eagerly gave for it all the jewels in his\nbasket. He retired with his prize, and having rubbed the ring,\ncommanded the genii to convey the palace and all its inhabitants,\nexcepting the fisherman's son, into a distant desert island,\nwhich was done instantly. The fisherman's son, on awaking in the\nmorning, found himself lying on the mound of sand, which had\nreoccupied its old spot. He arose, and in alarm lest the sultan\nshould put him to death in revenge for the loss of his daughter,\nfled to another kingdom as quickly as possible. Here he endured a\ndisconsolate life, subsisting on the sale of some jewels, which\nhe happened to have upon his dress at his flight. Wandering one\nday through a town, a man offered him for sale a dog, a cat, and\na rat, which he purchased, and kept, diverting his melancholy\nwith their tricks, and uncommon playfulness together. These\nseeming animals proved to be magicians; who, in return for his\nkindness, agreed to recover for their master his lost prize, and\ninformed him of their intention. He eagerly thanked them, and\nthey all set out in search of the palace, the ring, and the\nprincess. At length they reached the shore of the ocean, after\nmuch travel, and descried the island on which it stood, when the\ndog swam over, carrying on his back the cat and the rat. Being\nlanded, they proceeded to the palace; when the rat entered, and\nperceived the Jew asleep upon a sofa, with the ring laid before\nhim, which he seized in his mouth, and then returned to his\ncompanions. They began to cross the sea, as before, but when\nabout half over the dog expressed a wish to carry the ring in his\nmouth. The rat refused, lest he should drop it; but the dog\nthreatened, unless he would give it him, to dive and drown them\nboth in the sea. The rat, alarmed for his life, complied with his\ndemand: but the dog missed his aim in snatching at the ring,\nwhich fell into the ocean. They landed, and informed the\nfisherman's son of his loss: upon which he, in despair, resolved\nto drown himself; when suddenly, as he was going to execute his\npurpose, a great fish appearing with the ring in his mouth, swam\nclose to shore, and having dropped it within reach of the\ndespairing youth, miraculously exclaimed, \"I am the fish which\nyou released from captivity, and thus reward you for your\ngenerosity.\" The fisherman's son, overjoyed, returned to his\nfather-in-law's capital, and at night rubbing the ring, commanded\nthe genii to convey the palace to its old site. This being done\nin an instant, he entered the palace, and seized the Jew, whom he\ncommanded to be cast alive into a burning pile, in which he was\nconsumed. From this period he lived happily with his princess,\nand on the death of the sultan succeeded to his dominions.\n\n\n\n\n             STORY OF ABOU NEEUT AND ABOU NEEUTEEN;\n            OR, THE WELL-INTENTIONED AND THE DOUBLE-MINDED.\n\n\n\nA person named Abou Neeut, or the well-intentioned, being much\ndistressed in his own country, resolved to seek a better livelihood in\nanother. Accordingly he took with him all he possessed, being only one\nsingle sherif, and began his journey. He had not travelled far when\nthere overtook him a man, who entertained him with his conversation;\nin the course of which it appeared that his name was Abou Neeuteen, or\ndouble-minded. Being upon the same scheme, they agreed to seek their\nfortunes together, and it was settled that Abou Neeut should be the\npurse-bearer of the common stock. The other possessed ten sherifs.\n\nAfter some days of toilsome journey they reached a city; on\nentering which, a beggar accosted them, crying out, \"Worthy\nbelievers, disburse your alms and ye shall be rewarded ten-fold.\"\nUpon this, Abou Neeut gave him a sherif; when his companion,\nenraged at what he thought prodigality, demanded back his money,\nwhich was given him, and he marched off leaving his new friend\nwithout any thing. Abou Neeut, resigned to his fate, and relying\non Providence, proceeded to a mosque to pay his devotions, hoping\nto meet some charitable person who would relieve his necessities;\nbut he was mistaken. For a night and day he remained in the\nmosque, but no one offered him charity. Pressed by hunger, he in\nthe dusk of evening stole out, and wandered with fainting steps\nthrough the streets. At length perceiving a servant throwing the\nfragments from an eating cloth, he advanced, and gathering them\nup, sat down in a corner, and gnawed the bones and half-eaten\nmorsels with eagerness; after which, lifting up his eyes towards\nheaven, he thanked God for his scanty meal. The servant, who had\nobserved his motions, was surprised and affected at his wretched\ncondition and devotion, of which he informed his master; who,\nbeing a charitable man, took from his purse ten sherifs, which he\nordered the servant to give to Abou Neeut.\n\nThe servant, through avarice, having retained one sherif as a\nperquisite, delivered the rest to Abou Neeut; who, having counted\nthe money, thanked God for his bounty; but said, agreeably to the\nscriptural declaration he ought to have had ten-fold for the\nsherif he had given to the beggar. The master of the servant\noverhearing this, called Abou Neeut up stairs; and having seated\nhim, inquired his story, which he faithfully related to his host,\nwho was a capital merchant, and was so much pleased at his pious\nsimplicity, that he resolved to befriend him, and desired him to\nabide for the present in his house.\n\nAbou Neeut had resided some days with his friendly host, when the\nseason arrived at which the merchant, who was punctual in\ndischarging the duties of religion, having examined his stock,\nset apart the tenth of it in kind, and bestowed it upon his\nguest, whom he advised to open a shop and try his fortune in\ntrade. Abou Neeut did so, and was so successful, that in a few\nyears he became one of the most reputable merchants in the place.\n\nAt the end of this period, sitting one day in his warehouse, he\nsaw in the streets wretchedly habited, lean, and with eyes sunken\nand dim, his old companion Abou Neeuteen, begging alms of\npassengers with the importunate cry of distress. Abou Neeut\ncompassionating his miserable situation, ordered a servant to\ncall him to him; and on his arrival, having seated him, sent for\nrefreshments to relieve his immediate want. He then invited him\nto spend the night at his house; and in the evening, having shut\nup his warehouse, conducted him home, where a bath was made warm\nfor him, and when he had bathed, he was presented with a change\nof handsome apparel. Supper was served, and when they had eaten\ntill they were satisfied they conversed on several subjects. At\nlength Abou Neeut exclaimed, \"Dost thou not recollect me, my\nbrother?\" \"No, by Allah, most liberal host,\" replied the other;\n\"but who art thou?\" \"I was,\" answered Abou Neeut, \"the companion\nof thy travel at such a period; but my disposition is still\nunchanged, nor have I forgotten our old connection. Half of what\nI possess is thine.\"\n\nHaving said this, Abou Neeut balanced his accounts, and gave half\nof his property to his distressed fellow traveller; who with it\nstocked a warehouse, and traded for himself with good success.\nFor some time the two friends lived near each other in great\nrepute, when Abou Neeuteen growing restless, requested Abou Neeut\nto quit their present abode, and travel for recreation and\nprofit. \"My dear friend,\" replied Abou Neeut, \"why should we\ntravel? have we not here affluence and ease, and what more can we\nenjoy in any part of the world?\" This remonstrance had no effect\non Abou Neeuteen, who became so importunate, that at length his\nkind friend yielded to his whim; they loaded an ample stock of\nmerchandize on mules and camels, and departed for the city of\nMoussul.\n\nAfter travelling ten days, they one evening encamped near a deep\nwell, round which they took up their lodging. In the morning Abou\nNeeut, by his own desire, was let down into the well, more\nreadily to fill the water bags for the use of the caravan, men\nand cattle, little apprehending what was by Providence decreed to\nbefall him; for his ungrateful friend, who envied his prosperity,\nand coveted his wealth, having loaded the beasts, cut the rope at\nthe top of the well, and leaving him to his fate, departed.\n\nAbou Neeut remained all day without food, but humbly putting his\ntrust in Allah for deliverance. About the middle of the following\nnight he overheard two Afreets in conversation with each other,\nwhen one said, \"I am now perfectly happy: for at length I have\npossessed the beautiful princess of Moussul, and no one can drive\nme away, unless by sprinkling the infusion of wormwood under her\nfeet on a Friday during divine service in the great mosque, a\nrecipe which will hardly be found out.\" \"I,\" continued the other\nAfreet, \"have been as fortunate as yourself: for I am in\npossession of such a hidden treasure of gold and jewels, under\nthe mound near Moussul, as cannot be computed, the talisman of\nwhich cannot be opened to any one unless by killing on the mound\na white cock, and pouring over it the blood; which secret I\njudge, will not be found out by man.\" Having said this, the\nAfreets took their flight from the well.\n\nAbou Neeut treasured up in his mind the conversation of the\nAfreets, and at day-light was happily delivered from the well by\nthe arrival of a caravan, some of the followers of which were let\ndown to fill water, and having discovered him, charitably drew\nhim up, and gave him some refreshments. When he was somewhat\nrevived by them, they inquired by what accident he had remained\nin the well; and he, concealing the treachery of his ungrateful\ncompanion, informed them that having reposed to sleep on the edge\nhe had fallen in, and not being missed at the time by his fellow\ntravellers, the caravan had proceeded on its journey. He then\nbegged leave to accompany his generous deliverers to Moussul, to\nwhich they agreed, and liberally furnished him with a conveyance.\n\nOn entering the city Abou Neeut perceived all the people in\nmotion, and on inquiring the reason, was informed that they were\nhastening to the great square before the palace, to see the\nbeheading of a physician, who had failed in attempting to expel\nan evil spirit that had long possessed the daughter of the\nsultan, and that such had been the fate of many unhappy men who\nhad tried their skill upon the unfortunate princess. Upon this\nintelligence he hastened with all speed to the palace, and having\nobtained admission to the sultan, made the usual prostrations;\nafter which he offered to expel the evil spirit, and begged as\npart of his reward the sparing of the life of the unsuccessful\nphysician. To this the sultan for the present agreed; but\ndeclared, that should Abou Neeut fail in his undertaking, he\nwould execute them together, as ignorant pretenders in their art.\nAbou Neeut then begged that the trial of his skill might be\ndeferred till the Friday, which he requested of the sultan might\nbe solemnly observed, as the devout prayers of all true believers\nwould draw down a blessing on his operations. The sultan\nconsented; the unfortunate physician was released from the\nexecutioner, and commanded to be kept in the palace, in which\nAbou Neeut had also an apartment allotted him. Proclamation was\nthen made through the city for the strict celebration of the\napproaching sabbath, under pain of the royal displeasure on those\nwho should neglect it.\n\nFriday being arrived, and the whole city assembled at prayers,\nAbou Neeut prepared his infusion of wormwood, as the Afreet had\nmentioned. Being introduced into the apartment of the princess,\nwho lay in a melancholy stupor, he poured the infusion upon her\nfeet, when a loud yell was heard near her, and she starting up,\nas if from sleep, called upon her attendants to assist her in\nrising. News was immediately conveyed to the sultan of the\nprincess's recovery, and he came overjoyed to witness her\nreturned senses. He commanded public rejoicings to be made, large\nsums to be distributed in alms, and desired Abou Neeut to demand\nwhat he chose in reward for his important service, at the same\ntime ordering the unsuccessful physician to be set at liberty,\nwith a handsome present.\n\nAbou Neeut, who had been captivated by the beauty of the princess,\nasked, as his reward, her hand in marriage: upon which the sultan\nconsulted with his viziers, who advised him to dismiss the petitioner\nfor the present, with orders to return in the morning, when he should\nreceive the sultan's decision on a request which demanded much\nconsideration. When Abou Neeut had retired, the viziers represented to\nthe sultan, that it was fitting the husband of his daughter should at\nleast possess great wealth: for though Abou Neeut had expelled the\nevil spirit, yet if he could not support her in a manner becoming her\nrank, he was not worthy to marry her. They, therefore, advised him to\nselect a number of his most valuable jewels, to shew them to Abou\nNeeut, and demand as a dowry for the princess some of equal\nestimation; which if he could produce he was ready to receive him as\nhis son-in-law; but if not, he must accept a compensation for his\nservices more suited to his condition than the royal alliance.\n\nOn Abou Neeut's appearance at court the next morning the sultan\ndisplayed the jewels, and made the proposal advised by his\nviziers; when looking with the utmost indifference upon the\nbrilliant stones before him, he assured the sultan that he would\nthe next day present him with ten times the number, of superior\nvalue and lustre; which declaration astonished the whole court,\nas it was known that no prince possessed richer gems than those\nin possession of the sultan of Moussul.\n\nAbou Neeut having taken leave of the sultan proceeded to the\npoultry market, and having purchased a cock entirely white and\nfree from blemish, brought it to his lodgings, where he continued\ntill the rising of the moon, when he walked out of the city\nalone, and speeded to the mound of blueish earth mentioned by the\nAfreet of the well to contain the invaluable hidden treasure.\nBeing arrived at the mound, he ascended it, cut the throat of the\ncock, whose blood began to flow, when, lo! the earth shook, and\nsoon made an opening, through which, to his great satisfaction,\nhe perceived such heaps of inestimable precious stones, of all\nsorts, as are not to be adequately described, Abou Neeut now went\nback to the city, where, having procured ten camels, with two\npanniers on each, he returned and loaded them with his treasure,\nwhich he conveyed to his lodging, having first filled up the\ncavity of the mound.\n\nIn the morning Abou Neeut repaired with his loaded camels to the\npalace, and entering the court of the divan, in which the sultan\nsat expecting him, after a profound obeisance, cried out,\n\"Descend for a moment, my lord, and examine the dowry of the\nprincess.\" The sultan, arising from his throne, came down the\nsteps of the hall, and the camels being made to kneel, he\nexamined the panniers, and was so astonished at the richness of\ntheir contents, being jewels far surpassing his own in size and\nlustre, that he exclaimed, \"By Allah! if the treasuries of all\nthe sultans of the world were brought together they could not\nafford gems equal to these.\" When somewhat recovered from his\nsurprise, he inquired of his viziers how he should now act\ntowards Abou Neeut; when they all unanimously cried out, \"By all\nmeans give him your daughter.\" The marriage was then immediately\ncelebrated with great splendour, and Abou Neeut conducted himself\nso well in his high station, that the sultan his father-in-law\ncommitted to him the giving public audience in his stead, and the\ndecision of all appeals, three days in each week.\n\nSome time had elapsed after his elevation, when Abou Neeut one\nday giving audience in the magnificent hall of one of his country\npalaces, beheld a man among the crowd of a sorrowful aspect,\ndressed in a wretched habit, who cried, \"O true believers, O\ncharitable gentlemen, relieve the distressed!\" Abou Neeut\ncommanded one of his mace-bearers to bring him to his presence,\nand on his appearance recognized his treacherous companion who\nhad left him in the well. Without making himself known, or\nbetraying any emotion but that of compassion, he ordered\nattendants to conduct him to the warm bath; in which being\nrefreshed, he was arrayed in a magnificent habit, and again\nbrought to the divan. Abou Neeut having retired with him into a\ncloset, said, \"Knowest them me not, my old friend?\" \"No, by\nAllah,\" replied the other. \"Know then,\" returned he, \"that I am\nAbou Neeut, thy benefactor and companion, whom you treacherously\nleft in the well.\" He then related all his adventures, concluding\nthem with an assurance, that so far from resenting his treachery,\nhe regarded his conduit as the impulse of fate, and as the means\nby which he, himself, had attained his present dignity and\naffluence, which he would share with him. The envious heart of\nAbou Neeuteen was unconquerable; and instead of thanking the\nnoble-minded Abou Neeut for his forgiveness and liberality, he\nexclaimed, \"Since the well has been to thee so fortunate, why\nshould it not prove so also to me?\" Having said this, he hastily\nrose up and quitted Abou Neeut, who would not punish such\nrudeness, even without taking leave.\n\nAbou Neeuteen hastened with all speed to the well, and having\ndescended by a rope, sat down, impatiently expecting the arrival\nof the Afreets, who about midnight alighted, and resting\nthemselves on the terrace above, began to inquire each other's\nadventures. \"Since we met last,\" said one, \"I have been rendered\nmiserable; for a cunning Mussulmaun found out the secret of\noverpowering me, and has married my princess, nor can I revenge\nmyself, for he is under the protection of a converted genie, whom\nthe prophet has appointed to watch over him.\" \"I,\" continued the\nother Afreet, \"have been equally unfortunate with thyself; for\nthe same man who has wedded thy mistress discovered my hidden\ntreasure, and keeps it in spite of my attempts to recover it: but\nlet us fill up this abominable well, which must have been the\ncause of all our disasters.\" Having said thus, the two Afreets\nimmediately hurled the terrace and large stones into the well,\nwhich crushed the ungrateful and envious Abou Neeuteen to atoms.\nSome days after this, the good Abou Neeut, finding he did not\nreturn, repaired to the well, and seeing it fallen in, ordered it\nto be cleared; when the discovery of the body proved to him that\nthe malicious spirit of the wretch had been the cause of his own\ndestruction. He with reverence exclaimed, \"There is no refuge but\nwith the Almighty; may he preserve us from envy, which is\ndestructive to the envious alone!\"\n\nAbou Neeut returned to the capital, where, not long after, his\nfather-in-law the sultan dying, left him heir to his kingdom. His\nsuccession was disputed by the husbands of the two elder sisters\nof his wife; but the ministers and people being in favour of the\nsultan's will, they resigned their pretensions and submitted to\nhis authority. His wife being brought to bed of a son, her\nsisters bribed the midwife to pretend that the sultana had\nproduced a dog. They did the same by another son. At the third\nlying-in of the sultana Abou Neeut resolved to be present, and a\nbeautiful princess appeared. The two infant princes having been\nthrown at the gate of one of the royal palaces, were taken up by\nthe gardener and his wife, who brought them up as their own. Abou\nNeeut in visiting the garden with his daughter, who shewed an\ninstinctive affection for them, from this, and their martial play\nwith each other (having made horses of clay, bows and arrows,\n&c.), was induced to inquire of the gardener whether they were\nreally his own children. The gardener upon this related the\ncircumstance of his having found them exposed at the gate of the\npalace, and mentioned the times, which agreed exactly with those\nof the sultana's delivery. Abou Neeut then questioned the\nmidwife, who confessed the imposition and wickedness of the\nsisters, whom he left to be punished by the pangs of their own\nconsciences, convinced that envy is its own severest tormentor.\nThe young princes were acknowledged; and the good Abou Neeut had\nthe satisfaction of seeing them grow up to follow his example.\n\n\n\n\n              ADVENTURE OF A COURTIER, RELATED BY\n           HIMSELF TO HIS PATRON, AN AMEER OF EGYPT.\n\n\n\nIt is related by an historian that there was an ameer of the land\nof Egypt, whose mind being one night unusually disturbed, he sent\nfor one of his courtiers, a convivial companion, and said to him,\n\"To-night my bosom, from what cause I know not, is uncommonly\nrestless, and I wish thee to divert me by some amusing\nnarrative.\" The courtier replied, \"To hear is to obey: I will\ndescribe an adventure which I encountered in the youthful part of\nmy life.\"\n\nWhen a very young man I was deeply in love with a beautiful Arab\nmaiden, adorned by every elegance and grace, who resided with her\nparents; and I used frequently to visit their camp, for her\nfamily was one of the desert tribes. One day my mind felt\nuncommonly anxious concerning her, and I resolved to seek relief\nby a visit; but when I reached the spot found neither my beloved\nnor any of her kindred. I questioned some passengers, who\ninformed me that the family had removed their encampment from\nscarcity of forage for their herds and camels. I remained for\nsome time on the ground; but observing no signs of their return,\nmy impatience of absence became intolerable, and my love\ncompelled me to travel in search of my charmer. Though the shades\nof evening were falling, I replaced the saddle upon my camel, put\non my vestments, and girding on my sabre proceeded. I had\nadvanced some distance, when the night became dismally black, and\nfrom the darkness I now sunk into sands and hollows, and now\nascended declivities, while the yells of wild beasts resounded on\nevery quarter. My heart beat with apprehension, and my tongue did\nnot cease to repeat the attributes of the Almighty, our only\ndefender in time of need. At length stupor overcame my senses,\nand I slept; while my camel quitted the track, and wandered from\nthe route I had meant to pursue all night. Suddenly my head was\nviolently intercepted by the branch of a tree, and I was awakened\nby the blow, which gave me infinite pain. As I recovered myself I\nbeheld trees, verdure sprinkled with flowers, and a clear\nrivulet; also a variety of birds, whose notes were melodiously\nsweet. I alighted from my camel, and laid the bridle on my arm,\nas the underwood of the thicket was closely entwined.\n\nI did not cease leading my camel till I was out of the thicket,\nwhen I remounted; but at a loss which way to go, and unknowing\nwhere Providence might direct me, I reached the desert, and cast\nmy eyes over the expanse; when, lo! at length a smoke appeared in\nthe midst of it. I whipped my camel, and at length reached a\nfire, and near it observed a handsome tent, before which was a\nstandard planted, surrounded by spears, horses picketted, and\ncamels grazing. I said to myself, \"What can mean this tent, which\nhas a grand appearance, in so solitary a plain?\" I then went to\nthe rear of the tent, and exclaimed, \"Health to you, O\ninhabitants of this tent, and may the Almighty to you be\nmerciful!\" Upon this there advanced from it a youth, seemingly\nabout nineteen, who appeared graceful as the rising moon, and\nvalour and benevolence gleamed upon his aspect. He returned my\nsalutation, and said, \"Brother Arab, perchance thou hast missed\nthy way.\" I answered, \"Yes, shew it, and may God requite thee!\"\nupon which he replied, \"My dwelling, brother Arab, is at present\nin this wild spot; but the night is dreary, and shouldst thou\nproceed there is no surety against wild beasts tearing thee in\npieces. Lodge, then, at present with me in safety, and repose,\nand when day shall appear I will direct thee on thy way.\" I\nalighted, when he took my camel, picketted her, and gave her\nwater and fodder. He then retired for a while; but returned with\na sheep, which he killed, flayed, and cut up; then lighted a\nfire, and when it was of a proper glow broiled part of the sheep,\nwhich he had previously seasoned with sundry dried herbs, seeds,\nand spices, and when ready presented his cookery to me.\n\nDuring his hospitalities I observed that my kind host sometimes\nbeat his breast and wept, from which I guessed that he was in\nlove, and a wanderer, like myself. My curiosity was raised; but I\nsaid within myself, \"I am his guest, why should I intrude upon\nhim by painful questions?\" and refrained from inquiry. When I had\neaten as much as sufficed me, the youth arose, went into his\ntent, and brought out a basin and ewer, with a napkin embroidered\nwith silk and fringed with gold; also a cruet of rose water, in\nwhich musk had been infused. I was astonished at his proceedings,\nand the politeness of his demeanour, and exclaimed inwardly, \"How\nwonderful is the abode of so accomplished a personage in this\nwild desert.\" We made our ablutions, and conversed awhile upon\nvarious subjects; after which my gentle host went to his tent,\nfrom whence he brought out a piece of red silk damask, which he\ndivided between us, saying, \"Brother Arab, go into my tent and\nchoose thy place of repose, for last night and to-day great must\nhave been thy hardship and fatigue.\"\n\nI entered the tent, and in one partition of it found a mattress\nof green damask: upon which, having pulled off my upper garments,\nI lay down, and slept so soundly that I never enjoyed, before or\nsince, so refreshing a repose. At length I awoke, when night was\nfar advanced, and became involved in thought respecting my\nhospitable host; but knew not what to conjecture, and was sinking\nagain into slumber, when, lo! gentle murmurs struck my ears, than\nwhich I never heard sound more soft or tenderly affecting. I\nlifted up the curtain of my partition, and looked around, when I\nbeheld a damsel more beautiful than any I had ever seen, seated\nby the generous owner of the tent. They wept and complained of\nthe agonies of love, of separation and interruptions to their\ndesire of frequent meetings. Then I said within myself, \"There is\na wonderfully dignified appearance in this amiable youth, yet he\nlives alone, and I have seen no other tent on the plain. What can\nI conjecture, but that this damsel must be a daughter of one of\nthe good genii, who has fallen in love with him, and upon her\naccount he has retired to this solitary spot?\" Respect for their\nlove made me drop the curtain; I drew the coverlid over me, and\nagain fell asleep.\n\nWhen the morning dawned I awoke, dressed, and having performed my\nablutions and prayers, said to the young man, who had already\nrisen, \"Brother Arab, if in addition to thy hospitalities already\nshewn thou wilt put me in my way, my obligations will be\ncomplete.\" He looked kindly, and said, \"If convenient, my\nbrother, let me entertain thee as my guest for three days.\" I\ncould not refuse his hospitable request, and abode with him. On\nthe third day I ventured to inquire his name and family, when he\nreplied, \"I am of the noble tribe of Azzra,\" and I discovered\nthat he was the son of my father's brother. \"Son of my uncle,\"\nexclaimed I, \"what can have induced thee to court the seclusion\nof this desert spot, and to quit thy kinsmen, neighbours, and\ndependents?\"\n\nUpon hearing these words, the eyes of the youth became suffused\nwith tears, he sighed, and said, \"Ah! my cousin, I passionately\nadmired the daughter of my uncle, and was so devoted to her love\nthat I asked her in marriage; but he refused me, and wedded her\nto another of our tribe richer than myself, who carried her to\nhis abode. When she was thus torn from me, despair agitated my\nsoul, I quitted my relations, friends, and companions, became\nenamoured of solitude, and retired to this lonely spot.\"\n\nWhen he had finished his communication, I said, \"But where is the\nabode of thy beloved and thy successful rival?\" He replied, \"Near\nthe summit of yonder mountain, from whence, as frequently as\nopportunity will allow, in the stillness of night, when sleep\nhath overpowered the eyes of the village, she ventures to my\ntent, and we enjoy the company of each other; but believe me, my\nbrother, our passion is innocent as devotional love. Hence I\ndwell here in the manner you have witnessed, and while she visits\nme delightful will pass the hours, until Allah shall execute his\nappointed decrees, and reward our constancy in this world, or\nconsign us to the grave together.\"\n\nWhen the unfortunate youth had concluded his narration, at which\nI was affected with sincere compassion for his circumstances, an\neager desire to relieve the lovers from their oppressors occupied\nmy mind, and after much consideration I addressed him thus: \"If\nthou choosest, I think I can point out a plan which, under the\nblessing of Allah, may end the sufferings of thyself and thy\nbeloved.\" He replied, \"O son of my uncle, reveal it to me!\" and I\ncontinued, saying, \"When night shall arrive, and the damsel\ncometh, let us seat her upon my camel; for she is sure-footed and\nswift of pace; do thou then mount thy steed, and I will accompany\nyou upon one of your camels. We will travel all night, and ere\nmorning shall have passed the forest, when you will be safe, and\nthy heart will be rendered happy with thy beloved. The land of\nGod is wide enough to afford us an asylum; and by Heaven I swear,\nthat while life remains I will be thy friend.\" The youth replied,\n\"Son of my uncle, I will consult upon thy plan with my beloved,\nfor she is prudent and well-informed.\"\n\nWhen night had shut in, and the usual hour of the damsel's coming\napproached, my kind host impatiently expected her arrival; but in\nvain, for she did not appear. He rose, stood in the doorway of\nthe tent, opened his mouth, and drew in the exhalations of the\ngale, then returned, sat down pensively for a few minutes, and at\nlast bursting into tears, exclaimed, \"Ah! my cousin, there are no\ntidings of the daughter of my uncle, some, mishap must have\nbefallen her. Remain here while I go in search of intelligence.\"\nHaving said thus, he took up his sabre, his lance, and departed.\n\nWhen somewhat more than an hour had elapsed, I heard his\nfootstep, and soon perceived him advancing, bearing something\nbulky in his arms, while he called loudly upon me in a\ndistressful tone. I hastened towards him, and upon my arrival he\nexclaimed, \"Alas, alas! the beloved daughter of my uncle is no\nmore, and I bear her remains. She was hastening, as usual, to my\ntent, when suddenly a lion sprung upon her in the path, and tore\nher in pieces. These relics are all that remain of my beloved.\"\nHe then laid them down, and, lo! the thigh bones of the damsel\nand part of her ribs. He wept piteously, and said, \"Remain here\ntill I return;\" after which he departed with the swiftness of an\narrow. In about an hour he returned, and in his hand was the head\nof the lion, which he threw down, and asked eagerly for water,\nwhich I brought him. He then washed his hands, cleansed the mouth\nof the lion, which he rapturously kissed, and wept bitterly for\nsome moments. He then exclaimed, \"By Allah, I conjure thee, O son\nof my uncle, and by the ties of relationship between us, that\nthou observe my will; for within this hour I shall follow my\nbeloved; be thou our mourner, and bury her remains with mine in\nthe same grave.\" Having said this, he retired into the sleeping\npartition of the tent; where he remained at his devotions for an\nhour, then came out, beat his breast, sighed deeply, and at\nlength heaved his expiring groan, saying, \"I come, I come, my\nbeloved, I come!\" and his pure soul took flight for the mansions\nof Paradise.\n\nWhen I beheld his corpse, sad indeed was my condition, and from\nexcess of sorrow I found it difficult to perform my promise; but\nat length I arose, washed, enshrouded, and laid the remains of\nthese constant lovers in the same grave, near which I remained\nfor three days in prayer and lamentation; after which I departed\nhomewards: but have not failed annually to visit the spot, to\nbedew their grave with my tears, and pray for the mercy of Allah\nto their souls and my own errors.\n\n\n\n\n            STORY OF THE PRINCE OF SIND, AND FATIMA,\n                 DAUGHTER OF AMIR BIN NAOMAUN.\n\n\n\nSome ages back a certain sultan of Sind had a son by a concubine,\nwho behaved so rudely to his sultana, that she became dispirited\nand lost her health, which her favourite woman observing,\nresolved by stratagem to get rid of the prince. She advised her\nmistress, when he might next insult her, to say to him, \"That he\nwould never appear becoming his rank till he was beloved by\nFatima, daughter of a sultan named Amir bin Naomaun.\" The queen\nhaving followed the woman's directions, the prince resolved to\ntravel to the country of the princess, and demand her in\nmarriage. Accordingly, having obtained the consent of the sultan\nhis father, he departed with an attendance suitable to his rank.\nAfter marching for some time he entered a desert, which was\ncovered with a numberless flight of locusts, that had fallen\nexhausted for want of food. Pitying their distress, he ordered\nmeal to be spread on the ground, when the locusts having\nrefreshed themselves flew away. Some days after this incident he\nreached a thick forest crowded with elephants, and herds of wild\nanimals of every description; but as they did not attempt to\nattack him, and were in a starving condition, he ordered some of\nhis cattle to be killed, and distributed to them for food. Having\nsatisfied themselves they retired, shewing every sign that\ndumbness would allow of being pleased with his kind treatment. On\nhis march onwards the prince met a venerable old man, of whom he\ninquired the route to the territories of Amir bin Naomaun, and\nwas informed that they were at no great distance; but only to be\nentered by a range of rugged and steep mountains composed of\niron-stone, and next to impassable; also, that should he succeed\nin overcoming this difficulty, it was in vain to hope to attain\nthe princess. The prince inquiring the reason, the old man\ncontinued, \"Sultan Amir bin Naomaun has resolved that no one\nshall wed his daughter unless he can perform three tasks which he\nwill impose, and these are of so difficult a nature as not to be\nexecuted by the labour or ingenuity of man, and many unhappy\nprinces have lost their heads in the attempt; for he puts them to\ndeath instantly on failure: be advised, therefore, and give up so\nfruitless an expedition.\" The prince, instead of listening to the\nadmonition of the old man, resolved to proceed; and having\nrequested his prayers and benedictions, continued his march. In a\nshort time, having entered the passes of the mountains, he\ndiscovered vast caverns inhabited by a species of genii, who were\nemployed in working upon masses of iron-stone, which they dug\nfrom the rock. The prince having entertained them with a\nhospitable feast, they, in return, shewed him the easiest route\nthrough the stupendous mountains, and he at length arrived in\nsafety before the capital of sultan Amir bin Naomaun, to whom he\nsent an envoy, requesting leave to encamp on the plain, and to\noffer himself as a candidate for the beautiful princess his\ndaughter. The sultan, in reply, acceded to his petition, and\ninvited him to the palace; where, in the evening, he was led into\na court, in which was placed an immense vessel filled with three\nkinds of grain mixed together, which (as his first task towards\nobtaining the princess) he was to separate entirely from each\nother, and put into three heaps; which if not accomplished before\nsunrise, he was then to forfeit his head in punishment for his\ntemerity. It being now too late to recede, the prince resigned\nhimself to Providence; and the gates of the court being locked\nupon him, he prayed to Allah, and began to separate the grains;\nbut finding his progress vain, his spirits deserted him about\nmidnight, and he left off his fruitless labour in despair,\nendeavouring to reconcile himself to death. While he was praying\nfor fortitude to bear him up in his last moments, a voice was\nheard, saying, \"Be comforted, and receive the reward of thy\ncharity to famished insects.\" Immediately after this the heavens\nwere obscured, as if by thick clouds, which descended on the\ncourt, when, lo! this phenomenon proved to be myriads of locusts;\nwho, alighting on the vessel, in a few hours emptied it of all\nthe grain, which they disposed of, each in its kind, in three\nseveral heaps, and having given a general buzzing of salutation,\ntook flight, and vanished into the air. The prince was overjoyed\nat the miraculous accomplishment of his task by the grateful\nlocusts, and having offered up thanks to Allah and the prophet\nfor his deliverance from impending destruction, composed himself\nto rest, doubting not but that they would assist him to overcome\nthe two remaining labours. Great was the surprise of the sultan\nAmir bin Naomaun, when, on coming at daylight to the court, he\nbeheld his intended victim in a profound sleep, and the grain in\nthree separate heaps, neatly piled up in the form of domes. The\nprince awaking, saluted him, and demanded to be informed of his\nnext task; but the sultan put him off to the evening, until when\nhe entertained him at the palace with a most magnificent feast;\nand his obdurate heart was so softened by the noble address and\ndemeanour of his guest, that he wished he might be able to\novercome the remaining impositions and become his son-in-law. The\nprincess, also, who had the curiosity to look at him through the\nblinds of her apartments, was so fascinated with his appearance\nthat she prayed for his success.\n\nWhen night had set in, the prince was conducted to an open plain\nin front of the palace, in the centre of which was a large\nreservoir full of clear water, which the sultan commanded him to\ndrain off before sunrise, or forfeit his life. The prince\nremained alone on the brink of the reservoir with rather somewhat\nmore hope of success than he had felt of overcoming his task of\nthe preceding night; nor was he disappointed, for about midnight\na voice was heard exclaiming, \"Prince, benevolence is never\nunrequited:\" and, lo! the plain was filled with elephants,\nrhinoceroses, camels, dromedaries, lions, tigers, and every\nspecies of wild beasts, in such immense droves as could not be\nnumbered, who, advancing in turn to the reservoir, drank in such\nquantity that it, at length, was completely emptied, and became\nas dry as if just finished. The beasts then expressing pleasure\nby their varying natural noises at having served their benefactor\ndeparted, and left him to enjoy the deliverance from the labour\nimposed upon him.\n\nThe prince, now more assured than ever that he was the favourite\nof Allah and the prophet, after offering up prayers with a\nrelieved heart, slept comfortably in a building creeled on the\nmargin of the reservoir, and was only awakened by the call of the\nsultan at sun-rise, who was more astonished at the accomplishment\nof this labour than the former, though certainly each was equally\ndifficult. He conducted the prince to his palace, and the day was\nspent in the highest festivity.\n\nAt the approach of night the prince was conducted to his third\ntask, which was to complete and fit up before daylight from a\nvast mass of planks of the choicest timber ready stored the\ndoors, windows, and balconies of an unfinished palace, much\nlarger than that which the sultan inhabited. The prince at the\napprehension of the consequences of failure was somewhat alarmed;\nbut the recollection of his former aids supported him, and after\noffering up his devotions he sat down, composedly waiting for the\ndecision of Providence on his fate. His resignation was accepted,\nfor at midnight he was roused from his contemplations by the\nsounds of sawing, planing, hammering, nailing, and the songs of\nhappy work-men. Looking up he perceived his friends of the iron\nmountains; who, all saluting him, cried out, \"Prince, set your\nheart at rest, for we are come to repay you for your hospitable\nfeast.\" Before daylight the palace was fitted up in a manner more\nelegant than can be described, and every door, window, and\nbalcony painted with the most brilliant colours, flowered with\nsilver and gold. The grateful labourers of the iron mountains\nhaving finished their work, respectfully saluted the prince and\ndeparted.\n\nThe prince having taken a grateful leave of his useful friends, walked\nthrough the palace, and was eagerly employed in admiring its elegance\nand the magnificence of their finishing hand, when the sultan Amir bin\nNaomaun, who from his apartments at sun-rise had observed the\nmiraculous completion, appeared, having hastened to examine the superb\nworkmanship, and to congratulate his son-in-law, for as such he now\nacknowledged him, and as the favoured of Allah, and of the last of\nprophets. He conducted the prince to the palace, and the most\nmagnificent preparations being made, the nuptials with his daughter\nwere celebrated in the new edifice, where the bride and bridegroom\nenjoyed themselves for three months, at the expiration of which the\nprince begged permission to return to his father's dominions, which he\nreached just in time to release him from the attack of an inimical\nsultan, who had invaded the country, and laid close siege to his\ncapital. His father received him with rapture, and the prince having\nmade an apology to the sultana for his former rude behaviour, she\nreceived his excuses, and having no child of her own readily adopted\nhim as her son; so that the royal family lived henceforth in the\nutmost harmony, till the death of the sultan and sultana, when the\nprince succeeded to the empire.\n\n\n\n\n             STORY OF THE LOVERS OF SYRIA; OR, THE\n                            HEROINE.\n\n\n\nThere formerly dwelt in the city of Damascus two brothers, one\npoor and the other rich, the former of whom had a son, and the\nlatter a daughter. The poor man dying left his son, just emerging\nfrom infancy, to the protection of his wealthy uncle, who behaved\nto his unfortunate charge with paternal tenderness, till the\nyouth, who had exchanged vows of love with his cousin, requested\nher in marriage; when the father refused, and expelled him from\nhis house. The young lady, however, who ardently loved him,\nagreed to elope, and having one night escaped from her father's\ndwelling, repaired to the object of her affection; who, having\nhad notice of her intentions, had prepared two horses and a mule\nto carry their baggage. They travelled all night, and by morning\nreached a sea-port, where they found a ship ready to sail, in\nwhich, having secured a passage, the lady immediately embarked;\nbut the lover remained on shore to dispose of the horses and\nmule. While he was seeking for a purchaser in the market, a fair\nwind sprung up, and the master of the ship having weighed anchor,\nhoisted sail and departed: the lady in vain entreating him to\nwait the return of her beloved, or send her on shore, for he was\ncaptivated with her beauty. Finding herself thus ensnared, as she\nwas a woman of strong mind, instead of indulging in unavailing\ncomplaint, she assumed a satisfied air; and as the only way to\npreserve her honour, received the addresses of the treacherous\nmaster with pretended complacency, and consented to receive him\nas a husband at the first port at which the ship might touch.\nWith these assurances he was contented, and behaved to her with\nhonourable deference, and affectionate respect. At length the\nvessel anchored near a city, to which the captain went to make\npreparations for his marriage; but the lady, while he was on\nshore, addressed the ship's crew, setting forth with such force\nhis treacherous conduct to herself, and offering such rewards if\nthey would convey her to her lover at the port they had left,\nthat the honest sailors were moved in her favour, agreed to obey\nher as their mistress, and hoisting sail, left the master to\nshift for himself. After some days of favourable weather, a\ncontrary gale blowing hard, the vessel was driven far out of her\ncourse, and for shelter obliged to anchor in the first haven that\noffered, which proved to be that of a large city, the capital of\na potent sultan, whose officers came on board to examine the\nvessel, and inquire into her cargo and destination. These men, to\ntheir great surprise, finding it commanded by a lady of exquisite\nbeauty, reported her charms to the sultan, who resolved to\npossess them, and sent her an offer of marriage; to which she\nseemingly consented, and the sultan commanded the most splendid\npreparations to be made for the nuptials. When all was ready, he\nsent onboard the vessel the daughter of his vizier, with other\nladies, thirty-nine in number, magnificently attired, to wait\nupon his bride, and attend her on shore. They were graciously\nreceived by the politic lady, and invited to refresh themselves\nin the grand cabin, which she had elegantly adorned with costly\nhangings, and prepared in it a superb collation, to which they\nsat down. She then dismissed the boats in which they came,\nsending a message to the sultan that she should entertain the\nladies on board till the next morning, when she would repair on\nshore and conclude their marriage. She behaved towards her new\nguests with such winning affability, that they one and all\nadmired their expected sultana, and partook of the entertainment\nwith the highest satisfaction; but what was their surprise when,\nin the middle of the night, she commanded the crew to weigh\nanchor, having first warned them, on pain of her displeasure and\nimmediate death, to keep silence, and raise no alarm in the\nharbour. The vessel sailed, and put to sea without being\nmolested, when the intrepid commandress consoled the affrighted\nladies, related to them her own adventures, and assured them that\nwhen she should have rejoined her lover, they should, if they\nchose it, be honourably restored to their homes; but in the mean\ntime she hoped they would contentedly share her fortunes. This\nbehaviour, by degrees, so won upon their minds, that the ladies\nforgot their sorrows, became pleased with their situation, and in\na short time were so attached to their new mistress, that they\nwould not have left her had it been in their power. After some\nweeks sail, it became necessary to steer towards the first coast\nthat should present itself, to lay in a supply of fresh water and\nprovisions, and land appearing, the vessel anchored, when the\nlady with her companions went on shore. Here they were surrounded\nby forty robbers, who threatened to take them prisoners; when the\nheroic lady, desiring her friends to conceal their fears, assumed\na smiling countenance, and addressing the chief of the banditti,\nassured him there would be no occasion for force, as she and her\ncompanions were ready to share their love, being women who were\nabove the prejudices of their sex, and had devoted themselves to\npleasure, in search of which they roved on board their vessel\nfrom one coast to another, and would now stay with them as long\nas they might wish for their company. This declaration suiting\nthe depraved minds of the robbers, they laid aside their fierce\nlooks and warlike weapons, bringing abundance of all sorts of\nprovisions to regale their expected mistresses, with whom they\nsat down to a plentiful repast, which was heightened by a store\nof wines which the lady had brought in her boats from the ship.\nMirth and jollity prevailed; but the fumes of the liquors, in\nwhich the politic lady had infused strong opiates, suddenly\noperated upon their senses, and they fell down one and all in a\nstate of stupefaction. She then with her companions drew the\nsabres of their brutal admirers and put them all to death\nexcepting the chief, whom they bound hand and foot with strong\ncords, and after cutting off his beard and mustachios, tied his\nown cimeter round his neck, leaving him to feel mortification\nworse than death on the recovery of his senses, namely, the sight\nof his slaughtered fellows, and regret at the loss of his\nimagined happiness. The ladies then stripped the caves of the\nrobbers of the vast wealth which they had hoarded up from their\nplunders, and having carried it on board their boats, with a\nstock of water and provisions, returned to the ship, weighed\nanchor, and sailed triumphant and rejoicing from such a dangerous\ncoast. After some weeks' sail they again descried land, to which\nthey approached, and discovered a spacious harbour, round which\nrose a vast city, the buildings of which were sublimely lofty,\nadorned with flights of marble steps to the water's edge, and\ncrowned with domes and minarets topped with pinnacles of gold.\nThe enterprising lady having anchored, clothed herself and her\ncompanions in magnificent male habits; after which she ordered\nthe boats to be hoisted out, and they were rowed ashore by part\nof their crew richly dressed. On landing, they found all the\ninhabitants of the city in mourning, and making doleful\nlamentation for their late sultan, who had died only a few days\nbefore. The gallant appearance of a stranger so nobly attended\ncreated much surprise, and intelligence of the arrival was\ninstantly conveyed to the vizier, who acted as regent till the\nelection of a new monarch, which ceremony was just on the point\nof taking place. The minister, who thought he perceived in such a\ncritical arrival the work of fate, immediately waited on the now\nsupposed prince, whom he invited to be present at the election;\nat the same time informing him that when in this kingdom a sultan\ndied without issue, the laws appointed that his successor should\nbe chosen by the alighting of a bird on his shoulder, which bird\nwould be let fly among the crowd assembled in the square before\nthe palace. The seeming prince accepted the invitation, and with\nthe disguised ladies was conducted to a gorgeous pavilion, open\non all sides, to view the ceremony. The ominous bird being\nloosened from his chain, soared into the air to a great height,\nthen gradually descending, flew round and round the square\nrepeatedly, even with the faces of the spectators. At length it\ndarted into the pavilion, where the lady and her companions were\nseated, fluttered around her head, and at length rested upon her\nshoulder, giving at the same time a cry of exultation, stretching\nits neck, and flapping its wings. Immediately upon this, the\nviziers and courtiers bowed themselves to the ground, and the\nassembled crowd prostrated themselves on the earth, crying out,\n\"Long live our glorious sultan, the chosen of Providence, the\nelected by the decrees of fate!\" The disguised lady was instantly\nconducted to the palace, seated on a splendid throne, and\nproclaimed amidst the acclamations of the people, sovereign of an\nextensive empire; nor were the abilities of her mind unequal to\nthe task of government. In a few days the vizier offered to the\nsupposed sultan his daughter in marriage; and his offer being\naccepted, the nuptials were celebrated with the utmost\nmagnificence; but what was the astonishment of the bride, when,\ninstead of being caressed, the sultan on retiring with her became\ncold and reserved, rose from her, and spent the night in prayer.\nIn the morning the sultana was questioned by her mother; who, on\nher relating the behaviour of the husband, observed, that\npossibly from his youth he might be over reserved; but that love\nwould naturally in time operate its effect. Several evenings past\nin the same manner, when the bride, mortified at such coldness,\ncould no longer restrain herself, and said, \"Why, my lord, if you\ndisliked me, did you take me to wife? but if you love not as\nother men, tell me so, and I will suffer my misfortune in\nsilence.\" The lady, moved by this remonstrance, replied, \"Most\nvirtuous princess, would that for your sake I were of the sex you\nsuppose me; but, alas! I am like you a woman, disappointed in\nlove.\" She then related to her the wonderful adventures she had\nundergone since leaving her father's house, at which the vizier's\ndaughter was so affected that she vowed for her a lasting\nfriendship, agreed to keep her secret, and live with her till\nsuch times as chance should restore her lover. In return for this\nkindness the lady promised that should the object of her\naffections ever arrive, he should marry them both, and that she\nshould have the precedence in the ceremony of union. The two\nfriends having thus agreed, the vizier's daughter regained her\ncheerfulness, and means were taken to convince her father,\nmother, and friends of the consummation of the nuptials. From\nthis time they lived in perfect happiness together, one\nexercising the authority of sultan to the satisfaction of the\nsubject, and the other acting the part of a satisfied and\nobedient wife; but still both were anxious to meet their mutual\nhusband. As the capital of the kingdom was a mart for most\nnations of the world, the pretended sultan formed the following\nstratagem for discovering her beloved, not doubting but that he\nwould travel over all parts of the world in search of the object\nof his affection. She erected a most magnificent caravanserai,\nfurnished with baths hot and cold, and every convenience for the\nweary traveller. When it was finished, she issued a proclamation,\nthat sojourners from all parts should be welcome to lodge in it,\nand be provided with every necessary till they could accommodate\nthemselves in the city, or pursued, if only travellers, their\njourney to another part. Over the gate of this edifice she placed\nan exact statue of herself, and gave orders to the guards that\nwhatever stranger, on looking at it, should shew signs of\nagitation, or utter words signifying that he knew the original,\nshould be immediately seized and confined in the palace. Many\nweeks had not passed when the father of this enterprising lady,\nwho had travelled many thousands of miles in search of his\ndaughter, arrived at the gate, and on seeing the statue,\nexclaimed, \"Alas! alas! how like my poor, lost child!\" He was\nimmediately carried to the palace, lodged in a magnificent\napartment, treated with the highest respect; but kept in complete\nignorance as to the cause of his confinement and his future fate.\nNot long after this, his disconsolate nephew, who, on the\ndeparture of the treacherous captain, had wandered from city to\ncity in hopes of finding his mistress, arrived, and repaired to\nthe caravanserai.\n\nOn sight of the statue his feelings overcame him; he sighed and\nfainted: when he was taken up by the guards and lodged in the\npalace, where being come to himself, he was astonished at the\nrespect and attention paid him by the domestics, and the splendid\nmanner in which he was entertained; but it was in vain that he\ninquired the cause of his detention, the only answer he could get\nbeing, \"Have patience, my lord, and repose yourself till\nProvidence shall free you from our confinement.\" Soon after this\nthe master of the ship, who had visited port after port in hopes\nof recovering his vessel, reached the city, and hearing of the\nhospitality with which all strangers were received at the\ncaravanserai of the sultan, repaired to the gateway; but no\nsooner had he cast his eyes on the statue, than he exclaimed,\n\"Ah! how like to the artful yet virtuous woman who cheated me of\nmy property by stealing my ship.\" Immediately he was seized by\nthe guards, and conveyed to the palace, but treated with\nkindness. Many days had not succeeded to this event, when the\nsultan and the vizier, whose daughter with the thirty-nine ladies\nhad been so artfully carried away from them by the enterprising\nheroine of this history, made their appearance at the gateway of\nthe caravanserai, and on beholding the statue, cried out, \"Surely\nthis is the likeness of her who deprived us of our children; ah!\nthat we could find her and be revenged on her hypocrisy!\" On\nsaying this they were apprehended and taken to the palace, where\nthey were conducted to apartments suitable to their rank. In a\nfew days afterwards the chief of the banditti, who, burning with\nthe ireful resolution of revenging the deaths of his associates,\nhad travelled from place to place in hopes of finding the object\nof his fury, arrived at the gateway, and observing the statue,\nroared out in a rage, \"Surely this is the resemblance of my\ntormenter; oh! that I could meet thy original, so that I might\nhave the satisfaction of making her blood atone for the murder of\nmy friends!\" Instantly, as he had spoken, the guards at the gate\nrushing upon him, bound him hand and foot, conveyed him to the\npalace, where he was confined in a loathsome dungeon, and fed on\nthe coarsest viands.\n\nThe pretended sultan having now all the parties in her power, one\nmorning ascended her throne in full audience, and commanded them\nto be brought before her. When they had made their obeisance, she\ncommanded them to relate the cause of their having journeyed to\nher capital; but the royal presence rendered them incapable of\nuttering a word: upon which she exclaimed, \"Since you cannot\nspeak, I will;\" and then discovered to their astonished minds the\nadventures of each, which had occasioned their travelling. She\nthen discovered herself, and fell upon the necks of her father\nand lover, with whom she retired into the private apartments. The\nsultan and his vizier were made happy in the company of the\ndaughter of the latter and the other ladies. The master of the\nship, as his troubles had atoned for his irregular behaviour, was\nreceived into favour, and had his vessel restored; but the savage\nchief of the banditti was put to death, by being cast into a\nburning pile, that no further injury might be offered to mankind.\nIn a few days, the most magnificent preparations being made, the\ndouble nuptials of the heroic lady and her friend the vizier's\ndaughter were celebrated with her constant lover, to whom she\nresigned her throne, and the happy wives lived together in\nfelicity, undisturbed by jealousy of the husband's attention to\neither, so equally did they share his love. The sultan and\nvizier, after being long entertained at the court, took leave,\nand returned, under an escort, to their own country; but the\ndaughter and the thirty-nine ladies could not be prevailed upon\nto accompany them, only to visit and bid farewell to their\nparents, for such was their attachment to their gallant mistress,\nthat they came back immediately, and were espoused to the\nprinciple nobles of her court. Years of unusual happiness passed\nover the heads of the fortunate adventurers of this history,\nuntil death, the destroyer of all things, conducted them to a\ngrave which must one day be the resting-place for ages of us all,\ntill the receiving angel shall sound his trumpet.\n\n\n\n\n           STORY OF HYJAUJE, THE TYRANNICAL GOVERNOR\n                 OF COUFEH, AND THE YOUNG SYED.\n\n\n\nAs Hyjauje (the Ommiad caliph) was was one day seated in his hall\nof audience, surrounded by his nobles and dependents, tremblingly\nawaiting his commands, for his countenance resembled that of an\nenraged lion, there suddenly entered, unceremoniously, into the\nassembly a beardless youth of noble but sickly aspect, arrayed in\ntattered garments, for misfortune had changed his original\nsituation, and poverty had withered the freshness of his opening\nyouth. He made the customary obeisance to the governor, who\nreturned his salute, and said, \"Who art thou, boy? what hast thou\nto say, and wherefore hast thou intruded thyself into the company\nof princes, as if thou wert invited? who art thou, and of whom\nart thou the son?\" \"Of my father and mother,\" replied the youth.\n\"But how earnest thou here?\" \"In my clothes.\" \"From whence?\"\n\"From behind me.\" \"Where art thou going?\" \"Before me.\" \"Upon what\ndost thou travel?\" \"Upon the earth\" Hyjauje, vexed at the\npertness of the youth, exclaimed, \"Quit this trifling, and inform\nme whence thou comest.\" \"From Egypt.\" \"Art thou from Cairo?\" \"Why\naskest thou?\" said the boy? \"Because,\" replied Hyjauje, \"her\nsands are of gold, and her river Nile miraculously fruitful; but\nher women are wanton, free to every conqueror, and her men\nunstable.\" \"I am not from thence, but from Damascus,\" cried the\nyouth. \"Then,\" said Hyjauje, \"thou art from a most rebellious\nplace, filled with wretched inhabitants, a wavering race, neither\nJews nor Christians.\" \"But I am not from thence,\" replied the\nyouth, \"but from Khorassan.\" \"That is a most impure country,\"\nsaid Hyjauje, \"whose religion is worthless, for the inhabitants\nare of all barbarians the most savage. Plunderers of flocks, they\nknow not mercy, their poor are greedy, and their rich men\nmisers.\" \"I am not of them,\" cried the youth, \"but of Moussul.\"\n\"Then,\" exclaimed Hyjauje, \"thou art of an unnatural and\nadulterous race, whose youths are catamites, and whose old men\nare obstinate as asses.\" \"But I am from Yemen,\" said the boy. \"If\nso,\" answered the tyrant, \"thou belongest to a comfortless\nregion, where the most honourable profession is robbery, where\nthe middling ranks tan hides, and where a wretched poor spin wool\nand weave coarse mantles.\" \"But I am from Mecca,\" said the boy.\n\"Then,\" replied Hyjauje, \"thou comest from a mine of\nperverseness, stupidity, ignorance, and slothfulness; for from\namong its people God raised up his prophet, whom they\ndisbelieved, rejected, and forced away to a strange nation, who\nloved, venerated, and assisted him in spite of the men of Mecca.\nBut whence comest thou, youth? for thy pertness is become\ntroublesome, and my inclination leads me to punish thee for thy\nimpertinence.\" \"Had I been assured that thou durst kill me,\"\ncried the youth, \"I should not have appeared before thee; but\nthou canst not.\" \"Woe to thee, rash boy,\" exclaimed Hyjauje; \"who\nis he that can prevent my executing thee instantly?\" \"To thee be\nthy woe,\" replied the youth: \"he can prevent thee who directs man\nand his inmost thoughts, and who never falsifieth his gracious\npromises.\" \"He it is,\" cried the tyrant, \"who instigates me to\nput thee to death.\" \"Withhold thy blaspheming,\" replied the\nyouth; \"it is not God, but Satan that prompts thy mind to my\nmurder, and with God I hope for refuge from the accursed: but\nknow, that I am from the glorious Medina, the seat of religion,\nvirtue, respectability, and honour, descended of the race of Bin\nGhalib, and family of Ali, son of Abou Talib, whom God has\nglorified and approved, and will protect all his posterity, which\nyou would extirpate; but you cannot root it out, for it will\nflourish even to the last day of the existence of this world.\"\n\nThe tyrant was now overcome with rage, and commanded the youthful\nSyed to be slain; but his nobles and officers interceded for him,\nsaying, while they bowed their necks before him, \"Pardon, pardon;\nbehold our heads and our lives a ransom for his! For God's sake\naccept our intercession, O ameer, for this youth is not deserving\nof death.\" \"Forbear your entreaties,\" exclaimed the tyrant, \"for\nwere an angel to cry from Heaven, 'Do not slay him!' I would not\nattend.\" Upon this the young Syed said, \"Thou ravest, O Hyjauje;\nwho art thou that an angel should be commissioned for thy sake?\"\nThe tyrant, struck with his magnanimity, became calm, and\ncommanding the executioner to release the youth, said, \"For the\npresent I forbear, and will not kill thee unless thy answers to\nmy further questions shall deserve it.\" They then entered on the\nfollowing dialogue; Hyjauje hoping to entrap him in discourse.\n\nHyjauje. How can the creature approach the perfection of the\nAlmighty?\n\nSyed. By prayer, by fasting, by the commanded alms, by\npilgrimage, and fighting for the cause of God.\n\nH. I serve him by shedding the blood of infidel man. You pretend\nthat Hassan and Houssain, your ancestors, were descendants of the\nprophet; but how can that be, when God has declared in the Koran\nMahummud was not of your obstinate race; but the prophet of God,\nand last of divine messengers?\n\nS. Hear the answer to that in the verse following it. \"Hath not a\nprophet come unto you of your own nation? Receive him, and from\nwhat he hath forbidden be forbidden.\" Surely, then, God hath\nforbidden the shedding of the blood of him whom he sanctified.\n\nH. Thou hast spoken justly, young man; but inform me what God\nhath daily and nightly commanded us as obligatory to do?\n\nS. To pray five times.\n\nH. What to observe in each year?\n\nS. To keep the month of Ramzaun as a fast.\n\nH. What to perform in the course of life?\n\nS. To make a pilgrimage to Mecca, the temple of God.\n\nH. Truly said; but what hath mostly dignified and enlightened\nArabia?\n\nS. The tribe of Koreish.\n\nH. Wherefore?\n\nS. Because of our holy prophet's being a member of it.\n\nH. Who were the most skilful in horsemanship in all Arabia, the\nmost valiant, and of best conduct in war?\n\nS. The tribe of Hashim.\n\nH. Why think you so?\n\nS. Because my grandfather Imaum Ali, son of Abou Talib, was one\nof it.\n\nH. What tribe of Arabs is most famous for benevolence, and\ncelebrated for liberality?\n\nS. The family of Tai.\n\nH. Wherefore?\n\nS. Because Hatim belonged to it.\n\nH. Which of the tribes have been most disgraceful to Arabia, and\nmost oppressive to its inhabitants?\n\nS. The tribe of Sukkeef.\n\nH. Why so?\n\nS. Because thou belongest to it.\n\nThe tyrant could scarcely now contain his anger; but said, hoping\nto cut the youth off from reply, \"Tell me, is the Capricorn of\nthe heavens male or female?\" To which he answered, \"Shew me its\ntail, that I may inform thee.\" The tyrant laughed, and continued\nhis questions as follows:\n\nH. Wert thou ever in love?\n\nS. Yes, completely immersed in it.\n\nH. With whom?\n\nS. With my God, who will, I trust, pardon me for my errors, and\ndeliver me from thee this day.\n\nH. Knowest thou thy God?\n\nS. Yes.\n\nH. By what means?\n\nS. By the scriptures, which he caused to descend to his prophet.\n\nH. Dost thou guard the Koran?\n\nS. Does it fly from me, that I should guard it?\n\nH. What dost thou learn from it?\n\nS. That God commanded its rules to be obeyed.\n\nH. Hast thou read and understood it?\n\nS. Yes.\n\nH. If so, tell me, first, What passage in it is most sublime.\nSecondly, Which most commanding. Thirdly, Which most just.\nFourthly, Which most alarming. Fifthly, Which most encouraging.\nSixthly, That which Jews and Christians both believe in.\nSeventhly, That in which God has spoken purely of himself; that\nwhere he speaks of the angels; that in which he mentions the\nprophets; that where he alludes to those destined to Paradise;\nand that in which he speaks of those devoted to hell; that which\nincludes ten points; and that which Eblis the accursed delivered.\n\nS. By God's help I will answer thee. The most sublime passage is\nthe Koorsee: the most commanding, \"God insisteth on justice:\" the\nmost just, \"Whoever diminishes the least of a measure, God will\nrequite him doubly, and the same to whoever addeth the least:\"\nthe most alarming, \"All expect to enter Paradise:\" the most\nencouraging, \"O my servants, who have mortified yourselves,\ndespair not of the mercy of God!\" that in which are ten points,\n\"God created the heavens and the earth, the revolutions of night\nand day; also, the firmament over the waters that it might profit\nman:\" that which is believed alike by jews and christians, \"The\nJew saith that the Christian is in error, and the Christian saith\nthat the Jew is mistaken, they both believe so; and both are in\nerror:\" that in which God hath spoken purely of himself, \"I have\nnot created genii and men but to worship me:\" that in which he\nspeaks of the angels, \"They said, we have no knowledge, but what\nthou hast taught us; for thou only art wise and all-knowing:\"\nthat which speaks of the prophets, \"How could we deliver you a\nverse without the order of God, on whom the faithful will rely:\"\nthat which mentions the devoted to hell, \"God hath cast us down\nfrom heaven, for we were transgressors:\" that which describes the\nblessed, \"Praised be God, who hath divested us of all sorrow, for\nour Lord is merciful and gracious:\" that which satan spoke, \"None\nwill profit by thy mercy but thy servants the blessed.\"\n\nHyjauje involuntarily exclaimed, \"Praised be God, who giveth\nwisdom to whom it pleaseth him; but I have found none so learned\nof such tender age.\" Having thus spoken, he put many other\nquestions to the youth in every science, and he answered them so\nreadily that the tyrant was overcome with admiration, and offered\nhim a residence at his court; but the young man declined it, and\nrequested his dismission, which he granted, conferring upon him a\nbeautiful female slave richly habited, a thousand pieces of gold,\nand a steed elegantly caparisoned. The courtiers were astonished\nat the bounty of the tyrant, which he perceiving, said, \"Be not\nsurprised, for the advice he hath given me was worthy of reward,\nand 'Cursed is he who doth not requite a sincere adviser,'\ndeclareth our sacred Koran.\"\n\n\n\n\n              STORY OF INS AL WUJJOOD AND WIRD AL\n             IKMAUM, DAUGHTER OF IBRAHIM, VIZIER TO\n                        SULTAN SHAMIKH.\n\n\n\nMany ages past there was a very powerful sultan who had a vizier\nnamed Ibrahim, and this minister had a daughter the most\nbeautiful of her sex and accomplished of her age, so that she\nbecame distinguished by the appellation of Wird al Ikmaum, or the\nrose among flowers. It was the custom of sultan Shamikh to hold\nannually a general assembly of all the nobles of his kingdom, and\npersons eminent for science or the arts, during which they were\nmagnificently entertained at the royal expense. The former\ndisplayed their prowess in martial exercises before the\nsovereign, and the latter the productions of their genius and\nskill; when valuable prizes were bestowed by the arbitration of\nappointed judges on those who deserved them. On one of the days\nof this festival, the vizier's daughter from a latticed balcony\nof the palace, in which she sat to view the sports, was so struck\nwith the manly figure and agility of a young nobleman named Ins\nal Wujjood (or the perfection of human nature), that love took\npossession of her mind. She pointed him out to a female\nconfidant, and gave her a letter to convey to the object of her\naffections. The young nobleman, who had heard her praises, was\nenraptured by his good fortune, and the next day, having obtained\nas full a sight of her beauties as could be had through the\ngolden wires of the balcony, retired overcome by love. Letters\nnow passed daily, and almost hourly, between them; but they were\nimpatient for a meeting, which was at length planned; but the\nnote fixing the place and time was unfortunately dropped by the\nconfidant and carried to the vizier; who, alarmed for the honour\nof his family, sent his daughter the same night to a far distant\ncastle belonging to himself, and situated on an island in a vast\nlake, surrounded by mountainous deserts thinly inhabited. The\nunfortunate lady was obliged to submit to her fate, but before\nher departure contrived to write on the outside of her balcony\nthe following words, \"They are carrying me off, but I know not\nwhere.\" In the morning her lover repairing, as usual, in hopes of\nseeing his mistress in the balcony, read the unwelcome\nintelligence, which for a time deprived him of his senses. When\nsomewhat recovered he resolved to leave the court, though then\nthe chief favourite of the sultan, and go in search of his\nbeloved. Having put on the habit of a wandering devotee, he, on\nthe following evening, quitted the city, and recommending himself\nto Providence, set out, but knew not whither. Many weeks did he\ntravel, but could find no traces of his beloved object; when\nsuddenly, passing through a thick forest, there met him a\nmonstrous lion, from whom he thought it impossible to escape, and\nhaving uttered a prayer for the happiness of his beloved, and\nrepeated the testimony of martyrdom, he resigned himself to his\nfate, and waited the spring of his expected devourer. What was\nhis surprise when the majestic animal, instead of making him his\nprey, on approaching close to him, having looked compassionately\nin his face, licked his hands, and turning round, walked gently\nonwards, moving his head, as if to signify the youth should\nfollow him. Ins al Wujjood did so, and was conducted through the\nforest by the lion; who, ascending a high mountain, suddenly\nstopped at the entrance of a cave, to which was a door of iron,\nthen moving his head, and once more licking the hands of his\ncompanion, the generous animal left him, and retired back to the\nwoods. The youth now went to the cave, and having knocked at the\ndoor, it was opened by a venerable hermit, who bade him welcome,\nbrought him warm water to wash his feet, and set before him\nrefreshments of various kinds. When he had eaten, he inquired the\ncause of his coming to such a desolate country; and Ins al\nWujjood having related his adventures, the old man exclaimed,\n\"Thou art a favourite of Heaven, or the lion would have devoured\nthee; despair not, therefore, of success, for my mind presages\nthat thou wilt be happy, nor shalt thou want my assistance.\" Ins\nal Wujjood having thanked him for his hospitality and generous\noffers, the hermit informed him, that for nearly twenty years\npast he had not beheld a human face till a few days prior to his\ncoming, when, wandering over the mountains, he had seen an\nencampment on the margin of the great lake below, in which\nappeared a crowd of men and women, some very richly habited, part\nof whom had embarked on board a stately yacht, and the remainder\nhaving taken leave of them, struck their tents, and returned by\nthe road they had come. \"Most probably,\" said the hermit, \"the\nyacht may have conveyed thy mistress to the castle which stands\non an island in the middle of the lake, and if so thou shalt soon\nbe safely landed: for the rest Providence must be thy guide. I\nwill this night remember thee in my prayers, and meditate on what\ncan be done for thy benefit.\" Having said this, the hermit\nconducted the wanderer to a chamber, and left him to his repose.\n\nThe beautiful Wird al Ikmaum during this time remained\noverwhelmed with uneasiness in her confinement, and it was in\nvain that her attendants tried to amuse her. She wandered\nmelancholy through the magnificent gardens of the castle, the\ngroves of which were filled with every variety of birds, whose\nharmony was delightful; but the soft cooing of the turtle dove\nand the plaintive note of the lovelorn nightingale alone caught\nher attention. To these she would listen for hours together,\nreclined on a mossy bank, and fancy their pensive strains the\nlanguage of her beloved. Such was her daily employment, nor would\nshe quit the garden till forced by her attendants to take shelter\nfrom the falling dews of night. We now return to her lover.\n\nFatigue and the consoling assurances of the friendly hermit had\ngreatly composed the mind of Ins al Wujjood, who enjoyed a\nrefreshing sleep, nor did he awake till the sun was mounted high\nin the heavens, when he joined his venerable host in his\ndevotions; after which they partook of a repast of bread, milk,\nand fresh fruits. This ended, the old man requested him to fetch\nfrom the forest a bundle of the filaments of palm bark, which,\nwhen brought to him, he plaited into a shape resembling a little\nboat, and giving it to Ins al Wujjood, said, \"Repair to the lake,\nand put this into the water, when it will become instantly large\nenough to hold thee, then embark in it, and trust to Heaven for\nthe rest. Farewell!\"\n\nIns al Wujjood having taken leave of his venerable friend the\nhermit, with many thanks, did as he had been commanded, and soon\narrived on the margin of the lake, into which he launched his\nlittle vessel, when, to his great surprise, it instantaneously\nbecame a handsome boat with the sails set. He got into it, and a\nfair wind springing up was soon out of sight of land. For some\ndays he was wafted over the deep; but at length the shore of an\nisland appeared, on which he landed, and made his boat fast to\nthe trunk of a large tree. He then walked into the country, and\nfound it beautifully interspersed with green meadows, clear\nstreams, and shady groves of bending fruit trees, on the branches\nof which all sorts of birds were warbling in their different\nstrains. Having refreshed himself with several fruits, he\nproceeded onwards, and at length came in sight of a superb\nedifice, to the gateway of which he advanced; but found it\nlocked. For three days he waited in hopes of seeing some of its\ninhabitants, but in vain. However on the fourth morning the gate\nwas opened by a man, who seeing Ins al Wujjood, advanced towards\nhim, and inquired who he was, whence he came, and what was his\nreason for waiting at the gate. \"I am of Ispahaun,\" replied Ins\nal Wujjood, \"and was shipwrecked in a trading voyage upon this\ncoast, to the shore of which I alone of all my companions had the\ngood fortune to escape.\" Upon hearing this the man burst into\ntears, embraced him, and said, \"May God preserve thee from future\ncalamities! I am also a native of Ispahaun, where also dwelt my\ncousin, whom I dearly loved, and by whom I was beloved. At this\nhappy period of my youth a nation stronger than ours made war\nagainst us, overcame us, and among other captives forced me from\nmy country; after which they sold me as a slave to my present\nmaster: but come, my dear countryman, enter the palace, and\nrepose thyself in my apartment, where we will endeavour to\nconsole each other under our misfortunes till Providence shall\nrestore us to our homes.\"\n\nIns al Wujjood gladly accepted such a friendly invitation, and on\nentering the court beheld a lofty and wide-spreading tree, from\nthe branches of which were suspended several golden cages, each\ninhabited by a beautiful bird, and each striving to rival the\nother in melody, as if in welcome of his approach. He inquired of\nhis host to whom the splendid edifice belonged, and was informed\nto the vizier of sultan Shamikh; who, to secure his daughter from\nthe vicissitudes of fortune, had lodged her here, and only\nvisited her annually to inquire after her health, and bring the\nnecessary supplies for her convenience and the support of her\nattendants in the castle. Upon hearing the above circumstances,\nIns al Wujjood was nearly overcome with ecstacy; but restraining\nhis feelings, exclaimed to himself, \"At length I have reached the\nabode of my beloved, and may hope for success;\" which was yet,\nhowever, afar off. His charming mistress, little thinking that\nher lover was so near, and weary of absence and the solitude of\nher abode, had that very evening resolved to escape from\nconfinement. In the darkness of night she accordingly let herself\ndown from the battlements by a silken rope, which she had twisted\nfrom slips of various robes, and reached the ground unhurt. With\nhaste she fled towards the sea shore, where she perceived a\nfishing boat, the owner of which, though at first alarmed,\nsupposing her, from her dazzling appearance (for she was covered\nwith jewels), to be an ensnaring genie, at length, on her\nassurances that she was really a woman, admitted her into his\nvessel. She thanked him for his kindness, which she rewarded by\nthe gift of many rich jewels, and requested to be conveyed across\nthe lake. The fisherman hoisted sail, and for some hours the wind\nwas prosperous; but now a heavy tempest arose, which tossed them\nconstantly in imminent danger for three days, and drove them far\nfrom their intended course. At length the gale subsided, the sea\nbecame assuaged, and land appeared. As they approached the shore\na stately city rose to their view, the buildings of which seemed\nunusually magnificent. Under the terrace of the sultan's palace\nthey safely, at last, cast anchor; and it chanced that the\nprince, who was named Dara, was then sitting with his daughter in\na balcony to enjoy the fresh sea breeze, and the view of the\nextensive harbour, crowded with the vessels of every country.\nPerceiving the boat, the sultan commanded his officers to bring\nthe master and his crew to the presence. Great was his surprise\nat the introduction of the beautiful Wird al Ikmaum. From her\nrich dress, dignified air, and demeanour, he concluded her to be\nof superior rank, and having seated her near his daughter, he\ngraciously requested to be informed of the name of her country,\nand the cause of her having travelled to his capital; to which\nshe replied in eloquent language, giving a summary detail of all\nher adventures. The sultan consoled her by encouraging assurances\nof his protection, promised to exert his authority to effect a\nunion with her beloved, and immediately dispatched his vizier\nwith costly presents to sultan Shamikh, requesting him to send\nIns al Wujjood to his court.\n\nThe vizier, after a prosperous voyage, having reached the capital\nof sultan Shamikh, presented his offerings, and made known the\nrequest of his master; to which the sultan replied, That nearly a\nyear had elapsed since Ins al Wujjood had, to his great regret,\nabsented himself from his court, nor had any tidings been\nobtained of the place of his retirement; but that he would order\nhis vizier to accompany the ambassador in search of his retreat,\nbeing willing to oblige his master the sultan to the utmost of\nhis power. Accordingly, after a repose of some days, the two\nviziers departed in search of Ins al Wujjood, but without knowing\nwhere to bend their journey. At length they reached the shore of\nthe ocean of Kunnooz, on which they embarked in a hired vessel,\nand sailed to the mountainous island of Tukkalla, of which the\nvizier of sultan Shamikh gave to his companion the following\naccount. \"This island was some ages back inhabited by genii; a\nprincess of whom became violently enamoured of a handsome young\nman, a son of an ameer of the city of Misr, or Cairo, whom she\nbeheld in her flight sleeping in his father's garden in the heat\nof the day. She sat down by him, and having gently awoke him, the\nyouth, on looking up, to his astonishment and rapture saw a most\nbeautiful damsel who courted his addresses: he was not backward\nin offering them; and mutual protestations of love and constancy\ntook place. After some hours of happiness the genie princess took\nan affectionate leave, promising soon to visit him again, and\nvanished from sight. The youth remained musing on his fortunate\nadventure till the dews of night began to fall, when his parents,\nfearful of some injury, sent attendants to conduct him to their\npalace, but he refused to go; and talked, as it appeared to them,\nso incoherently concerning his beloved, that they thought him\ndistracted; seized him roughly, and forced him homewards. His\nfather and mother were alarmed: it was in vain that they courted\nhim to partake of refreshment; he was sullen and gloomy, and at\nlength abruptly retired to his chamber, where he remained in\nrestless anxiety all night, waiting impatiently for morning, that\nhe might revisit the happy spot where his charmer had promised\nagain to meet him.\n\n\"At early dawn the ameer's son repaired to the garden, and was\nsoon gratified with the sight of his beloved; but while they were\nexchanging mutual protestations of regard, the mother of the\ngenie princess, who had suspected from her daughter's conduct\nthat she was carrying on some intrigue, and had followed her in\nthe air unperceived, suddenly appeared. Rushing upon the lovers,\nshe seized her daughter by the hair, beat, and abused her in the\nharshest language for having disgraced the honour of the genii by\nan amour with a wretched son of mortality: to all which the genie\nprincess replied, that her remonstrances were vain; she had fixed\nher affections, and would rather be torn into a thousand pieces\nthan desert the object of her heart. The mother upon this finding\nthe case desperate, and being herself softened by the uncommon\nbeauty of the youth, who had fallen at her feet, entreating mercy\nfor his beloved, at length relented, and agreed to sanctify their\nloves by her consent to their marriage. It was accordingly\ncelebrated; and this island, which after the name of the genie\nprincess was called Tukkalla, was fixed upon for the place of\ntheir residence. Its magnificent palace still remains, after the\nlapse of many ages, and is at present in my possession. Here I\nhope to meet my only daughter, whom I brought to reside in it\nnearly a year ago, to secure her from the attempts of a young\ncourtier, on whom she had, against my consent, fixed her\naffections.\"\n\nThe two viziers now disembarked, and proceeded up the island; but\nwhat was the astonishment and mortification of Ibrahim on\nlearning, when he arrived at the palace, that his daughter had\nescaped, nor had the attendants heard of her since her departure,\nthough they had repeatedly searched every quarter of the island.\nPerceiving among his attendants whom he had left at the palace a\nstrange young man of pallid countenance, wasted frame, and\nmelancholy air, the vizier inquired how he had come among them;\nand received for reply, that he was a shipwrecked merchant of\nIspahaun, whom they had taken in for the sake of charity. Ibrahim\nnow requested of the vizier of sultan Dara that he would return\nto his master, and inform him of their vain search after Ins al\nWujjood; at the same time desiring him to receive into his suite\nthe supposed merchant as far as the city of Ispahaun, which lay\nin his route. To this the vizier of sultan Dara consented: and\nthe two ministers having taken a friendly leave of each other\nseparated, and departed for their several capitals.\n\nThe vizier of sultan Dara, in the course of the journey, became\nso pleased with the agreeable manners of the supposed merchant,\nthat he often conversed with him familiarly; and at length the\nyoung man, emboldened by his condescending attention, ventured to\ninquire the cause of his travels to regions so distant from his\nown country: upon which he was informed of the arrival of the\nbeautiful Wird al Ikmaum at the court of sultan Dara; of the\ncompassion of that sultan for her misfortunes; his generous\nprotection; and his own fruitless mission in search of her lover\nIns al Wujjood. A this happy intelligence, the latter, overcome\nwith ecstacy, could no longer contain himself, but discovered who\nhe was; and the vizier was also overjoyed at knowing, when least\nexpected, that he had found the despaired of object of his long\njourney. He embraced the young man, congratulated him upon the\nspeedy termination of absence from his beloved, and the happy\nunion which awaited him. He then made him an inmate of his own\ntents, supplied him with rich attire, and every necessary\nbecoming the condition of a person for whose fortunes he knew his\nsovereign to be so highly concerned. Ins al Wujjood, now easy in\nmind, and renovated by the happy prospects before him, daily\nrecovered health and strength, so that by the time of their\narrival at the capital of sultan Dara he had regained his\npristine manliness and vigour.\n\nWhen the vizier waited upon his master the sultan Dara to\ncommunicate his successful commission, the sultan commanded the\nyouth to his presence. Ins al Wujjood performed the usual\nobeisance of kissing the ground before the throne, with the\ngraceful demeanour of one who had been used to a court. The\nsultan graciously returned his salutation, and commanded him to\nbe seated; after which he requested him to relate his adventures,\nwhich he did in eloquent language, interspersing in his narrative\npoetical quotations, and extempore verses applicable to the\nvarious incidents and situations. The sultan was charmed with his\nstory; and when he had finished its relation, sent for a cauzee\nand witnesses to tie the marriage knot between the happy Ins al\nWujjood and the beautiful Wird al Ikmaum; at the same time\ndispatching a messenger to announce the celebration of the\nnuptials to sultan Shamikh and Ibrahim his vizier, who were\nbewailing their supposed irrecoverable losses; one that of his\nfavourite, and the latter that of his daughter. Sultan Dara\ndetained the happy couple at his court for some time, after which\nhe dismissed them with valuable presents to their own country,\nwhich they reached in safety, and were received with the most\nheart-felt rejoicings by the sultan and the repentant vizier, who\nnow recompensed them by his kindness for the former cruelty of\nhis behaviour towards them; so that in favour with the sultan,\nand happy in their own family, the lovers henceforth enjoyed\nevery earthly felicity, sweetened by the reflection on past\ndistresses, till the angel of death summoned them to submit to\nthe final destination of mortality.\n\n\n\n\n             THE ADVENTURES OF MAZIN OF KHORASSAUN.\n\n\n\nIn ancient days there resided in the city of Khorassaun a youth\nnamed Mazin, who, though brought up by his mother, a poor widow,\nto the humble occupation of a dyer, was so celebrated for his\npersonal accomplishments and capacity as to become the admiration\nof crowds, who daily flocked to his shop to enjoy the pleasure of\nhis conversation. This young man was as good as he was able, nor\ndid flattery take away his humility, or make him dissatisfied\nwith his laborious occupation, which he followed with industry\nunceasing, and maintained his mother and himself decently from\nthe fruits of his labour. So delicate was his taste in the choice\nof colours, that veils, turbans, and vests of Mazin's dyeing were\nsought after by all the young and gay of Khorassaun; and many of\nthe females would often cast a wishful glance at him from under\ntheir veils as they gave him their orders. Mazin, however, was\ndestined by fate not always to remain a dyer, but for higher\nfortunes and surprising adventures.\n\nAs he was one day busy in his occupation, a man of Hijjem came to\nhis shop, and after looking at him earnestly for some moments,\nexclaimed, \"Alas, that such a noble youth should be confined to\ndrudge at so mean an employment!\" \"I thank you, father, for your\ncompassion,\" replied Mazin, \"but honest industry can never be\ndisgraceful.\" \"True,\" said the old man of Hijjem, \"yet if\nProvidence puts affluence and distinction in our way, should we\nrefuse it?\" \"By no means,\" said Mazin; \"canst thou point me out\nthe way to it without making me forfeit my integrity? If so, I\nassure thee I am not so fond of my trade but I would be glad to\nlive at ease in an honest manner without it; for I should like to\nenjoy leisure to follow my studies, which have already gained me\nsome little celebrity.\" \"Son,\" said the Hijjemmee, \"thy wishes\nshall be satisfied: thou hast no father, but I will be one to\nthee; from this instant I adopt thee as my son. I possess the art\nof transmuting common metals into gold: be ready at thy shop\nearly in the morning, when I will meet thee. Farewell!\" Having\nthus said, the old man took leave.\n\nMazin's curiosity and ambition were raised: he shut up his shop\nsooner than usual, and returned with a full heart to his mother,\nto whom he communicated the offered kindness of the Hijjemmee.\nThe good woman, after some moments of reflection, said, \"Son, I\nfear some evil lurks under this apparent kindness, for we live in\nwicked days, when men profess more than they mean to do for the\nsake of attaining an object; be cautious then, and do not till\nthou hast proof of his sincerity regard his office. We have at\npresent all we want, and what can riches give more?\" Mazin agreed\nto the propriety of his mother's advice, and promised to be wary.\nThey ate their usual cheerful meal, and retired to rest; but the\nyoung man could sleep but little, and he longed with impatience\nfor the morning that was to put him into possession of the art of\ntransmuting metals into gold.\n\nThe morning arrived, and Mazin repaired impatiently to his shop,\nwhere he had soon after the satisfaction of seeing his adopted\nfather, who came bearing in his hands a crucible. \"Welcome, son!\"\n\"Welcome, father!\" was the mutual salutation; after which the\nHijjemmee desired Mazin to kindle a fire: he did so, when the old\nman inquired of Mazin if he had any old metal, iron, brass,\ncopper, &c. Mazin produced some pieces of an old pot of the\nlatter metal, which were put into the crucible. When melted, the\nHijiemmee took from his turban a paper containing powder of a\nyellowish hue, which he threw into the crucible, over which he\nrepeated some cabalistic words while he stirred the melting\nmetal. At length he took it from the fire, and to his\nastonishment Mazin beheld a large lump of pure gold, which the\nHijiemmee desired him to carry to a goldsmith's and get it\nexchanged for coin He did did so, and received a handsome sum,\nwith which he returned to his adopted father.\n\n\"Well, my son,\" said the Hijjemmee, \"art thou now convinced of my\nskill, and my sincerity in offering to promote thy fortunes?\" \"I\nam,\" said Mazin, \"and am ready to follow wherever thou choosest,\nin hopes of learning this invaluable secret\" \"That shall soon be\nthine,\" replied the transmuter of metals; \"I will sup with thee\nthis evening, and in the privacy of retirement give thee the\nnecessary instruction.\" Mazin, overjoyed, immediately shut up his\nshop, and with his adopted father repaired to his own house,\nwhere he seated him in his best apartment. He then went to his\nmother, desiring that she would go and spend the night at a\nneighbour's, shewing her the gold which his broken copper had\nprocured, as a proof of the sincerity of his new friend. The old\nlady no longer doubted upon such evidence, and cheerfully took\nleave and departed to a friend's house.\n\nMazin next went to a cook's shop, from which he returned laden\nwith every sort of refreshment, nor was wine forgotten, though\nforbidden to the faithful. The adopted father and son ate\nheartily, at the same time pushing about the spirit-stirring\nliquor, till at last Mazin, who had not been used to drink wine,\nbecame intoxicated. The wily magician, for such in fact was his\npretended friend, watching his opportunity, infused into the\ngoblet of his unsuspecting host a certain potent drug, which\nMazin had scarcely drunk oft, when he fell back upon his cushion\ntotally insensible, the treacherous wizard tumbled him into a\nlarge chest, and shutting the lid, locked it. He then ransacked\nthe apartments of the house of every thing portable worth having,\nwhich, with the gold, he put into another chest, then fetching in\nporters, he made them take up the chests and follow him to the\nseaside, where a vessel waited his orders to sail, and embarked\nwith the unfortunate Mazin and his plunder. The anchor was\nweighed, and the wind being fair, the ship was soon out of sight\nof the land.\n\nMazin's mother early in the morning returning to her house found the\ndoor open, her son missing, and the rooms ransacked of all her\nvaluables. She gave a loud shriek, tore her hair, beat her bosom, and\nthrew herself on the ground, crying out for her son, who she thought\nmust have been murdered by the treacherous magician, against whose\nprofessions she had warned him to be cautious, till the sight of the\ntransmuted gold had deceived her, as well as the unfortunate victim of\nhis accursed arts. Some neighbours hearing her lamentations rushed in,\nlifted her from the ground, and inquired the cause of her distress;\nwhich, when informed of, they endeavoured to alleviate by every\nconsolation in their power, but in vain: the afflicted old lady was\nnot to be comforted. She commanded a tombstone to be raised in the\ncourt-yard, over which she sat night and day bewailing her son, taking\nscarcely food sufficient to preserve her miserable existence.\n\nThe infidel Hijjemmee, who was a wicked magician and a worshipper\nof fire, by name Bharam, hated the true believers, one of whom\nannually for several years past he had inveigled by his offers of\ninstructing in the science of transmuting metals into his power;\nand after making him subservient to his purposes in procuring the\ningredients necessary for his art, had treacherously put him to\ndeath, lest the secret should be divulged: such was now his\nintention towards the unfortunate Mazin.\n\nOn the evening of the second day after the sailing of the vessel,\nBharam thought proper to awaken his victim to a sense of his\nmisery. He opened the chest, which had been placed in his cabin,\nand poured a certain liquid down the throat of Mazin, who\ninstantly sneezed several times; then opening his eyes, gazed for\nsome minutes wildly around him. At length, seeing the magician,\nobserving the sea, and feeling the motion of the ship, his mind\nsurmised to him the misfortune which had happened; and he guessed\nhis having fallen into the snares of the treacherous Bharam,\nagainst which his mother had warned him, but in vain. Still,\nbeing a virtuous Mussulmaun, he would not complain against the\ndecrees of Heaven; and instead of lamentation uttered the\nfollowing verse of the sacred Koran: \"There is no support or\nrefuge but from the Almighty, whose we are, and to whom we must\nreturn. Deal gently with me, O my God, in the dictates of thy\nomnipotence; and make me resigned under thy chastening, O Lord of\nall being.\"\n\nHaving finished the above prayer, Mazin turning humbly towards\nhis accursed betrayer, said in a supplicating tone, \"What hast\nthou done, my father? didst thou not promise me enjoyment and\npleasure?\" The magician, after striking him, with a scowling and\nmalignant sneer, exclaimed, \"Thou dog! son of a dog! my pleasure\nis in thy destruction. Nine and thirty such ill-devoted wretches\nas thyself have I already sacrificed, and thou shalt make the\nfortieth victim to my enjoyment, unless thou wilt abjure thy\nfaith, and become, like me, a worshipper of the sacred fire, in\nwhich case thou shalt be my son, and I will teach thee the art of\nmaking gold.\" \"Cursed be thou, thy religion, and thy art,\"\nexclaimed the enraged Mazin: \"God forbid that for the pleasures\nof this world I should apostatize from our holy prophet, and give\nup the glorious rewards reserved in certain store for his\nfaithful disciples. Thou mayest indeed destroy my body, but my\nsoul despises thy torments\" \"Vile dog!\" roared out the now\nfurious sorcerer, \"I will try thy constancy.\" He then called in\nhis slaves, who held Mazin on the floor of the cabin while their\nabominable master beat him with a knotted whip till he was\ncovered with a gore of blood, but the resolute youth, instead of\ncomplaining, uttered only prayers to Heaven for divine support\nunder his pangs, and strength of fortitude to acquire the glory\nof martyrdom. At length the magician, exhausted by his cruel\nexercise, desisted, and making his slaves load his unfortunate\nvictim with heavy fetters, chained him down with only a coarse\nmat to lie upon in a dark closet, in which was placed some\nstinking water and coarse bread, just sufficient to keep up his\nmiserable existence. Mazin's courage was not to be overcome He\nwashed his wounds, and comforted himself with the hope that if he\ndied he should enjoy the blisses of Paradise, or if Providence\nhad decreed his continuance in life, that the same Providence\nwould present a mode of relief from his present and future\nafflictions. In this assurance he took a little of his wretched\nfare, and in spite of the agony of his wounds fell asleep, but\nonly to awake to fresh misery In the morning he was again\npersecuted by his cruel tormentor, who for three months daily\nharassed him with blows, with revilings, and every sort of insult\nthat malice could invent or cruelty devise.\n\nHitherto the wind had been fair, and the vessel had nearly\nreached the desired haven, when suddenly it changed, and a most\ntremendous storm arose The waves threatened to swallow up or dash\nthe vessel in pieces, so that all gave themselves over for lost.\nAt this crisis the sailors, who believed that the tempest was\nsent by Heaven as a judgment for their suffering the unfortunate\nMazin to be so cruelly tormented, went in a body to the accursed\nBharam, and accused him of having brought down the wrath of God\nupon the crew by his persecution of the young Mussulmaun; at the\nsame time threatening to cast him overboard if he did not\ninstantly release the youth from his confinement. To show the\nseriousness of their resolves, the sailors seized the slaves who\nhad been the instruments of the magician's cruelty, and threw\nthem into the sea, which so alarmed the treacherous Bharam that\nhe immediately released Mazin from his chains, fell at his feet,\nbegging pardon for his hard usage, and promising if they escaped\nthe storm to conduct him safely to his own country, and fulfil\nhis promise of instructing him in the secret of making gold.\nWonderful to relate! But no sooner was Mazin freed from his\nfetters than the violence of the tempest lessened, by degrees the\nwinds subsided, the waves abated their swell, and the sea no\nlonger threatened to overwhelm them: in a few hours all was calm\nand security, and a prosperous gale enabled the shattered vessel\nto resume her course.\n\nThe sailors now regarding Mazin as one immediately befriended by\nHeaven, treated him with the greatest respect and attention; and\nthe hypocritical magician pretending sorrow for his late\ncruelties, strove to procure his forgiveness and good opinion by\nevery art of flattery and affected contrition; which had such an\neffect on the ingenuous youth that he forgot his treachery, again\nbelieved his fair promises and assurances that the torments he\nhad undergone had only been inflicted as trials of his constancy\nand belief in the true religion, virtues necessary to be proved\nbefore the grand secret of transmuting metals could be trusted to\nhis keeping.\n\nThe remainder of the voyage was prosperous and happy, and at the\nexpiration of three months more the vessel anchored on the wished\nfor coast, which was rocky, and the beach strewed with pebbles of\nevery colour. The magician having given orders to the master of\nthe vessel to wait a month for their return, disembarked with\nMazin, and they proceeded together into the country. When they\nhad got out of sight of the ship the magician sat down, and\ntaking from his vestband a small drum, began to beat upon it with\ntwo sticks, when instantly a whirlwind arose, and a thick column\nof dust rolled towards them from the desert. Mazin was alarmed,\nand began to repent having left the vessel; when the magician,\nseeing his colour change, desired him to calm his apprehensions,\nfor which there was no cause, that he had only to obey his orders\nand be happy. He had scarcely spoken when the wind ceased, the\ndust dispersed, and three camels stood before them, one of which\nwas laden with water and provisions; the others were bridled and\nvery richly caparisoned. Bharam having mounted one, and, at his\ndesire, Mazin the other, they travelled without ceasing, except\nto take the necessary refreshment and repose, for seven days and\nnights successively over a wild and sandy desert.\n\nOn the eighth morning they reached a beautifully fertile tract,\ndelightfully watered by clear streams; the ground verdant, shaded\nby spreading trees laden with fruit, on whose branches various\nbirds warbled melodiously, and beneath them antelopes and other\nforest animals sported unmolested. At the end of a thick avenue\nrose to view a capacious dome of blue and green enamel, resting\nupon four columns of solid gold, each pillar exceeding in value\nthe treasures of the sovereigns of Persia and Greece. They\napproached the dome, stopped their camels and dismounted, and\nturned the animals to graze. This splendid building was\nsurrounded by a delightful garden, in which the now happy Mazin\nand the magician reposed themselves all that day and night. At\nsome distance from this enchanting spot appeared a stupendous\nfabric, whose numerous turrets and lofty pinnacles glittered to\nthe eye, and denoted a palace of uncommon magnificence, so that\nthe curiosity of Mazin was raised, and he could not help\ninquiring of his companion to whom such a superb edifice might\nbelong. The magician, rather roughly, desired him for the present\nto ask no questions concerning a place which belonged to his most\nbitter enemies, who were evil genii, and of whom at a proper time\nhe would give him the history. Mazim was silent, but from the\nmagician's manner he began to forbode some new treachery.\n\nIn the morning Bharam beat his magical drum, and the three camels\nappealed, when Mazim and his companion mounted, pursuing their\njourney in the same manner as before for seven days, with a speed\nmore resembling flight than the pace of travel, for their camels\nwere supernatural. On the eighth morning the magician inquired of\nMazim what he saw on the horizon. \"I behold,\" said he, \"to\nappearance, a range of thick black clouds extending from east to\nwest.\" \"They are not clouds,\" replied Bharam, \"but lofty\nmountains, called the Jubbal al Sohaub, or mountains of clouds,\nfrom their cloud-like appearance, on their summit lies the object\nof our journey, which with thy assistance we shall soon obtain,\nand return to our vessel more enriched than all the sovereigns of\nthe world, but thou must be sure to obey me in whatever I may\ncommand.\" Mazin promised to do so, but his heart trembled within\nhim as he beheld the gloomy prospect before him, and recollected\nthe boast which the accursed magician had made of his having\nsacrificed thirty-nine youthful victims on these mountains, and\nalso his threat on board the ship to make the fortieth offering\nof himself. He repented of having trusted himself from the\nvessel, but it was now too late to recede. He resigned himself to\nthe same Providence who had relieved his sufferings in his\nvoyage, and concealed, as well as he could, his uneasiness from\nthe magician, who now endeavoured to sooth and flatter him with\nartful promises and caresses.\n\nFor four days longer they pursued their route, when it was\nstopped by the black mountains, which formed, as it were, a wall\ninaccessible, for the precipices were perpendicular, as if\nscarped by art, and their tremendous height cast a dark and\ngloomy shade to a vast distance. They now dismounted, and turned\ntheir camels to graze, when the magician took out of his package\nthree loaves and a sum of water, after which he lighted a fire;\nthen having beat his talismanic drum, the camels again appeared,\nthe smallest of which he killed, embowelled, and carefully flayed\noff the skin, the inside of which he washed with water. Having\ndone thus, he addressed Mazin, saying, \"My son, the task must now\nbe thine to crown our labours with success. Enter this skin, with\nthese loaves and this water bag for thy sustenance while thou\nremainest on the summit of the mountain. Be not afraid, for no\nharm can happen I will sew up the skin, leaving room enough for\nthe admission of air. By and by a roc will descend, and seizing\nit in her talons carry thee easily through the air. When she\nshall have alighted on the table-land of the mountain, rip open\nthe stitches of the skin with thy dagger, and the roc on seeing\nthee will be instantly scared, and fly far away. Then arise,\ngather as much as possible of a black dust which thou wilt find\nthickly strewed on the ground; put it into this bag, and throw it\ndown to me, after which I will contrive an easy means for thy\ndescent, and when thou hast rejoined me we will return to our\nvessel, and I will convey thee safely back to thy own country.\nThe dust, which has the quality of transmuting metals into gold,\nwe will share between us, and shall each have enough to rival all\nthe treasuries on earth.\"\n\nMazim finding it in vain to oppose, allowed himself to be sewn up\nin the camel's skin with the loaves and water, recommending\nhimself by mental prayer to the protection of Allah and his\nprophet. The magician having finished his work retired to some\ndistance, when, as he had said, a monstrous roc, darting from a\ncraggy precipice, descended with the rapidity of lightning,\ngrasped the skin in her widely extended talons, and soaring\nswifter than the eagle soon alighted on the table-land of the\nmountain; when Mazin, feeling himself on the ground, ripped the\nstitches of his dangerous enclosure, and the roc being alarmed,\nuttered a loud scream and flew away. Mazin now arose, and walked\nupon the surface of the mountain, which he found covered with\nblack dust; but he beheld also the skeletons of the young men\nwhom the accursed Bharam, after they had served his purpose, had\nleft to perish. His blood became chilled with horror at the view,\nas he apprehended the same unhappy fate: he however filled his\nbag with the black powder, and advanced to the edge of a\nprecipice, from which he beheld the magician eagerly looking\nupwards to discover him. Mazin called out; and when the hypocrite\nsaw him, he began dancing and capering for joy, at the same time\nexclaiming, \"Welcome, welcome, my son! my best friend, beloved\nchild! all our dangers are now over, throw me down the bag.\" \"I\nwill not,\" said Mazin, \"but will give it thee when thou hast\nconveyed me safely from this perilous summit.\" \"That is not in my\npower,\" answered Bharam, \"till I shall have the bag: cast it\ndown, and I swear by the fire which I worship immediately to\nprocure thee a safe descent.\" Mazin, relying on his oath, and\nseeing no other chance of escape, cast down the bag; which having\ntaken up, the accursed sorcerer mounted his camel and was\ndeparting. The unhappy Mazin in agony called after him, saying,\n\"Surely thou wilt not forfeit thy oath, nor leave me to perish!\"\n\"Perish thou must, Mussulmaun dog!\" exclaimed the treacherous\nmagician, \"that my secret may be kept, nor can thy boasted\nprophet save thee from destruction; for around thee are mountains\nimpassable, and below a fathomless sea. I have obtained what I\nwished, and leave thee to thy fate.\" Having said thus he speeded\nonwards, and was soon out of sight.\n\nMazin was now in an agony of despair, not a ray of hope comforted\nhis mind; he beat his bosom, threw himself on the ground amid the\nmouldering skeletons of the former victims to the treachery of\nthe magician, and lay for some time in a state of insensibility.\nAt length the calls of hunger and thirst forced him back to a\nsense of wretched existence; and the love of life, however\nmiserable, made him have recourse to his water and his loaves.\nBeing somewhat revived, religion came to his aid, and he began to\npray for resignation to submit to the decrees of Heaven, however\npainful. He then walked to the edge of the mountain overhanging\nthe sea, which he observed to wash the base of the rock without\nany beach, at sight of which a desperate chance of escape struck\nhis mind: this was, to throw himself from the precipice into the\nocean, in hopes, should he survive the fall and rise to the\nsurface, he might reach land. He commended himself to God, shut\nhis eyes, held in his breath, and giving a desperate spring,\nplunged headlong into the dreadful abyss, which providentially\nreceived him unhurt, and a friendly wave drove him on shore;\nwhere, however, he remained some minutes in a lifeless stupor,\nowing to the rapidity of his descent from the brain-sickening\nprecipice.\n\nWhen his senses returned Mazin looked wildly around him, at first\nscarcely able to bear the light from the recollection of the\ndizzy eminence from which he had plunged; and an uneasy interval\nelapsed before he could persuade himself that the certainty of\ndeath was past. Convinced at length of this, he prostrated\nhimself to the earth, and exclaimed, \"In God alone is our refuge\nand support! I thought I should have perished, but his providence\nhas sustained me.\" He then wept exceedingly, entreated\nforgiveness of his offences, read several passages from the\nKoran, which he had preserved in his vestband, repeated the whole\nof his rosary, and besought the intercession of the prophet for\nhis deliverance from future dangers. After this he walked onwards\ntill evening, the fruits of the forest his food, his drink the\nwater of the streams, and his resting place the green turf. Such\nwas his progress, that after three days he reached the spot under\nthe mountain where he had been taken up by the roc in the camel's\nskin. He now recognized the road he had come; and after measuring\nback his steps for nine days, beheld on the last the superb\npalace, concerning which he had inquired of the magician, who had\ninformed him it was inhabited by evil genii, his most bitter\nenemies.\n\nFor some time Mazin hesitated whether he should advance to the\ngates of the palace; but considering that no greater calamity\ncould happen to him than he had already endured, he contemned\ndanger, and boldly advanced to a grand lodge built of white\nmarble exquisitely polished. He entered, and beheld on one of the\nraised platforms which skirted the passage into the court two\nbeautiful damsels playing at the game of chess; one of whom on\nbeholding him exclaimed, \"Surely, sister, this is the young man\nwho passed this way about a month ago with Bharam the magician?\"\n\"I am he!\" exclaimed Mazin, at the same time throwing himself at\nher feet, \"and entreat your hospitable protection.\" The lady,\nraising him from the ground, said, \"Stranger, you resemble so\nmuch a once beloved brother, that I feel inclined to adopt thee\nas such, if my sister will also agree to do so.\" The other lady\nreadily assented. They then embraced Mazin, seated him between\nthem, and requested to be informed of his adventures, of which he\ngave them a true narration.\n\nWhen Mazin had concluded his story, the ladies expressed\ncompassion for his misfortunes, and the strongest resentment\nagainst the accursed magician, whom they vowed to punish by a\ntormenting death for having had the insolence to accuse them of\nbeing evil genii. They then proceeded to acquaint him with the\ncause of their residence in this secluded palace, saying,\n\"Brother, for as such we shall henceforward regard you, our\nfather is a most potent sultan of a race of good genii, who were\nconverted by Solomon, the son of David, to the true faith; we are\nseven daughters by the same mother; but for some cause which we\ndo not know the sultan our father, being fearful of our becoming\nconnected with mankind, has placed us in this solitary spot. This\npalace was erected by genii for our accommodation; the meadows\nand forests around it are delightful, and we often amuse\nourselves with field sports, there being plenty of every sort of\ngame, as you must have observed. When we want horses or camels we\nhave only to beat a small magical drum, and they instantly attend\nour call, ready caparisoned. Our five sisters are at present at\nthe chase, but will soon return. Set thy heart at rest, forget\nthy misfortunes, which are now at an end, and thou shall live\nwith us in ease and pleasure.\"\n\nThe five sisters soon returned, and Mazin's adventures being\nrecounted to them they also adopted him as their brother; and he\ncontinued with these ladies, who strove to divert him all in\ntheir power by repeated rounds of amusements: one day they\nhunted, another hawked, another fished, and their indoor\npleasures were varied and delightful; so that Mazin soon\nrecovered his health, and was happy to the extent of his wishes.\nA year had elapsed, when Mazin one day riding out for his\namusement to the enamelled dome supported on four golden columns,\nperceived under it the accursed magician, and with him a youth,\nwhom, like himself, he had inveigled into his snares, and devoted\nalso to destruction. The rage of Mazin was kindled at the sight;\nhe drew his sabre, and rushing unperceived behind the sorcerer,\nwho was in the act of flaying a camel for the purposes already\ndescribed, seized him by his hair, and exclaimed, \"Wretch! the\njudgment of Heaven at length hath overtaken thee, and soon shall\nthy impure soul be plunged into that fire thou hast blasphemously\nadored.\" The magician struggled, but in vain. He then implored\nfor mercy and forgiveness; but Mazin, convinced by experience\nthat he deserved none, struck off his head at one blow. Then\ninforming the intended victim, who stood near gazing with\nastonishment, of the wicked arts of the accursed Bharam, and of\nhis own narrow escape from almost certain destruction, he advised\nthe young man to remount his camel, and return to the spot where\nhe had disembarked from the vessel, which would safely convey him\nback to his own country. The youth, having thanked him for his\ndeliverance, took his leave; and Mazin returned to the palace,\ncarrying with him the head of the magician as a trophy of his\nvictory. He was highly applauded for his prowess by the sisters,\nwho rejoiced in the destruction of so cruel an enemy to mankind.\n\nMany days had not elapsed after this event, when one morning\nMazin and the sisters sitting together in a gallery of the\npalace, observed a thick cloud of dust rising from the desert and\napproaching towards them. As it came nearer they perceived\nthrough it a troop of horsemen; upon which the sisters, desiring\nMazin to retire into an inner chamber, went to the gateway to\ninquire who the strangers might be. They were servants of the\ngenie sultan, father to the ladies, and sent by him to conduct\nthem to his presence, in order to attend the nuptials of a near\nrelation. Upon this summons the sisters prepared for the journey,\nand at the end of three days departed, assuring Mazin that they\nwould return in a month. At taking leave they gave him the keys\nof every apartment in the palace, telling him that he might open\nevery door except one, which to enter might be attended with\nunpleasant consequences, and therefore had better be avoided.\nMazin promised to observe their caution; and for many days was so\nwell amused in examining the magnificent rooms and curiosities of\nthe palace, that he did not feel a wish to transgress till the\nforbidden door alone remained unopened. Having then nothing to\ndivert him, he could not resist the impulse of curiosity, but\nunlocked the door, which opened on a marble staircase by which he\nascended to the terraced roof of the palace, from whence a most\ndelightful prospect feasted his sight. On one side his eye was\narrested by an extensive garden, in the centre of which, under\nshady trees, was a basin of clear water, lined with gems of every\ncolour and description. He resolved to visit this enchanting\nobject; and descending the staircase, explored his way through a\nlong arcade, which led him at length into the garden, in which he\ndiverted himself with the scenery it afforded for some time. He\nthen retired to an alcove on the margin of the basin, and sat\ndown; but had not rested many moments, when to his astonishment\nhe beheld descending from the sky a company of beautiful damsels,\nwhose robes of light green silk floating in the air seemed their\nonly support. Alarmed at such a preternatural appearance, he\nretired to the end of the alcove, from whence he watched their\nmotions. They alighted on the brink of the water, and having\nthrown off their robes, stood to the enraptured view of Mazin in\nnative loveliness. Never had he beheld such enchanting beauty;\nbut one even more exquisitely charming than the rest attracted\nhis gaze, and from the instant fixed the affections of his heart.\nThey now plunged into the basin, where for some time they amused\nthemselves by swimming, every now and then playfully dashing the\nwater over themselves and at each other. When satiated with\nfrolic they came out of the water, sat for some time on the\nverdant margin, then dressed themselves, and adjusting their\nrobes to the air, soared aloft, and were soon far from the sight\nof the enamoured Mazin, who followed them till his eyes could\nstretch no farther; then despairing of ever again beholding the\nobject of his affections, he fainted on the grass, and it was\nsome time before he recovered his senses. He returned melancholy\nto the palace, and spent the night in reposeless agitation.\n\nThe following morning the seven sisters returned; and she who had\nfirst welcomed him to their abode, and had ever since retained\nfor Mazin the purest affection, ran with eagerness to inquire\nafter his health. Great was her affliction on beholding him upon\nhis bed, pale, and apparently in a state of rapid decay. After\nmany kind questions, to which he returned no answers, she\nentreated earnestly, by the vow of brotherly and sisterly\nadoption which had past between them, that he would inform her of\nthe cause of his unhappy dejection; assuring him that she would\nuse every exertion to remove it, and gratify his wishes, be they\nwhat they might, however difficult to be obtained. Mazin upon\nthis, in a feeble tone, related his adventure in the garden; and\ndeclared that unless the beautiful (he supposed celestial) damsel\ncould be obtained for him he must die of grief. The sister bade\nhim be comforted, for in a short time his desires should be\nsatisfied, which revived his spirits, and he accompanied his kind\nhostess to welcome home her sisters, who received him with their\nusual hospitality, but were grieved and alarmed at the sad\nalteration in his appearance, of which they inquired the reason,\nand were informed that it was the effect of absence from his\ngenerous patronesses.\n\nThe next morning the sisters went upon a hunting excursion for\nten days, only one (his kindest friend) remained in the palace,\nunder pretence of attending Mazin, whose health, she said, was\ntoo delicate to bear the exercise of the chase. When the others\nwere departed, she informed Mazin that the beautiful beings he\nhad seen in the garden were of a race of genie much more powerful\nthan her own, that they inhabited a country surrounded by seas\nand deserts not to be approached by human exertion, that the\nladies he beheld were sisters to the queen of these genii, whose\nsubjects were entirely female, occasionally visited by male\ngenii, with whom they were in alliance for the sake of\npopulation, and to whom all the males were sent away as soon as\nborn. She further told him, that these females had the power,\nfrom their silken robes, of soaring through the air with a flight\nan hundred times swifter than that of any bird, that they were\nfond of recreating in verdant spots, and bathing in the clearest\nwaters, and that the garden he had seen them in was a favourite\nplace of their resort, so that they would probably soon visit it\nagain. \"Possibly,\" continued she, \"they may recreate themselves\nthere to-day; we will be on the watch, and if they appear, you\nmust fix your eye on your favourite, mark where she places her\nrobes, and while they are in the water seize and conceal them,\nfor deprived of these she cannot fly away, and you may make her\nyour prisoner. Bring her to the palace, and endeavour by\ntenderness and endearing attention to gain her affection and\nconsent to marriage; but remember when she is in your power to\nkeep her robes from her, for should she regain possession of them\nshe would certainly return to the Flying Islands, and you would\nsee her no more.\"\n\nMazin and his adopted sister now repaired to the garden, and\nseated themselves in the alcove, nor had they been there long\nwhen the fair genii appeared as before, descended on the margin\nof the basin, and all having undressed, each laying her robes by\nthemselves, rushed playfully into the water, in which they began\nto swim, dive, and besprinkle playfully each other. Mazin, whose\neager eye had ardently watched his beloved, swiftly, but\ncautiously, snatching up the robes of his mistress, conveyed them\nto the alcove unobserved by the fair bathers; who, when they had\nsufficiently amused themselves, quitted the water, and ascending\nthe bank, began to dress; but how can we describe the distressful\nconfusion of the unhappy genie whose robes had been stolen? Big\ntears rolled down her beautiful cheeks, she beat her bosom, tore\nher hair, and uttered loud shrieks, while her sisters, instead of\nconsoling her, were concerned only for their own safety, and\ndressing themselves with confused haste, bade her farewell,\nmounted into the air, and disappeared. On their departure, Mazin\nand his adopted sister approached, and saluting the disconsolate\ngenie endeavoured to console her, but for the present in vain,\nher mind being intent only on the sad captivity she thought\nawaited her, and the loss of her native country and relations.\nThey led her gently to the palace, and Mazin, retiring\nrespectfully, left her to the care of his adopted sister, who by\na thousand endearments and attentions so gained upon her, that in\ntwo days the genie began to recover her spirits, and consented to\nreceive Mazin as her husband, when the ladies should return from\nthe chase. On their arrival at the palace they were informed by\ntheir sisters of what had happened, and introduced to the fair\nstranger; who, diverted by their company and attentions, now\nscarcely regretted her captivity. Preparations were made for the\nnuptials, and in a short time Mazin was made happy in the\npossession of his beloved genie. A round of festivities succeeded\ntheir marriage, and the seven sisters strove with each other who\nshould by invention of new amusements make their residence among\nthem most delightful to the happy pair Mazin, however, now began\nto think of his mother and his native city with fond regret, and\nat length begged leave of his kind patronesses to return home, to\nwhich request they, from admiration of his filial love, though\nunwilling to part, consented, and a day was fixed for his\ndeparture. The time being arrived, the sisters beat their magical\ndrum, when several camels appeared at the gates of the palace\nheavily laden with the richest goods, a large sum of money,\nvaluable jewels, and refreshments for the journey, led by proper\nattendants. One camel carried a splendid litter for the\nconveyance of his wife, and another was richly caparisoned for\nthe use of Mazin, who, having taken an affectionate leave of his\ngenerous benefactresses, whom he promised to revisit at some\nfuture time, departed, and pursued the route back towards the sea\nshore, where he had disembarked with the magician. On the journey\nnothing remarkable occurred, and on their arrival at the coast\nthey found a vessel ready to receive them, when the wind proving\nfair, a short time carried them safely to Bussorah, where Mazin\nhad the satisfaction of finding his mother alive, though greatly\nwasted with constant grief and lamentation for his loss. To\ndescribe the joy of their meeting is impossible, for never was\nthere more tender affection between parent and child than\nsubsisted between Mazin and his mother. She seemed to gain new\nlife from his recovery, and again to grow young. The fair genie,\nwho was now in the way of being a mother, appeared perfectly\ncontented in her situation, and Mazin, so unexpectedly restored\nto his country, was happy in the possession of all he wished; for\nthe generous sisters had bestowed such wealth upon him, that, in\naddition to the domestic felicity he enjoyed, he was now one of\nthe richest persons in all Bussorah.\n\nThree years had rolled away in undisturbed happiness, during\nwhich the fair genie had borne him two sons, when Mazin thought\nit grateful to perform his promise to the seven sisters, the\nbenevolent foundresses of his good fortune. Having accordingly\nmade preparations for his journey, he committed his wife's native\nrobes to the care of his mother, giving her the key of a secret\nrecess in which he had lodged them, but with a strict charge not\nto let the genie put them on, lest an irresistible impulse might\ninspire her to fly away to her own country; for though in general\nshe had seemed contented, he had heard her now and then express a\nwish to be again with her own friends and species. The mother\npromised obedience, and Mazin having taken an affectionate leave\nof her, his wife and children, with assurances of speedy return,\nembarked on board a vessel and pursued his voyage, which was\nuncommonly prosperous. On his landing he found camels waiting his\narrival on the beach, for the genie ladies, by magic arts, knew\nof his coming, and had stationed them for his conveyance to their\npalace, which he reached in safety, and was received with the\nmost affectionate welcomes and hospitality.\n\nSome time after the departure of Mazin, his wife requested her\nmother-in-law's permission to amuse herself at a public bath, and\nthe old lady willingly accompanied her and the children to the\nmost celebrated humnaum in the city, which was frequented by the\nladies and those of the chief personages of the court, the caliph\nHaroon al Rusheed then happening to be at Bussorah. When they\nreached the bath there were then in it some of the principal\nfemale slaves, attendants of Zobeide, who, on the entrance of\nMazin's wife, were struck with her uncommon beauty, and instantly\ncollecting round her, rapturously gazed upon her as she was\nundressing.\n\nThe slaves of Zobeide did not cease to admire Mazin's wife till\nshe left the hummaum, and even followed her till she entered her\nown house, when dusk had begun to gloom, and they became\napprehensive of their mistress's being displeased at their long\nabsence, and so it happened.\n\nUpon entering into her presence, Zobeide exclaimed, \"Where have\nye loitered, and what has been the cause of your unusually long\nstay at the hummaum?\" Upon which they looked confusedly at each\nother, and remained silent. The sultana then said in anger,\n\"Instantly inform me of the cause of your delay!\" when they\nrelated the wonderful beauty of Mazin's wife, and dwelt so much\nupon her charms, that Zobeide was overcome by curiosity to behold\nthem. On the following day she sent for the mother of Mazin, who\nobeyed the summons with fear and trembling, wondering what could\nhave made the caliph's consort desirous of seeing a person of her\ninferior rank.\n\nMazin's mother prostrated herself, and kissed the feet of the\nsultana, who graciously raising her, said, \"Am Mazin, our wish is\nthat you introduce to me your son's wife, of whose beauty I have\nheard such a description, that I long to behold her.\"\n\nWhen the mother of Mazin heard these words, her heart sunk within\nher, she trembled, but dared not refuse the command of Zobeide,\nand she said, \"To hear is to obey!\" after which she took leave,\nwith the usual ceremony of prostration before the throne of the\nsultana.\n\nWhen the mother of Mazin left the princess Zobeide she returned\ntowards her own house; and when she had reached it, entered to\nher son's wife, and said, \"Our sultana Zobeide hath invited thee\nto an entertainment.\" The wife of Mazin was delighted, instantly\nrose up, arrayed herself in the richest apparel she was mistress\nof, and dressed her two children in their choicest garments and\nornaments Then with them, the mother of her husband, and a black\nslave, she proceeded, till they reached the palace of the\nprincess Zobeide, which they entered, and found her sitting in\nimpatient expectation. They kissed the ground be fore her, and\nprayed for her prosperity.\n\nWhen the sultana Zobeide beheld the wife of Mazin her senses were\nconfounded, her heart fluttered, she was astonished at her\nbeauty, elegance, graceful stature, and blooming complexion, and\nexclaimed, \"Gracious heaven! Where could such a form as this have\nbeen created?\" Then she seated her guests, and ordered a\ncollation to be brought in, which was done immediately, when they\nate and were satisfied, but Zobeide could not keep her eyes from\nthe wife of Mazin of Bussorah. She kissed her, and questioned her\nconcerning what had befallen herself and her husband. Her\nastonishment was redoubled on the relation of their adventures.\n\nThe wife of Mazin then said, \"My princess, if you are thus\nsurprised, though you have not seen me in my native robes, how\nwould you be delighted at my appearance in them! If, therefore,\nyou wish to gratify your curiosity by beholding a miracle, you\nmust command the mother of my husband to bring my country dress.\"\nUpon this Zobeide commanded the mother of Mazin to fetch the\nflying robes, and as she dared not disobey the sultana of the\ncaliph, she went home, and speedily returned with them. Zobeide\ntook them into her hands, examined them, and was surprised at\ntheir fashion and texture. At length she gave them to the wife of\nMazin.\n\nWhen the wife of Mazin had received the robes, she unfolded them,\nand going into the open court of the palace, arrayed herself in\nthem, then taking her children in her arms, mounted with them\nsuddenly into the air. When she had ascended to about the height\nof sixty feet, she called out to the mother of her husband,\nsaying, \"Give my adieu, dear mother, to my lord, and tell him,\nshould ardent love for me affect him he may come to me in the\nislands of Waak al Waak.\" After this speech she soared towards\nthe clouds, till she was hidden from their eyes, and speeded to\nher own country.\n\nWhen the mother of Mazin beheld her in the air, she beat her\ncheeks, scattered dust upon her head, and cried aloud to the\nprincess Zobeide, \"This is thy mischief.\" Zobeide was not able to\nanswer or reprove her boldness from the excess of her sorrow and\nregret, which made her repent, when repentance could not avail.\nThe old lady returned in despair to her own habitation.\n\nThus it happened to the persons above mentioned, but how was it\nwith the affairs of Mazin? He did not cease travelling for some\ntime, till he arrived at the palace of the seven sisters, and\npaid his respects. They were rejoiced at his arrival, and\ninquired after his wife, when he informed them she was well, and\nthat God had blessed him with two children, both sons, which\nadded to their satisfaction. He remained with them for some time,\nafter which he entreated their permission to depart. They took a\ntender leave of him, when he bade them farewell, and returned\ntowards his own country; nor did he halt till he arrived in\nsafety at Bussorah. When he entered his house he found his mother\nalone, mournfully weeping and lamenting what had happened in his\nabsence. Seeing her in this state, he inquired the cause, upon\nwhich she informed him of all that had occurred, from the\nbeginning to the conclusion.\n\nWhen Mazin had heard the unwelcome intelligence, he cried out in\nan agony of distress for the loss of his wife and children, fell\nfainting to the ground, and forgot his own existence. His mother,\non beholding his condition, beat her cheeks, and sprinkled water\nupon his face till he came to himself, when he wept and said to\nhis mother, \"Inform me what my wife may have spoken on her\ndeparture.\" She repeated her farewell words: upon hearing which\nhis distress and ardent longing for his wife and children was\nredoubled. He remained mournfully at home for the space of ten\ndays, after which he resolved upon the journey to the islands of\nWaak al Waak, distant from Bussorah one hundred and fifty years\nof travel.\n\nMazin departed from his mother after he had taken leave and\nentreated her prayers for his success, but the aged matron was so\naffected that she ordered her tomb to be prepared, and did\nnothing but weep and lament night and day for her son, who did\nnot halt till he had reached the palace of the seven sisters.\nWhen they saw him they were surprised, and said to one another,\n\"There must be some urgent cause for his returning so speedily.\"\nThey saluted him, and inquired after his affairs: upon which he\ninformed them of the desertion of his wife, what she had said at\ngoing away, and of his resolves to travel to the islands of Waak\nal Waak. The seven ladies replied, \"This expedition is impossible\nto be accomplished either by thee or any of thy race; for these\nislands are distant a hundred and fifty years' journey, so that\nthou canst not live to reach them.\" Mazin exclaimed, \"My\nattempting it, however, is incumbent upon me, though I may perish\non the road: if God has decreed my reunion with my wife I shall\nmeet her again; but if not, I shall die and be received into the\nmercy of the Almighty.\" The sisters did not cease to importune\nhim to lay aside the journey, but it was impossible for him to\nobey them or remain at ease; upon which their grief for his\nsituation increased. They knew that the distance was such as he\ncould never overcome by human aid, or rejoin his wife, but they\nrespected his ardent love for her and his children.\n\nOn this account they consulted with one another how to assist him\non the journey. He remained with them a month, but unable to\nrepose or enjoy their entertainments. The sisters had two uncles,\none named Abd al Kuddoos, and the other Abd al Sulleeb, who lived\nat three months distance from them, to whom they wrote in\nrecommendation of Mazin as follows.\n\n\"The bearer is our friend Mazin of Bussorah. If you can direct\nhim how to reach the islands of Waak al Waak, assist him; but if\nnot, prevent him from proceeding, lest he plunge himself into\ndestruction. At present he will not attend to our advice or\nreproofs, from excess of love to his wife and children, but\nthrough you there may finally occur to him safety and success.\"\n\nWhen they had sealed this letter they gave it to Mazin, and\nbestowed also upon him, of water and provisions, what would\nsuffice for three months' consumption, laden upon camels, and a\nsteed for his conveyance, upon which he took leave of them with\nmany thanks, fully resolved to pursue his journey to the islands\nof Waak al Waak.\n\nWith much pain and difficulty he pursued his journey, nor had he\nany pleasure either in eating or drinking during the three months\nof his pilgrimage. At length he reached a verdant pasturage, in\nwhich was a variety of flowers, flocks of sheep, and cattle\nfeeding. It was indeed a paradise upon earth. In one part of it\nhe perceived a pleasant eminence on which were buildings: he\nadvanced to them, and entered a court. Within it he beheld a\nvenerable looking personage, his beard flowing to his middle,\nwhom he saluted; when the sage returned his compliments, welcomed\nhim with respectful demeanour, and congratulated him on his\narrival. He seated him, and laid before him a collation, of which\nthey both ate till they were satisfied.\n\nMazin lodged with him that night, and in the morning the sage\ninquired of him his situation, and the reason of his coming to\nsuch a sequestered spot.\n\nMazin informed him; and, behold! this personage was Abd al\nKuddoos; who, when he heard his guest mention particulars of his\nbrother's children, redoubled his attentions to him, and said,\n\"Did they give you any letter?\" Mazin replied, \"Yes.\" He eagerly\nexclaimed, \"Give it to me.\" He gave it him, when he opened it,\nread it to himself, and considered the contents word byword.\n\nAbd al Kuddoos gazed earnestly at Mazin; reflected on his\nadventures, at which he was astonished; and how he had plunged\nhimself into danger and difficulty in such a wild pursuit. He\nthen said to him, \"My son, my advice is, that thou return by the\nway which thou hast come, and no longer vex thy soul on account\nof impossibilities, for this business thou canst not accomplish.\nI will write to the daughters of my brother what shall make thee\nhappy with them, and restore thy peace. Return then to them, and\nperplex not thyself farther, for between this spot and the\nislands of Waak al Waak is the distance of a hundred and fifty\nyears' journey. On the way also are numerous perils, for in it\nare the abodes of genii, the haunts of wild beasts, and monstrous\nserpents, and some parts also where food cannot be had or thirst\nbe gratified. Have compassion then, my son, upon thyself, and\nrush not on destruction.\"\n\nAbd al Kuddoos continued to dissuade him from his resolution\nduring three days, but he would not hear advice or reproof. On\nthe third he prepared to depart, being sufficiently refreshed;\nupon which the old man, seeing his steadiness, arose, kindled a\nfire, cast into it some perfumes, and uttered incantations, to\nMazin unintelligible; when suddenly appeared a genie, in stature\nforty cubits; he was one of the subdued spirits of our lord\nSolomon. He muttered and growled, saying, \"For what, my lord,\nhast thou summoned me here? shall I tear up this eminence by the\nroots, and hurl it beyond the mountains of Kaaf?\"\n\nAbd al Kuddoos replied, \"God be merciful to thee; I have occasion\nfor thee, and request that thou wilt accomplish my wish in one\nday:\" upon which the genie answered, \"To hear is to obey.\"\n\nAbd al Kuddoos then said to the genie, \"Take up this young man,\nand convey him to my brother Abd al Sullecb.\" He consented,\nthough the distance was a common journey of seventy years. The\ngenie advanced, seized Mazin, and placing him upon his shoulders,\nsoared with him through the air from morning till sunset, when he\ndescended before Abd al Sulleeb, paid his respects, and informed\nhim of the commands of his brother Abd al Kuddoos. Upon this he\ngreeted Mazin, who presented him the letter from the daughters of\nhis brother, which he opened and read. When he had examined the\ncontents, he was astonished at the circumstances which had\nbefallen Mazin, his arrival with him, and his resolve to\npenetrate to the islands of Waak al Waak. He then said to him,\n\"My son, I advise that thou vex not thyself with these\ndifficulties and dangers, for thou canst never attain thy object,\nor reach these islands.\"\n\nMazin now began to despair, and at the remembrance of his wife\nand children to weep bitterly, insomuch that he fainted, which,\nwhen Abd al Sulleeb beheld, his heart sympathized with his\nunhappy condition. He perceived that he would not return from his\npursuit, or be controlled, and therefore thought it best to\nassist his progress towards the islands. Going into another\napartment, he kindled a fire, over which he sprinkled some\nperfumes, and uttered incantations; when, lo! ten genii presented\nthemselves before him, and said, \"Inform us, my lord, what thou\ndesirest, and we will bring it thee in an instant.\" He replied,\n\"May God be gracious unto you!\" and related to them the story of\nMazin, his wife, and children.\n\nWhen the ten genii had heard the narration, they exclaimed, \"This\naffair is wonderful and miraculous; however, we will take and\nconvey him safely over the mountains and deserts, to the extent\nof our country and dominion, and leave him there, but cannot\npromise further assistance, as we dare not pass a step beyond our\nown territories, for the land belongs to others. In it are\ninnumerable horrors, and we dread the inhabitants.\" Mazin having\nheard what they said, exclaimed, \"I accept your offer with\ngratitude.\"\n\nThe ten genii now took up Mazin, soared with him through the air\nfor a night and day, till they came to the limits of their\nterritories, and then set him down in a country called the land\nof Kafoor, took, their leaves, and vanished from his sight. He\nwalked onwards, and did not neglect to employ his tongue in\nprayer, beseeching from God deliverance and the attainment of his\nwishes. Often would he exclaim, \"O God, deliverer from bondage,\nwho canst guide in safety over mountains, who feedest the wild\nbeasts of the forest, who decreest life and death, thou canst\ngrant me if thou choosest relief from all my distress, and free\nme from all my sorrows.\"\n\nIn this manner did he travel onwards during ten days; on the last\nof which he beheld three persons contending with each other, each\nman trying to kill his fellow. He was astonished at their\nconduit, but advanced towards them. Upon his approach they\ndesisted from combat, and one and all exclaimed, \"We will be\njudged before his young man, and whoever contradicts his opinion\nshall be deemed in the wrong.\" To this they agreed, and coming up\nto Mazin, demanded from him a just arbitration in their dispute.\nThey then displayed before him a cap, a small copper drum, and a\nwooden ball, saying, \"We are three brothers, by the same father\nand mother, who are both received into the mercy of God, leaving\nbehind them these articles. They are three, and we are three; but\na dispute hath fallen out among us respecting their allotment, as\neach of us says, 'I will have the cap.' Our contention made us\nproceed to blows, but now we are desirous that thou shouldst\narbitrate between us, and allot an article to each of us as thou\nshall judge best, when we will rest satisfied with thy decision,\nbut should either contradict it he shall be adjuged an offender.\"\n\nWhen Mazin heard the above he was surprised, and said to himself,\n\"These articles are so paltry and of such trifling value as not\nto be worth an arbitration; for surely this shabby cap, the drum,\nand the wooden ball, cannot be worth altogether more than half a\ndeenar; but I will inquire farther about them.\" He then said, \"My\nbrethren, wherein lies the value of these three things about\nwhich you were contending, for to me they appear of very little\nworth.\" They replied, \"Dear uncle, each of them has a property\nworth treasuries of wealth, and to each of them belongs a tale so\nwonderful, that wert thou to write it on a tablet of adamant it\nwould remain an example for those who will be admonished.\"\n\nMazin then requested that they would relate to him the stories of\nthe three articles, when they said, \"The eldest brother shall\nfirst deliver the account of one, its properties, what can be\ngained from them, and we will not conceal any thing from thee.\"\n\n\"This cap,\" said the elder brother, \"is called the cap of\ninvisibility, by which, whoever possesseth it may become\nsovereign of the world. When he puts it on, he may enter where he\npleases, for none can perceive him, either genii or men, so that\nhe may convey away whatever he chooses, unseen, in security. He\nmay enter the cabinets of kings and statesmen, and hear all they\nconverse upon respecting political intrigues. Does he covet\nwealth, he may visit the royal treasuries, and plunder them at\nhis pleasure; or does he wish for revenge, he can kill his enemy\nwithout being detected. In short, he may act as he pleases\nwithout fear of discovery.\"\n\nMazin now said to himself, \"This cap can become nobody but me, to\nwhom it will be most advantageous in the object of my expedition.\nPerhaps it may conduct me to my wife and children, and I may\nobtain from its possession all I wish. It is certainly one of the\nwonders of the world and rarities of the age, not to be found\namong the riches of kings of the present day.\" When he had\nruminated thus, he said, \"I am acquainted with the properties of\nthe cap, what are those of the drum?\"\n\nThe second brother began, saying, \"Whoever has this drum in his\npossession, should he be involved in a difficult situation, let\nhim take it out of its case, and with the sticks gently beat upon\nthe characters engraven on the copper; when, if his mind be\ncollected and his courage firm, there will appear to him\nwonderful matters. The virtue of it consists in the words\ninscribed upon it, which were written by our lord Solomon Bin\nDavid in talismanic characters, each of which has control over\ncertain spirits and princes of the genii, and a power that cannot\nbe described in speech. Hence, whoever is master of this drum may\nbecome superior to all the monarchs of the present day, for, on\nhis beating it in the manner already described, when he is\npressed for help, all the princes of the genii, with their sons,\nwill appear also their troops and followers, ready to obey his\ncommands. Whatever he may order them to execute they will perform\nby virtue of the talisman of our lord Solomon Bin David.\"\n\nWhen Mazin of Bussorah had heard the above, he said to himself,\n\"This drum is fitting only for me, as I have much more need of it\nthan the brothers. It will protect me from all evil in the\nislands of Waak al Waak, should I reach them, and meet with my\nwife and children. It is true, if I take only the cap I may be\nable to enter all places, but this drum will keep injury from me,\nand with it I shall be secure from all enemies.\" After this, he\nsaid, \"I have been informed of the virtues of the cap, and the\nproperties of the drum, there now only remains the account of the\nwooden ball, that I may give judgment between you, therefore let\nthe third brother speak.\" He answered, \"To hear is to obey.\"\n\nThe third brother said, \"My dear uncle, whoever possesses this\nball will find in it wonderful properties, for it brings distant\nparts near, and makes near distant, it shortens long journeys, and\nlengthens short ones If any person wish to perform one of two\nhundred years in two days, let him take it from its case, then\nlay it upon the ground and mention what place he desires to go,\nit will instantly be in motion, and rush over the earth like the\nblast of the stormy gale. He must then follow it till he arrives\nat the place desired, which he will have the power to do with\nease.\"\n\nWhen the youth had concluded his description of the virtue of the\nwooden ball, Mazin resolved within himself to take this also from\nthe brothers, and said, \"If your wish be that I should arbitrate\nbetween you, I must first prove the virtues of these three\narticles, and afterwards let each take that which may fall to him\nby decision.\" The three brothers exclaimed, \"We have heard, and\nwe consent; act as thou thinkest best, and may God protect thee\nin thy undertakings!\" Mazin then put on the cap, placed the drum\nunder his vestband, took up the ball and placed it on the ground,\nwhen it speeded before him swiftly as the gale. He followed it\ntill it came to the gate of a building which it entered, and\nMazin also went in with it. The brothers ran till they were\nfatigued, and cried out, \"Thou hast sufficiently tried them;\" but\nin vain, for by this time there was between him and them the\ndistance of ten years' journey. Mazin now rested, took the drum\nin his hands, rubbed his fingers over the talismanic characters,\nhesitated whether he should strike them with the sticks, then\nlabored lightly upon them, when, lo! a voice exclaimed, \"Mazin,\nthou hast gained thy desires.\n\n\"Thou wilt not, however,\" continued the voice, \"arrive at thy\nobject till after much trouble, but take care of the ball in this\nspot, for thou art at present in the land of the evil genii.\"\nUpon this, Mazin took up the ball and concealed it in his\nclothes; but he was overcome with astonishment at hearing words\nwithout seeing the speaker, and exclaimed, \"Who art thou, my\nlord?\" \"I am,\" replied the voice, \"one of the slaves of the\ncharacters which thou seest engraved upon the drum, and\nunremittingly in attendance; but the other servants will not\nappear except the drum be beaten loudly, when three hundred and\nsixty chiefs will attend thy commands, each of whom has under his\nauthority ten thousand genii, and every individual of them\nnumerous followers.\"\n\nMazin now inquired the distance of the islands of Waak al Waak;\nto which the voice replied, \"Three years' journey:\" upon which he\nstruck the ball before him, and followed it. He next arrived in a\nregion infested by serpents, dragons, and ravenous beasts, in the\nmountains of which were mines of copper. He now again tabored\ngently upon the drum, when the voice exclaimed, \"I am ready to\nobey thy commands.\"\n\n\"Inform me,\" said Mazin, \"what is the name of this country?\" \"It\nis called,\" answered the voice, \"the Land of Dragons and Ravenous\nAnimals. Be careful then of thyself, and make no delay, nor\nregard fatigue, for these mountains are not to be passed without\na chance of trouble from the inhabitants, who are genii, and in\ntheir caves are furious wild beasts.\" Upon this he struck the\nball afresh, and followed it unceasingly, till at length he\nreached the sea shore, and perceived the islands of Waak al Waak\nat a distance, whose mountains appeared of a fiery red, like the\nsky gilded by the beams of the setting sun. When he beheld them\nhe was struck with awe and dread; but recovering, he said to\nhimself, \"Why should I be afraid? since God has conducted me\nhither, he will protect me; or, if I die, I shall be relieved\nfrom my troubles, and be received into the mercy of God.\" He then\ngathered some fruits, which he ate, drank some water, and having\nperformed his devotions, laid himself down to sleep, nor did he\nawake till the morning.\n\nIn the morning Mazin had recourse to his drum, which he rubbed\ngently, when the voice inquired his commands. \"How am I,\" said\nhe, \"to pass this sea, and enter the islands?\" \"That is not to be\ndone,\" replied the voice, \"without the assistance of a sage who\nresides in a cell on yonder mountains, distant from hence a day's\njourney, but the ball will conduct thee there in half an hour.\nWhen you reach his abode, knock softly at the door, when he will\nappear, and inquire whence you come, and what you want. On\nentering he will receive thee kindly, and desire thee to relate\nthy adventures from beginning to end. Conceal nothing from him,\nfor he alone can assist thee in passing the sea.\"\n\nMazin then struck the ball, and followed it till he arrived at\nthe abode of the hermit, the gate of which he found locked He\nknocked, when a voice from within said, \"Who is at the gate?\" \"A\nguest,\" replied Mazin upon which the sage arose and opened the\ndoor, admitted him, and entertained him kindly for a whole night\nand day, after which Mazin ventured to inquire how he might pass\nthe sea The sage replied, \"What occasions thy searching after\nsuch an object?\" Mazin answered, \"My lord, I intend to enter the\nislands, and with that view have I travelled far distant from my\nown country.\" When the sage heard this, he stood up before him,\ntook a book, opened it, and read in it to himself for some time,\nevery now and then casting a look of astonishment upon Mazin. At\nlength he raised his head and said, \"Heavens! what troubles,\ndisasters, and afflictions in exile have been decreed to this\nyouth in the search of his object!\" Upon this Mazin exclaimed,\n\"Wherefore, my lord, did you look at the book and then at me so\nearnestly?\" The sage replied, \"My son, I would instruct thee how\nto reach the islands, since such is thy desire, but thou canst\nnot succeed in thy desires till after much labour and\ninconvenience. However, at present relate to me thy adventures\nfrom first to last\" Mazin rejoined, \"My story, my lord, is such a\nsurprising one, that were it engraven on tablets of adamant, it\nwould be an example for such as would take warning.\"\n\nWhen he had related his story from beginning to end, the sage\nexclaimed, \"God willing thou wilt attain thy wishes:\" upon which\nMazin inquired concerning the sea surrounding the islands, and\nhow he could overcome such an impediment to his progress; when\nthe sage answered, \"By God's permission, in the morning we will\nrepair to the mountains, and I will shew thee the wonders of the\nseas.\"\n\nWhen God permitted morning to dawn the hermit arose, took Mazin\nwith him, and they ascended the mountains, till they reached a\nstructure resembling a fortress, which they entered, and\nproceeded into the inmost court, in which was an immense colossal\nstatue of brass, hollowed into pipes, having in the midst of it a\nreservoir lined with marble, the work of magicians. When Mazin\nbeheld this he was astonished, and began to tremble with fear at\nthe vastness of the statue, and what miraculous power it might\ncontain. The hermit now kindled a fire, threw into it some\nperfumes, and muttered some unintelligible words, when suddenly\ndark clouds arose, from which burst out eddies of tempestuous\nwind, lightnings, claps of thunder, groans, and frightful noises,\nand in the midst of the reservoir appeared boiling waves, for it\nwas near the ocean surrounding the islands. The hermit did not\ncease to utter his incantations, until the hurricane and noises\nhad subsided by his authority, for he was more powerful than any\nof the magicians, and had command over the rebellious genii. He\nnow said to Mazin, \"Go out, and look towards the ocean\nsurrounding the islands.\"\n\nMazin repaired to the summit of the mountain, and looked towards\nthe sea, but could not discover the smallest trace of its\nexistence: upon which he was astonished at the miraculous power\nof the hermit. He returned to him, exclaiming, \"I can behold no\nremains of the ocean, and the islands appear joined to the main\nland;\" when the sage said, \"My son, place thy reliance on God and\npursue thy object,\" after which he vanished from sight.\n\nMazin now proceeded into the islands, and did not stop till he\nhad reached a verdant spot watered by clear rivulets, and shaded\nby lofty trees. It was now sunrise, and among the wonders which\nhe beheld was a tree like the weeping willow, on which hung, by\nway of fruit, beautiful damsels, who exclaimed, \"Praised be God\nour creator, and former of the islands of Waak al Waak.\" They\nthen dropped from the tree and expired. At sight of this prodigy\nhis senses were confounded, and he exclaimed, \"By heavens, this\nis miraculously surprising!\" When he had recovered himself, he\nroamed through the groves, and admired the contrivances of the\nAlmighty till sunset, when he sat down to rest.\n\nHe had not sat long when there approached towards him a\nmasculinely looking old woman of disagreeable countenance, at\nsight of whom Mazin was alarmed. The matron guessing that he was\nin fear of her, said to him, \"What is thy name, what are thy\nwants? art thou of this country? Inform me; be not afraid or\napprehensive, for I will request of God that I may be the means\nof forwarding thy wishes.\" On hearing these words the heart of\nMazin was encouraged, and he rerelated to her his adventures from\nfirst to last. When she had heard them, she knew that he must be\nhusband to the sister of her mistress, who was queen of the\nislands of Waak al Waak, and said, \"Thy object is a difficult\none, but I will assist thee all in my power.\"\n\nThe old woman now conducted Mazin through by-paths to the capital\nof the island, and led him unperceived in the darkness of night,\nwhen the inhabitants had ceased to pass through the streets, to\nher own house. She then set before him refreshments, and having\neaten and drunk till he was satisfied, he praised God for his\narrival; when the matron informed him concerning his wife, that\nshe had endured great troubles and afflictions since her\nseparation, and repented sincerely of her flight. Upon hearing\nthis, Mazin wept bitterly, and fainted with anguish. When revived\nby the exertions of the old woman, she comforted him by promises\nof speedy assistance to complete his wishes, and left him to his\nrepose.\n\nNext morning the old woman desiring Mazin to wait patiently for\nher return, repaired to the palace, where she found the queen and\nher sisters in consultation concerning the wife of Mazin, and\nsaying, \"This wretch hath espoused a man, by whom she has\nchildren, but now she is returned, we will put her to death after\ndivers tortures.\" Upon the entrance of the old lady they arose,\nsaluted her with great respect, and seated her, for she had been\ntheir nurse. When she had rested a little, she said, \"Were you\nnot conversing about your unfortunate sister? but can ye reverse\nthe decrees of God?\" \"Dear nurse,\" replied they, \"no one can\navoid the will of heaven, and had she wedded one of our own\nnature there would have been no disgrace, but she has married a\nhuman being of Bussorah, and has children by him, so that our\nspecies will despise us, and tauntingly say, 'Your sister is a\nharlot.' Her death is therefore not to be avoided.\" The nurse\nrejoined, \"If you put her to death your scandal will be greater\nthan hers, for she was wedded lawfully, and her offspring is\nlegitimate; but I wish to see her.\" The eldest sister answered,\n\"She is now confined in a subterraneous dungeon;\" upon which the\nnurse requested permission to visit her, which was granted, and\none of the sisters attended to conduct her to the prison.\n\nThe nurse, on her arrival at the prison, found the wife of Mazin\nin great distress from the cruelty of her sisters. Her children\nwere playing about her, but very pallid, from the closeness of\ntheir confinement. On the entrance of the nurse she stood up,\nmade her obeisance, and began to weep, saying, \"My dear nurse, I\nhave been long in this dungeon, and know not what in the end may\nbe my fate.\" The old woman kissed her cheeks, and said, \"My dear\ndaughter, God will bring thee relief, perchance on this very\nday.\"\n\nWhen the wife of Mazin heard this, she said, \"Good heavens! your\nwords, my dear nurse, recall a gleam of comfort that last night\nstruck across my mind from a voice, which said, 'Be comforted, O\nwife of Mazin, for thy deliverance is near.'\" Upon this the old\nwoman replied, \"Thou shalt indeed be comforted, for thy husband\nis at my abode, and will speedily release thee.\" The unfortunate\nprisoner, overcome with joy, fainted away, but was soon restored\nby the nurse's sprinkling water upon her face, when she opened\nher eyes and said, \"I conjure thee by heaven, my dear nurse,\ninform me if thou speakest truth, or dissemblest.\" \"I not only\nspeak truth,\" answered the nurse, \"but by God's help thou shalt\nmeet thy husband this day.\" After this she left her.\n\nThe nurse, upon her return home, inquired of Mazin if he had\nskill to take his wife away, provided he was admitted into the\ndungeon at night. He replied, \"Yes.\" When night was set in, she\nconducted him to the spot where she was confined, left him near\nthe gate, and went her way. He then put on his cap of\ninvisibility, and remained unperceived all night by any one.\nEarly in the morning the queen, his wife's eldest sister,\nadvanced, opened the gate of the prison, and entered, when he\nfollowed unseen behind her, and seated himself in a corner of the\napartment. The queen went up to her sister, and beat her cruelly\nwith a whip, while her children wept around her, till the blood\nappeared upon her body, when she left her hanging by her hair\nfrom a pillar, went out, and locked the door of the dungeon.\nMazin now arose, unloosed his wife's hair, and pulling off the\ncap, appeared before her, when she exclaimed, \"From whence didst\nthou come?\" They then embraced each other, and he said. \"Ah, why\ndidst thou act thus, leave me in such affliction, and plunge\nthyself into such distress, which, indeed, thy conduct hath\nalmost deserved?\" \"It is true,\" replied she; \"but what is past is\npast, and reproach will not avail, unless thus canst effect our\nescape:\" upon which he exclaimed, \"Does thy inclination really\nlead thee to accompany me to my own country?\" She answered,\n\n\"Yes; do with me what thou choosest.\"\n\nThey remained in endearment with their children until evening,\nwhen the keeper of the dungeon approaching, Mazin put on his cap\nof invisibility. The keeper having set down the provisions for\nthe night, retired into a recess of the dungeon and fell asleep;\nwhen Mazin and his family sat down and refreshed themselves.\nPerceiving the keeper asleep, Mazin tried the door and found it\nunlocked; upon which, he, with his wife and children, left the\nprison, and travelled as quickly as possible all night. When the\nqueen, in the morning, was informed of her sister's escape she\nwas enraged, and made incantations, on which seven thousand genii\nattended, with whom she marched out in pursuit, resolved to cut\nthe fugitives in pieces.\n\nMazin, looking behind him, perceived a cloud of dust, and soon\nappeared the forces of his wife's sister, who cried out on seeing\nhim, with dreadful howls, \"Where will ye go, ye wretches, ye\naccursed? where can ye hide yourselves?\" Upon this Mazin took out\nhis drum, and beat it violently, when, lo! there appeared before\nhim legions of genii, in number more than could be reckoned, and\nthey fought with the armies of the queen, who was taken prisoner,\nwith her principal attendants.\n\nWhen the wife of Mazin beheld her sister in this distress her\ncompassion was moved towards her, and she said to her husband,\n\"Hurt not my sister, nor use her ill, for she is my elder:\" upon\nwhich he treated her respectfully, and commanded tents to be\npitched for her and her court.\n\nPeace being established, the sisters took an affectionate leave,\nand Mazin, with his family, departed for the residence of Abd al\nSulleeb, which they speedily reached with the assistance of the\ngenii, and the directing ball. The old man received him kindly,\nand inquired his adventures, when he related them to him; at\nwhich he was surprised, especially at the account of the cap, the\ndrum, and the ball; of which last Mazin begged his acceptance,\nbeing now near home, and having no farther occasion for its use.\nAbd al Sulleeb was much pleased, and entertained him\nmagnificently for three days, when Mazin wishing to depart, the\nold man presented him with rich gifts, and dismissed him.\n\nMazin was continuing his route, when suddenly a band of a hundred\nbanditti appeared, resolved to plunder and put him and his\ncompanions to death, with which design they kept advancing. Mazin\ncalled out to them, \"Brother Arabs, let the covenant of God be\nbetween you and me, keep at a distance from me.\" When they heard\nthis they increased their insolence, surrounded him, and supposed\nthey should easily seize all that he had; but especially when\nthey beheld his wife, and the beauty she was endowed with, they\nsaid one to another, \"Let us put him to death, and not suffer him\nto live.\" Each man resolved within himself, saying, \"I will seize\nthis damsel, and not take the plunder.\"\n\nWhen Mazin saw that they were bent upon attacking him, to seize\nhis wife and plunder his effects, he took out his drum and beat\nupon it in a slight manner, when, behold! ten genii appeared\nbefore him, requiring his commands. He replied, \"I wish the\ndispersion of yonder horsemen;\" upon which one of the ten\nadvanced among the hundred banditti, and uttered such a\ntremendous yell as made the mountains reverberate the sound.\nImmediately as he sent forth the yell, the banditti, in alarm,\ndispersed themselves among the rocks, when such as fell from\ntheir horses' backs fled on foot; so that they lost their\nreputation, and were ridiculed among the chiefs of the Abbasside\ntribes. Mazin now pursued his journey, and did not halt till he\nhad reached the abode of Abd al Kuddoos, who advanced to meet him\nand saluted him, but was astonished when he beheld his company,\nand the wealth he had obtained. Mazin related what had befallen\nhim, of dangers, and hunger, and thirst; his safe arrival in the\nislands of Waak al Waak; the deliverance of his wife from prison,\nand the defeat of the army sent to oppose his return. He\nmentioned also the reconciliation between the sisters of his\nwife, and whatever had happened to him from first to last.\n\nAbd al Kuddoos was greatly astonished at these adventures, and\nsaid to Mazin of Bussorah, \"Truly, my son, these events are most\nsurprising, and can have never occurred to any but thyself.\"\nMazin remained three days to repose himself, and was treated with\nhospitality and respect until the fourth, when he resolved to\ncontinue his journey, and took leave. He proceeded towards his\nown country, and did not halt on the way till he arrived with the\nseven sisters, the owners of the palace, who had so much\nbefriended him.\n\nWhen Mazin of Bussorah arrived near the palace of the seven\nsisters, they came out to meet him, saluted him and his wife, and\nconducted them within; but they were astonished at his return,\nand at first could scarcely believe his success, wondering that\nhe had not perished on the road, or been torn in pieces by the\nwild beasts of the desert; for they had regarded it as impossible\nthat he should ever reach the islands of Waak al Waak.\n\nWhen they were seated, they requested him to relate to them all\nthat had befallen him, which he did from first to last, and they\nwere more than ever astonished at his uncommon adventures. After\nthis they introduced a collation, and spread the cloth, when they\nate till they were satisfied, and then wrote a letter and\ndispatched it to the mother of Mazin, congratulating her on the\nhealth of her son, and his safe return with his wife and\nchildren.\n\nMazin remained with the ladies a month, enjoying himself in\nfeasting and amusements, after which he begged permission to\ndepart to his own country, for his heart was anxious for his\nmother. They dismissed him, and he travelled unceasingly till he\narrived at Bussorah. He entered the city at sunset, and proceeded\nto his own house, when his mother came out, saluted him, and\nembraced him. She had erected her tomb in the court of her house,\nand had wept night and day till she became blind, but when the\nletter arrived from the sisters, from the rapture of joy her\nsight returned unto her again. She beheld the children of her\nson, embraced them, and that night was to her as an eed or\nfestival.\n\nWhen God had caused the morning to dawn, the chief personages of\nBussorah visited Mazin to congratulate him on his return, and the\nprincipal ladies came to his mother, and rejoiced with her on the\nsafety of her son. At length intelligence of it reached the\ncaliph Haroon al Rusheed, who sent for Mazin to his presence.\nHaving entered the audience chamber, he made the usual obeisance,\nwhen the caliph returned his salute, and commanded him to sit.\nWhen he was seated, the caliph demanded that he should relate the\nwhole of what had befallen him, to which he answered, \"To hear is\nto obey.\"\n\nMazin then recited his adventures from the time the fire-worshipper\nwho had stolen him from his mother by his stratagems, the mode of his\ncoming to the palace of the seven ladies, the manner in which he\nobtained his wife, her flight from the palace of the empress Zobeide,\nhis journey to the islands of Waak al Waak, also the dangers and\ndifficulties he had encountered from first to last. The caliph was\nastonished, and said, \"The substance of these adventures must not be\nlost or concealed, but shall be recorded in writing.\" He then\ncommanded an amanuensis to attend, and seated Mazin of Bussorah by\nhim, until he had taken down his adventures from beginning to end.\n\n\n\n\n           STORY OF THE SULTAN, THE DERVISH, AND THE\n                         BARBER'S SON.\n\n\n\nIn the capital of a sultan named Rammaud lived a barber, who had\na son growing up to manhood, possessing great accomplishments of\nmind and person, and whose wit and humour drew numerous customers\nto his shop. One day a venerable dervish entering it, sat down,\nand calling for a looking glass, adjusted his beard and whiskers,\nat the same time asking many questions of the young man; after\nwhich he laid down a sherif, rose up, and departed. The next day\nhe came again, and for several days following, always finishing\nhis visit by leaving a piece of gold upon the looking-glass, to\nthe great satisfaction of the barber, who from his other\ncustomers never usually received more than sonic coppers of\nlittle value; but though he liked the gold, his suspicions were\nraised against the generous donor, supposing him to be a\nnecromancer, who had some evil design against his son, whom,\ntherefore, he cautioned to be upon his guard. The visits of the\ndervish were continued as usual for some time; when one day he\nfound the barber's son alone in the shop, and was informed that\nhis father had gone to divert himself with viewing some\nexperiments which the sultan was making of the mixture of various\nmetals, being an adept in chemistry, and eager in search of the\nphilosopher's stone. The dervish now invited the young man to\naccompany him to the spot where the experiments were making, and\non their arrival they saw a vast furnace, into which the sultan\nand his attendants cast pieces of metal of various sorts. The\ndervish having taken a lump of ore from his wallet threw it into\nthe furnace; then addressing the young barber, said, \"I must for\nthe present bid you farewell, as I have a journey to take; but if\nthe sultan should inquire after me, let him know I am to be found\nin a certain city, and will attend his summons.\" Having said\nthis, the dervish presented the barber's son with a purse of\ngold, took his leave, and the youth returned home. Great was the\nsurprise of the sultan, when the metals in the furnace were all\nmelted, to find them converted into a mass of solid gold, which\nproved, on assay, to be of the purest quality. Every one was\nquestioned as to what he had cast into the furnace, when there\nappeared no reason to suppose the transmutation could have been\neffected by such an accidental mixture of metals. At length it\nwas remarked, that a dervish, accompanying the barber's son, had\ncast in a lump of ore, and immediately disappeared. Upon this the\nsultan summoned the youth to his presence, and inquiring after\nhis companion, was informed of the place of his residence, and of\nwhat, on his departure, he had said to him. The sultan was\noverjoyed at the welcome intelligence, and dispatched the young\nman, with an honourable attendance, to conduct the venerable\ndervish to his presence, where being arrived, he was received\nwith the most distinguishing attention, and the barber's son was\npromoted to high office. After some days, the sultan requested\nthe dervish to instruct him in the transmutation of metals, which\nhe readily did, as well as in many other occult mysteries; which\nso gratified his royal patron, that he trusted the administration\nof government to his care. This disgusted the ministers and\ncourtiers, who could not bear to be controlled by a stranger, and\ntherefore resolved to effect his ruin. By degrees they persuaded\ntheir credulous master that the dervish was a magician, who would\nin time possess himself of his throne, and the sultan, alarmed,\nresolved to put him to death. With this intention, calling him to\nthe presence, he accused him of sorcery, and commanded an\nexecutioner to strike off his head. \"Forbear awhile,\" exclaimed\nthe dervish, \"and let me live till I have shown you the most\nwonderful specimen of my art.\" To this the sultan consented, when\nthe dervish, with chalk, drew a circle of considerable extent\nround the sultan and his attendants, then stepping into the\nmiddle of it, he drew a small circle round himself, and said,\n\"Now seize me if you can;\" and immediately disappeared from\nsight. At the same instant, the sultan and his courtiers found\nthemselves assaulted by invisible agents, who, tearing off their\nrobes, whipped them with scourges till the blood flowed in\nstreams from their lacerated backs. At length the punishment\nceased, but the mortification of the sultan did not end here, for\nall the gold which the dervish had transmuted returned to its\noriginal metals. Thus, by his unjust credulity, was a weak prince\npunished for his ungrateful folly. The barber and his son also\nwere not to be found, so that the sultan could gain no\nintelligence of the dervish, and he and his courtiers became the\nlaughingstock of the populace for years after their merited\nchastisement.\n\n\n\n\n               ADVENTURES OF ALEEFA, DAUGHTER OF\n           MHEREJAUN, SULTAN OF HIND, AND EUSUFF, SON\n                   OF SOHUL, SULTAN OF SIND.\n\n\n\nMherejaun, sultan of Hind, was many years without any progeny,\nand immersed in melancholy at the thought of his kingdom's\npasssing to another family. One evening, while indulging his\ngloomy thoughts, he dropped into a doze, from which he was roused\nby a voice exclaiming, \"Sultan, thy wife this night shall\nconceive. If she bears a son, he will increase the glory of thy\nhouse; but if a daughter, she will occasion thee disgrace and\nmisfortune.\" In due time the favourite sultana was delivered of a\ndaughter, to the great mortification of the parents, who would\nhave destroyed her had not her infant smiles diverted their\nanger. She was brought up in the strictest privacy, and at the\nend of twelve years the sultan had her conveyed to a strong\ncitadel erected in the middle of a deep lake, hoping in such a\nconfinement to prevent her from fulfilling the prediction which\nhad been made concerning her. Nothing could excel the\nmagnificence of her abode, where she was left only with female\nattendants of the highest accomplishments, but no male was\nallowed to approach even the borders of the lake, except when\nsupplies were conveyed for the use of its fair inhabitants, who\nwere then restricted to their apartments. The gate of the citadel\nwas entrusted to the care of an old lady, the princess's nurse.\nFor three years the fair Aleefa lived happy in her splendid\nprison, but the decree of fate was not to be overcome, and an\nevent predestined by heaven overturned the cautious project of\nsultan Mherejaun.\n\nEusuff, a dissipated young prince, son to the sultan of Sind,\nhaving offended his father, fled from his court, and with a few\nattendants reached the borders of the lake, in his way to seek an\nasylum in the territories of Mherejaun. Curious to know who\ninhabited the citadel in the midst of it, he swam over the lake,\nand landed at the gate, which he found shut, but no one answered\nhis loudest call for admission. Upon this he wrote a note,\nrequesting compassion to a helpless stranger, and having fixed it\nto an arrow, shot it over the battlements. It luckily for him\nfell at the feet of the princess, then walking in one of the\ncourts of her palace. She prevailed upon her nurse to open the\ngate, and at sight of Eusuff fell in love with him, as he did\nwith her. He was admitted, and the tenderest interviews took\nplace between them. Joy and pleasure prevailed in the citadel,\nwhile the prince's attendants remained, expecting his return, on\nthe banks of the lake.\n\nAfter some time, sultan Sohul wishing to be reconciled to his\nson, and having learnt the route he had taken, dispatched his\nnephew named Yiah to assure him of forgiveness, and invite him to\nreturn to Sind. Yiah arriving at the lake, was informed by\nEusuff's attendants that the prince had entered the citadel,\nsince which they had not seen or heard anything of him. Yiah,\nupon this, penned a note expressive of the sultan's forgiveness,\nand his wish to see the prince, which he fixed to an arrow and\nshot it into the palace, in the garden of which it fell, as\nEusuff and Aleefa were walking for their amusement. The prince,\non reading the note, overcome with joy at the intelligence of his\nfather's forgiveness of his errors, resolved to return home and\npay his duty to his parents. He communicated his design to the\nprincess, who was plunged into the deepest sorrow at the thought\nof his departure, but he comforted her by assurances of his\nspeedy return, declaring that nothing but filial duty could have\ntorn him from her, even for a moment. She now implored him to to\ntake her with him, but Eusuff prudently represented that such a\nstep could only disgrace her fame and enrage her father, who, on\ndiscovery of her flight, would invade the kingdom of Sind with\nhis powerful armies, and a scene of unnecessary bloodshed would\nensue. On the contrary, it they waited patiently, sultan\nMherejaun might be prevailed upon to consent to their union; but,\nin the mean time, he would visit her often, while their meetings\nmight, through the fidelity of their mutual attendants, be kept\nsecret. Aleefa, though unwilling, was obliged to acknowledge the\njustice of his reasoning, and consented to his departure; but on\nhis taking leave, with tears and embraces entreated him not to be\nlong absent, which he promised, and with truth, for his love was\nsincere, and it was with difficulty he submitted to the call of\nduty to a forgiving parent.\n\nEusuff having swam the lake with his bow and quiver upon his\nhead, as before, rejoined his companions, who rejoiced to see\nhim. He was received by his cousin Yiah with transports of\naffection, and informed of what had happened since his departure\nfrom court; after which the prince related his love adventure\nwith the fair Aleefa, at the same time requesting his secrecy,\nand that he would charge the same on his attendants, as to his\nhaving been in the citadel, which he should earnestly beg also of\nhis companions to observe. After a night's repose the two princes\nmarched towards Sind, and when within a day's distance from the\ncapital, dispatched a courier to give notice of their approach.\nSultan Sohul, overcome with joy at the recovery of his son,\nhaving commanded the city to be ornamented and splendid\nentertainments to be made for his triumphal entry, with his whole\ncourt in their most magnificent array advanced to meet him. The\nprince, on seeing his father's train, dismounted, fell on his\nface, then running up, eagerly embraced the stirrup of the old\nsultan, who threw himself upon his neck in a transport of joy,\nand wept over him with tears of affectionate rapture. A horse\nsumptuously caparisoned was now brought for the prince's\nmounting, and the father and son rode side by side into the city,\namid the acclamations of all ranks of people; while, as they\nproceeded, basins full of silver and gold, coined for the\noccasion, were showered amongst the assembled crowds in the\nstreets. It is impossible to describe the tender interview\nbetween the prince and the queen his mother, whose heart had been\nnearly broken on the flight of her son, or the glad transports of\nEusuff's own ladies, who were in number three wives and forty\nconcubines. Suffice it to say, that all was joy and pleasure in\nthe palace, except in the breast of Eusuff; who mingled with the\nsatisfaction of return to his family an ardent desire to meet\nagain the beautiful Aleefa, so that the caresses of his women\ngave him no pleasure; and when he retired to his apartment, he\ndid not, as was usual, call any of them to his presence, but\npassed the night alone, thinking of his beloved. Morning invited\nhim to new scenes of festivity, prepared by his happy parents,\nwho little suspected how soon they were again to lose their son.\n\nEusuff having sacrificed a few days (to him long as the eve of\ndissolution) to his sense of duty, could no longer restrain his\nimpatience, but with a faithful slave named Hullaul, mounted on a\nfavourite courser behind him, left the palace undiscovered in the\ndarkness of night, and speeded with the swiftness of the gale\ntowards the citadel of Aleefa. Being arrived on the banks of the\nlake, he secured his saddle and bridle among some bushes, and was\ncarried with his attendant safely through the water by his noble\nsteed. Unbounded was the joy of the princess at again meeting her\nfaithful lover, nor was his rapture less than hers. Having\ncommitted Hullaul to the care of the ladies of Aleefa, they\nretired to their apartment. Thirty days rolled on almost\nunperceived by Eusuff, who forgot his parents, his family, and\ncountry, in the delights of love.\n\nOn the thirtieth evening, as Eusuff and Aleefa were viewing the\nbeautiful prospect from the terrace of the palace, they perceived\na boat sailing towards it, which, as it drew nearer, the princess\nknew to belong to her father the sultan Mherejaun; upon which she\nrequested her lover to keep himself concealed from view, while\nshe received the persons in the vessel. Eusuff accordingly\nwithdrew into a chamber, the lattice of which looked upon the\nlake; but how can we express his indignant surprise, and furious\njealousy, when he beheld landing from the boat two handsome young\nmen, into the arms of one of whom Aleefa threw herself with eager\ntransport, and after mutual embraces they withdrew together into\nthe palace. Without considering that his supposed rival might be\na near relation to the princess, as he in fact was, being her\nfirst cousin, who had been brought up with her till her\nconfinement to the lake; Eusuff suffered himself to be overcome\nby unworthy suspicion, and resolved to quit for ever a faithless\nmistress. Having written an angry letter upraiding her with\nfalsehood, and bidding her farewell, he with his attendant\nHullaul mounted his courser; then delivering his note to one of\nthe females, to be given to the princess, he swam over the lake\nand speeded rapidly to his own country, where he was once more\njoyfully received by his parents and family; and in order to\nforget the charms of Aleefa, he indulged himself in mirth and\npleasure with his lately forsaken ladies, who, delighted with the\nlong-wished-for return of his affection, strove with each ether\nwho should please him best.\n\nThe unsuspecting Aleefa was engaged with her cousin Sohaul and\nAli Bin Ibrahim, a faithful eunuch who was his attendant, asking\na thousand questions and listening to the news of her father's\ncourt, when Eusuff's letter was put into her hands. Rising up,\nshe withdrew into a closet, opened it, and was much vexed at its\nungrateful contents; but knowing herself innocent, and trusting\nthat her lover would return when convinced of his mistake, she\ncomposed her mind as firmly as she, could till the departure of\nher cousin, who after some days took leave and returned to the\ncapital of Mherejaun, leaving behind him the eunuch, to the great\nsatisfaction of the princess, who hoped to make him the mediator\nbetween her and her beloved. Nor was she mistaken. When unfolding\nto him the whole of her adventures with Eusuff, he agreed to be\nthe bearer of a letter, and explain to him the cause of his\nneedless suspicion. Having swam the lake with the fair Aleefa's\npacket wrapped in his clothes upon his head, the faithful Ah in\ntwenty days reached the city of Sind, and demanding an audience\nin private, which was readily granted, delivered his commission\nto the prince. Eusuff, whose anger was now calmed, and who had\nalready begun to feel uneasy at absence from the still reigning\nfavourite of his heart, on perusing her letter was overcome with\njoy. He listened eagerly to the account of his fancied rival by\nthe eloquent Ali Bin Ibrohim, to whom he expressed his conviction\nof her constancy, his own sorrow for his unreasonable desertion\nof her, and his intention of departing to visit her the next\nnight, till when he desired the eunuch to repose himself after\nhis fatigue. Ali Bin Ibrahim was then lodged, by the prince's\norders, in one of the most splendid apartments of the palace, and\nrespectfully waited upon by the domestics of his court. The night\nfollowing, Eusuff having ordered his favourite Hullaul to make\npreparations, departed from Sind as before, with the eunuch\nmounted on a second courser. They in a few days reached the\nborders of the lake, swam over, and to the great joy of the once\nmore happy Aleefa arrived at the citadel. The recollection of the\npains of absence added a zest to the transports of reunion, and\nthe lovers were, if possible, more delighted with each other than\nbefore their separation. The faithful Ali Bin Ibrahim was now\ndismissed with invaluable presents of precious stones, and\nreturned to the court of Mherejaun, the time for his stay at the\ncitadel of the lake being expired. On his arrival, the sultan,\nanxious for intelligence of his daughter's health, took him into\nhis closet, and while he was questioning him, by some accident\nthe eunuch's turban unfortunately falling off, the precious\nstones, which, with a summary of the adventures of Eusuff and\nAleefa, and his own embassy to Sind, were wrapped in the folds,\ntumbled upon the floor. The sultan knew the jewels, and examining\nthe turban, to make farther discoveries, found the paper, which\nhe eagerly read; and furious was his wrath, when from the\ncontents it appeared that all his caution to guard against the\ndecrees of heaven had been vain, that the princess had been\nseduced, and his house dishonoured. He sternly inquired of the\ntrembling Ali if Eusuff was yet with his daughter, and was\nanswered in the affirmative, when he immediately gave orders for\nvessels to be prepared for his departure, hoping to take him\nprisoner, and at the same time commanded his army to march along\nthe banks of the lake and encamp opposite the citadel. The\nunfortunate eunuch was thrown into a dungeon and loaded with\nheavy chains, after he had been bastinadoed almost to death; but\nstill faithful to the lovers, he prevailed upon his gaoler by a\nlarge bribe during the night to permit him to dispatch a note by\na trusty messenger to the princess, apprising her of the\nmisfortune which had happened, in hopes that she would have time\nto escape with Eusuff towards his own country before her father's\narrival. Fortunately for the lovers, this information reached\nthem the next morning, when they consulted what measures to\npursue, and it was agreed, that instead of both quitting the\ncitadel, only Eusuff and Hullaul should return to Sind, as the\nprincess was unequal to such a rapid journey, but that in order\nto ensure her safety, the slaves should, on the sultan's arrival,\nassure him that she had gone off with her lover, when he would\neither return home or pursue the prince with his army; who,\nhowever, mounted as he was on so swift a courser, could not be\novertaken. It was also settled that Eusuff, on his arrival in his\nown country, should send an embassy to Mherejaun, declaring his\nmarriage with Aleefa, and requesting pardon, and leave to pay his\nduty as his son-in-law. This stratagem had in part its effect,\nbut no precaution could ward off the fulfilment of the prediction\nat the princess's birth, which was that she should occasion the\ndisgrace and death of her father.\n\nMherejaun armed at the citadel a few hours after Eusuff's escape,\nand was informed by her attendants that she had also accompanied\nhim in his flight; upon which the enraged sultan, hurried on by\nfate, without stopping to search the palace in which his daughter\nwas concealed, hastened to join his troops on the banks of the\nlake, and with a vast army pursued the Sindian prince, who,\nhowever, reached his capital in safety. On his arrival, having\ninformed his father of his adventures, the old sultan, eager to\ngratify his son, approved of his additional marriage with the\nfair Aleefa, and dispatched an embassy to Mherejaun, who by this\ntime was in the territory of Sind, laying it waste with fire and\nsword, no troops scarcely being opposed to his sudden invasion.\nHe received the ambassador with mortifying haughtiness, bidding\nhim return to his master, and inform him that he never would\nforgive the seduction of his daughter, in revenge for which he\nhad taken a solemn oath to overturn the kingdom of Sind, raze the\ncapital, and feast his eyes with the blood of the old sultan and\nhis son. On receipt of this ungracious reply to his proposals,\nthe sultan and Eusuff had no alternative but to oppose so\ninveterate a foe. They collected their troops, by whom they were\nmuch beloved, and marched to meet the enemy, whom, after an\nobstinate battle, they defeated, and Mherejaun was slain in the\naction. It is impossible to resist the decrees of heaven. From\nGod we came, and to God we must return.\n\nEusuff, after the action, behaved with the greatest humility to\nthe conquered, and had the body of the unfortunate Mherejaun\nembalmed and laid in a splendid litter, in which it was conducted\nby a numerous escort, in respectful solemnity, to the capital of\nHind, and deposited with funeral pomp, becoming the rank of the\ndeceased, in a magnificent mausoleum, which had been erected by\nhimself, as is customary among the sovereigns of Asia. The\nprince, at the same time, dispatched letters of condolence to the\nmother of Aleefa, lamenting the fate of Mherejaun, whom he had\nbeen, much against his will, necessitated to oppose in battle,\nand expressing his ardent love for her daughter, a marriage with\nwhom was his highest hope, as it was his first wish to console\nthe mother of his beloved in her misfortunes.\n\nThe sultana, who had received intelligence of the decisive\nvictory and the death of her husband, and who expected, instead\nof such conduct, to see the victor besieging her capital, felt\nsome alleviation of her sorrow in the prospect of saving her\npeople from destruction, by consenting to an union between Eusuff\nand Aleefa. Her answer accordingly was favourable, upon which the\nprince of Sind repaired to the lake, and conducting his willing\nbride to the capital of Hind, at the expiration of the stated\ntime of mourning for Mherejaun, their nuptials were celebrated\nwith all possible magnificence, amid the united acclamations of\nthe subjects, who readily acknowledged his authority, and had no\ncause to repent of their submission to his yoke. His next care\nwas to inform the caliph Mamoon, who was then commander of the\nfaithful at Bagdad, of the events which had happened,\naccompanying his petition with a great sum of money, and\nofferings of all the rarities the countries of Hind and Sind\nafforded; among which were ten beautiful slaves, highly\naccomplished in singing, dancing, and a talent for poetry. They\nrecited extempore verses before the caliph, but the subject of\neach was so expressive of their wish to return to their beloved\nsovereign, and delivered in so affecting a manner, that Mamoon,\nthough delighted with their wit and beauty, sacrificed his own\npleasure to their feelings, and sent them back to Eusuff by the\nofficer who carried the edict, confirming him in his dominions,\nwhere the prince of Sind and the fair Aleefa continued long, amid\na numerous progeny, to live the protectors of their happy\nsubjects.\n\n\n\n\n            ADVENTURES OF THE THREE PRINCES, SONS OF\n                      THE SULTAN OF CHINA.\n\n\n\nA sultaness of China being seized with an alarming illness was\ngiven over by the physicians, who declared her case incurable by\nany other means than the water of life, which they feared it was\nnext to impossible to obtain before nature would be exhausted;\nthe country in which, if anywhere, it was to be found, being so\nvery distant. Such, however, was the affection of the sultaness's\nthree sons, that in hopes of saving their mother they resolved to\ngo in search of the precious medicine, and departed immediately\nin the route pointed out by the physicians. After travelling\nwithout success to their inquiries through divers countries, they\nagreed to separate, in hopes that one of them at least might be\nfortunate enough to procure the wished-for miraculous liquid, and\nreturn home in time to save their mother. Having taken an\naffectionate farewell, each pursued his journey alone. The\neldest prince, after a fatiguing walk (for the brothers had\nthought it prudent to lay aside their dignity, and as safest to\ndisguise themselves in mean habits) over a wild country, arrived\nat last within sight of a large city, inhabited by blasphemous\nJews, near which, in a superb synagogue, he laid himself down on\na carpet to repose, being quite exhausted with toil and hunger.\nHe had not rested long, when a Jew rabbi entering the building,\nthe prince begged for the love of God a little refreshment; but\nthe wicked infidel, who hated true believers, instead of\nrelieving, cruelly put him to death with his sabre, and wrapping\nthe corpse in a mat, threw it into a corner of the synagogue. By\nill fortune, on the day following the second prince arrived, and\nwas treated in the same manner by the barbarous Jew, and on the\nnext came also the youngest brother to the same place, where he\nwas met by the base assassin, who would have killed him also, had\nnot the extraordinary beauty of the young prince struck his\ncovetous mind with the idea of making him a slave, and selling\nhim for a large sum of money. Speaking therefore to him in a kind\nmanner he brought him refreshments, and inquired if he was\nwilling to be his servant, and employ himself in cleaning the\nsynagogue and lighting the lamps; to which the prince, being in\nan exhausted condition, seemingly assented, seeing no other means\nof present support, but secretly resolved to escape when\nrecovered from his fatigue. The Jew now took him to his house in\nthe city, and showed him, apparently, the same tenderness as he\nused towards his own children. The next day the prince repaired\nto his allotted task of cleaning the synagogue, where, to his\ngrief and horror, he presently discovered the bodies of his\nunfortunate brothers. While he lamented their unhappy fate with\nshowers of tears, the recollection of his own perilous situation,\nin the power of their murderer, filled his mind with terror; but\nafter the agonies of thought were over, the natural courage of a\nprincely heart rose in his bosom, and he meditated how to revenge\nthe death of his brothers on the savage infidel. An opportunity\nhappened that same night. The prince having composed his mind,\nfinished his work, and when the Jew arrived to examine it,\ndissembled so well, that no appearance of his inward melancholy\nwas displayed. The Jew applauded his diligence, and taking him\nhome, made him sit down to supper with himself and family,\nconsisting of a wife and two young lads. It being the middle of\nsummer, and the weather sultry, they retired to sleep on the open\nterrace of the house, which was very lofty. In the dead of night,\nwhen the Jew and his family were fast locked in the arms of\nslumber, the prince, who had purposely kept himself awake, seized\nthe sabre of the treacherous infidel, and with a dexterous blow\nstruck off his head; then snatching up the two children, hurled\nthem headlong from the terrace, so that their brains were dashed\nout on the stone pavement of the court below. He then uplifted\nthe sabre to destroy the Jew's wife, but the thought that she\nmight be of use to him withheld his hand. He awoke her gently,\ncommanded her to make no noise, and follow him down stairs,\nwhere, by degrees, he informed her of his adventures, the\ndiscovery he had made of the murder of his brothers, and his\nrevenge on her treacherous husband and ill-fated children, whom,\nhowever, he would not have destroyed had he not been apprehensive\nof their cries alarming the neighbourhood. The Moosulmaun woman,\nfor such she secretly was, did not regard the death of the wicked\nJew, who had married her against her will, and often used her\nwith great harshness, and her sorrows for the children were\nsoftened by the salvation of her own life. She also felt\nsentiments of tenderness towards the prince, whose injuries in\nthe murder of his unfortunate brothers had compelled him to\nrevenge, and felt herself obliged to his mercy in letting her\nlive. She now informed him that in the Jew's laboratory were many\nvaluable medicines, and among them the very water of life he was\nin search of; which intelligence was most gratifying to the\nprince, who offered to take the woman under his protection, and\nshe willingly consented to accompany him to a country inhabited\nby true believers. Having packed up the medicines, with some\nvaluable jewels, and put them, with various refreshments and\nnecessaries, on two camels, they mounted and left the city\nundiscovered, nor did any accident occur on their journey; but on\nreaching the capital of China, the prince found that his father\nwas dead, while his mother, contrary to expectation, lingered in\npainful existence. The ministers, who had with difficulty, in\nhopes of the three brothers' arrival, kept the next relations of\nthe throne from disputing their right to ascend it, were rejoiced\nat his return; and on being informed of the untimely end of the\ntwo elder princes, immediately proclaimed him sultan. His first\ncare was to administer comfort and relief to his afflicted\nmother, on whom the water of life had an instantaneous effect;\nhis next, to regulate the affairs of his government, which he did\nwith such ability, justice, and moderation, that he became\nendeared to his subjects, and an example to other sovereigns.\n\nAs the sultan, some time after his accession, was one day amusing\nhimself in the chase, he saw a venerable Arab, accompanied by his\ndaughter, travelling on horseback. By accident the young female's\nveil being blown aside, displayed such beauty to the eyes of the\nsultan, as instantly fascinated his heart, and made him wish to\nhave her for his sultana. He immediately made offers to her\nfather of his alliance; but great was his mortification and\nsurprise when the Arab rejected them, saying, \"That he had sworn\nnot to give his daughter to any one who was not master of some\nuseful trade, by which a livelihood might be earned.\" \"Father,\"\nreplied the sultan, \"what occasion is there that I should learn a\nmean occupation, when I have the wealth of a kingdom at my\ncommand?\" \"Because,\" rejoined the Arab, \"such are the\nvicissitudes of the world, that you may lose your kingdom and\nstarve, if not able to work in some way for your living.\" The\nsultan, unlike some princes, who would have seized the lady and\npunished the Arab for his freedom, felt the force of his remark,\napplauded his wisdom, and requested that he would not betroth her\nto another, as he was resolved to make himself worthy of becoming\nhis son-in-law by learning some handicraft, till when he hoped\nthey would accept of an abode near the palace. To this the old\nman readily consented; and in a short time the sultan, eager to\npossess his bride, became such an adept in the handicraft of\nmaking ornamental mats for sofas and cushions of cane and reeds,\nthat the Arab agreed to the nuptials, which were celebrated with\nall possible splendour and rejoicing, while the subjects admired\nmore than ever the justice and moderation of their sovereign; so\ntrue is it, that, unless in depraved states, a good prince makes\na good people.\n\nSome years rolled on in uninterrupted felicity to the sultan and\nhis beloved partner. It was the custom of the former frequently\nto visit in the disguise of a dervish the various quarters of the\ncity, by which means he learnt the opinions of the people, and\ninspected the conduct of the police. One day in an excursion of\nthis sort he passed by a cook's shop, and being hungry, stepped\nin to take some refreshment. He was, with seeming respect,\nconducted to a back room spread with flowered carpeting, over\nwhich was a covering of muslin transparently fine. Pulling off\nhis slippers, he entered the room and sat down upon a neat\nmusnud, but to his surprise and terror it instantly sunk under\nhim, and he found himself at the bottom of a dark vault, where by\na glimmering light he could discern several naked bodies of\nunfortunate persons who had been murdered, and presently\nappeared, descending from a narrow staircase, a black slave of\nsavage countenance, who, brandishing a huge cimeter, cried out,\n\"Wretch, prepare thyself to die!\" The sultan was alarmed, but his\npresence of mind did not forsake him. \"What good,\" said he, \"will\nmy death do you or your employers? I have nothing about me but\nthe humble habit I wear; but if you spare my life, I possess an\nart that will produce your employers considerable wealth.\" Upon\nthis, the slave going to the master of the house informed him of\nwhat the supposed dervish had said, when the treacherous cook\ncame to inquire after the promised riches. \"Give me only some\nreeds and canes, varnished of different colours,\" said the\nsultan, \"and I will make a mat, which if you carry to the palace\nand present to the vizier, he will purchase it for a thousand\npieces of gold.\" The desired articles were furnished, and the\nsultan setting to work, in a few days finished a mat, in which he\ningeniously contrived to plait in flowery characters, known only\nto himself and his vizier, the account of his situation. When\nfinished, he gave it to his treacherous host, who admired the\nbeauty of the workmanship, and not doubting of the reward,\ncarried it to the palace, where he demanded admission, saying he\nhad a curiosity to offer for sale. The vizier, who was then\ngiving audience to petitioners, commanded him to be brought in;\nbut what was his astonishment when the mat was unfolded, to see\npourtrayed upon it the imminent danger of the sultan, whom he\nsupposed to be in his haram, and whose absence the sultana had,\nin order to prevent confusion, commanded to be kept secret,\nhoping for his speedy return. The vizier instantly summoning his\nguards seized the villanous cook, and proceeding to his house,\nreleased the sultan from his confinement. The house was razed to\nthe ground, and the abominable owner, with his guilty family, put\nto death. The sultan exultingly felt the use of having learnt a\nuseful art, which had been the means of saving his life.\n\n\n\n\n               STORY OF THE GOOD VIZIER UNJUSTLY\n                          IMPRISONED.\n\n\n\nA certain vizier, though perfectly loyal and of the strictest\nintegrity, having been falsely accused by his enemies, was,\nwithout due examination of the charges brought against him,\nthrown into prison, where, by orders from the sultan, he was\nconfined to a gloomy dungeon, and allowed only bread and water\nfor his daily food. In this wretched abode he lay for seven\nyears, at the expiration of which, the sultan his master, who was\nin the habit of walking about the city in disguise to amuse\nhimself, chanced to pass by the house of his injured minister,\ndressed as a dervish. To his surprise he saw it open, and a crowd\nof domestics busy in cleaning the apartments, and preparing for\nthe reception of the owner, who, they said, had commanded them by\na messenger from the prison to put things in order, as he should\nthat day be restored to the sultan's favour, and return home. The\nsultan, who, so far from intending to release the unfortunate\nvizier, had almost erased the remembrance of him from his mind,\nwas astonished at the report of the domestics, but thought his\nlong confinement might possibly have disturbed the brain of his\nprisoner, who in his madness might have fancied his deliverance\nto be at hand. He resolved however to go and visit the prison\ndisguised as he was, and see the vizier. Having purchased a\nquantity of bread and cakes, he proceeded to the gaol, and\nrequested, under pretence of fulfilling a vow he had made to feed\nthe prisoners, to be admitted, and allowed to distribute his\ncharity among them. The gaoler granted his request, and permitted\nhim to visit the different cells. At length he came to that of\nthe vizier, who was employed earnestly at his devotions, which on\nthe entrance of the supposed dervish he suspended, and inquired\nhis business. \"I come,\" said he, \"for though unknown to you I\nhave always prayed for your welfare, to congratulate you on your\napproaching deliverance, which I understand you have announced to\nyour domestics, but fear without foundation, not having heard of\nany orders for the purpose from the sultan.\" \"That may be true,\ncharitable dervish,\" said the vizier, \"but depend upon it before\nnight I shall be released and restored to office.\" \"I wish it may\nbe so,\" replied the sultan; \"but upon what ground do you build an\nexpectation, the gratification of which appears to me so\nimprobable?\" \"Be seated, good dervish, and I will tell you,\"\nrejoined the vizier, and began as follows: \"Know then, my friend,\nexperience has convinced me that the height of prosperity is\nalways quickly succeeded by adverse fortune, and the depth of\naffliction by sudden relief. When I was in office, beloved by the\npeople for my lenient administration, and distinguished by the\nsultan, whose honour and advantage were the constant objects of\nmy care, and for whose welfare I have never ceased to pray even\nin this gloomy dungeon, I was one evening taking the air upon the\nriver in a splendid barge with some favourite companions. As we\nwere drinking coffee, the cup I held in my hand, which was made\nof a single emerald of immense value, and which I highly prized,\nslipped from it and fell into the water; upon which I ordered the\nbarge to be stopped, and sent for a diver, to whom I promised an\nample reward should he recover the cup. He undressed, and desired\nme to point out the place at which it fell; when I, having in my\nhand a rich diamond ring, heedlessly, in a fit of absence, threw\nit into that part of the river. While I was exclaiming against my\nown stupidity, the diver made a plunge towards where I had cast\nthe ring, and in less than two minutes reappeared with the\ncoffee-cup in his hand, when to my great surprise within it I\nfound also my ring. I rewarded him liberally, and was exulting in\nthe recovery of my jewels, when it suddenly struck my mind, that\nsuch unusual good fortune must speedily be followed by some\ndisaster. This reflection made me melancholy, and I returned home\nwith a foreboding sadness, nor without cause, for that very night\nmy enemies accused me falsely of treason to the sultan, who\nbelieved the charge, and next morning I was hurried to this\ngloomy cell, where I have now remained seven years with only\nbread and water for my support. God, however, has given me\nresignation to his decrees, and this day an accident occurred\nwhich makes me confident of release before night, and restoration\nto the sultan's favour, which, as I have always done, I will\nendeavour to deserve. You must know, venerable dervish, that this\nmorning I felt an unconquerable longing to taste a bit of flesh,\nand earnestly entreated my keeper, giving him at the same time a\npiece of gold, to indulge my wish. The man, softened by the\npresent, brought me a stew, on which I prepared to make a\ndelicious meal; but while, according to custom before eating, I\nwas performing my ablutions, guess my mortification, when a huge\nrat running from his hole leaped into the dish which was placed\nupon the floor. I was near fainting with agony at the sight, and\ncould not refrain from tears; but at length recovering from the\npoignancy of disappointment, the rays of comfort darted upon my\nmind, and I reflected that as disgrace and imprisonment had\ninstantaneously followed the fortunate recovery of my cup and\nring, so this mortification, a greater than which could not have\nhappened, would be immediately succeeded by returning prosperity.\nIn this conviction I prevailed on the gaoler to order my\ndomestics to make ready my house and expect my return.\"\n\nThe disguised sultan, who, while the vizier was speaking, felt\nevery word impress him more and more with the conviction of his\ninnocence, had much difficulty to support his assumed character;\nbut not choosing his visit to the prison should be known at\npresent, he restrained his feelings, and when the minister had\nfinished took his leave, saying, he hoped his presage would be\nfulfilled. He then returned undiscovered to the palace, and\nentering his cabinet, resumed his usual habit; after which he\nissued orders for the release of the vizier, sending him a robe\nof honour and splendid attendants to escort him to court, at the\nsame time condemning to confiscation and imprisonment his\nmalicious accusers. On his arrival, the sultan received the\nvizier with the most gracious distinction; and having presented\nhim with the canopy of state, the seal and the inkstand set with\nrich jewels, the insignia of office, conducted him to a private\nchamber, where falling upon his neck he embraced him, and\nrequesting him to forget past oppression, informed him of his\ndisguised visit to the prison; after which he dismissed him to\nhis own palace.\n\n\n\n\n            STORY OF THE LADY OF CAIRO AND HER FOUR\n                           GALLANTS.\n\n\n\nA virtuous lady of Cairo, who seldom left her house but upon\nurgent business, one day returning from the bath, passed by the\ntribunal of the cauzee just as it was breaking up, when the\nmagistrate perceived her, and struck with her dignity and\nelegance of gait, from which he judged of her beauty, called her\nto him, and in a soft whisper expressed his desire of a private\ninterview. The lady being resolved to punish him for his unworthy\nconduct, seemingly consented, and desired him to repair to her\nhouse that evening, which he gladly promised. She then pursued\nher route homewards, but was on the way accosted by three other\nmen, who made her similar proposals, all which she accepted, and\nfixed that evening for receiving their visits. The first of these\ngallants was the customs tax-collector of Cairo, the second the\nchief of the butchers, and the third a rich merchant.\n\nWhen the lady returned to her house she informed her husband of\nwhat had happened, and begged him to permit her to execute a\nstratagem that she had formed to punish their insolence, which\nwould not only afford himself and her much laughable amusement,\nbut solid advantage, as doubtless the lovers would each bring\nwith him a handsome present. The husband, who knew he could trust\nthe virtue of his wife, readily consented, and the lady having\nprepared a handsome entertainment, adorned herself in her richest\napparel, and seated herself to receive her guests. Evening had\njust shut in, when the venerable cauzee having finished his\nsunset devotions, impatiently repaired first to his mistress and\nknocked at the door, which the lady opened and led him upstairs,\nwhere he presented her with a rosary of valuable pearl; after\nwhich she made him undress, and in place of his robes put on a\nloose vest of yellow muslin, and a parti-coloured cap, her\nhusband all the while looking at them through the door of a\ncloset, and ready to burst his sides with laughter as he beheld\nthe tender grimaces of the enamoured magistrate. The happiness of\nthe venerable gallant was however soon changed to frightful\nalarm, for he had scarcely sat down and begun to partake of some\nrefreshment, when a loud rap was heard at the door; upon which\nthe lady starting up in well-affected terror, cried out,\n\"Mahummud protect us! for this is my husband's knock, and if he\nfinds you here, he will put us both to death.\" The cauzee's heart\nsank within him, and he became more dead than alive; but the lady\nsomewhat revived him by thrusting him into her bed-chamber,\ndesiring him to remain still, as possibly a way might be found\nfor his escape. He gladly retired, secretly vowing that if spared\nfrom his present threatening distress, Satan should no more tempt\nhim to make love or break the sacred law.\n\nThe lady having disposed of the cauzee, hastened to the door, where\nshe found the expecting tax-collector, who brought with him, as a\npresent, a set of jewels. She shewed him upstairs, took off his rich\nclothes, and made him put on a crimson vest, and a green cap with\nblack spots. He had scarcely sat down when the door again resounded,\nand she played over the same game as she had done with the cauzee, who\non his also entering the bed-chamber was somewhat pleased at seeing a\nbrother magistrate in the same ridiculous plight with himself. The\nvenerable lovers condoled by signs with each other, but dared not\nspeak for fear of discovery. The chief of the butchers, on his\narrival, was next ushered up stairs, and his present received, then\nmade to undress and put on a blue vest with a scarlet cap, ornamented\nwith sea shells and bits of tinsel; but he had scarce time to finish,\nwhen a fourth loud rap was heard at the door, the scene of alarm was\nrenewed, and the frightened gallant hurried into the room to keep\ncompany with his rivals. Now appeared the respectable merchant, who\npresented the cunning lady with several rich veils, pieces of silk,\nand embroidered muslins, after which he was asked to undress and\nenrobe himself in a sky coloured vest and a cap striped with red and\nwhite; which he had hardly put on when a thundering knock at the gate\nput an end to his transports, and the wife pretending great alarm, as\nit was her husband's rap, forced him into the bed-chamber, where, to\nhis surprise he discovered three of his intimate acquaintance.\n\nThe husband, who had left his hiding place and knocked at the\ndoor, now entered, and after saluting his wife, sat down, when\nhaving partaken of the refreshments provided for the gallants,\nthe happy couple entered into conversation loud enough to be\noverheard by the wretched inamorati, who were quaking for fear of\ndiscovery. \"Light of my eyes,\" said the husband, \"didst thou meet\nwith any thing amusing to-day in thy visit to the bath? and if\nso, divert me with an account of it.\" \"I did, indeed,\" said the\nlady, \"for I met with four antic creatures, whom\" (at hearing\nthis the unfortunate lovers gave themselves over for lost) \"I had\na great inclination to bring home with me\" (here they recovered a\nlittle from their alarm) \"to divert us, but fearful of your\ndispleasure I did not; however, if agreeable, we can send for\nthem to-morrow.\" The frighted gallants now indulged some hope of\nescape through the kindness of their cunning mistress, and began\nto breathe a little freer, but very short was the suspension of\ntheir fears. \"I am sorry thou didst not bring them,\" said the\nhusband, \"because business will to-morrow call me from home, and\nI shall be absent for some days.\" Upon this, the lady laughing,\nsaid, \"Well, then, you must know that in fact I have brought\nthem, and was diverting myself with them when you came in, but\nfearful you might suspect something wrong I hurried them into our\nbed-chamber, in order to conceal them till I had tried your\ntemper, hoping, should you not be in good humour, to find some\nmeans of letting them out undiscovered.\" It is impossible to\ndescribe the alarm into which the wretched gallants were now\nplunged, especially when the husband commanded his wife to bring\nthem out one by one, saying, \"Let each entertain us with a dance\nand then recite a story, but if they do not please me, I will\nstrike off their heads.\" \"Heaven protect us,\" said the cauzee,\n\"how can men of our gravity dance? but there is no resisting the\ndecrees of fate, nor do I see any chance of escape from this\nartful baggage and her savage husband but by performing as well\nas we can.\" His companions were of the same opinion, and mustered\nwhat courage they could to act as they should be ordered.\n\nThe wife now entered the chamber, and putting a tambourine into\nthe cauzee's hands, led him out and began to play a merry tune\nupon her lute, to which the affrighted magistrate danced with a\nthousand antics and grimaces like an old baboon, beating time\nwith the tambourine, to the great delight of the husband, who\nevery now and then jeeringly cried out, \"Really wife, if I did\nnot know this fellow was a buffoon, I should take him for our\ncauzee; but God forgive me, I know our worthy magistrate is\neither at his devotions, or employed in investigating cases for\nto-morrow's decision.\" Upon this the cauzee danced with redoubled\nvigour, and more ridiculous gestures, in hopes of evading\ndiscovery. At length he was overpowered by such unusual exercise;\nbut the husband had no mercy upon his sufferings, and made him\ncontinue capering by threatening the bastinado, till the tired\njudge was exhausted, and fainted upon the floor in a bath of\nperspiration, when they held him up, and pouring a goblet of wine\ndown his throat it somewhat revived him. He was now suffered to\nbreathe a little, and something given him to eat, which, with a\nsecond cup of liquor, recovered his strength. The husband now\ndemanded his story; and the cauzee, assuming the gesture of a\ncoffee-house droll, began as follows.\n\n\n\n\n                         The Cauzee's Story.\n\n\n\nA young tailor, whose shop was opposite the house of an officer,\nwas so attracted from his work by the appearance of a beautiful\nyoung lady, his wife, in her balcony, that he became desperately\nin love, and would sit whole days waiting her coming, and when\nshe showed herself make signs of his passion. For some time his\nridiculous action diverted her, but at length she grew tired of\nthe farce she had kept up by answering his signals, and of the\ninterruption it gave to her taking the fresh air, so that she\nresolved to punish him for his presumption, and oblige him to\nquit his stall. Having laid her plan, one day when her husband\nwas gone out for a few hours she dispatched a female slave to\ninvite the tailor to drink coffee. To express the rapture of the\nhappy snip is impossible. He fell at the feet of the slave, which\nhe kissed as the welcome messengers of good tidings, gave her a\npiece of gold, and uttered some nonsensical verses that he had\ncomposed in praise of his beloved; then dressing himself in his\nbest habit, he folded his turban in the most tasty manner, and\ncurled his mustachios to the greatest advantage, after which he\nhastened exultingly to the lady's house, and was admitted to her\npresence. She sat upon a rich musnud, and gracefully lifting up\nher veil welcomed the tailor, who was so overcome that he had\nnearly fainted away with excess of rapture. She desired him to be\nseated, but such was his bashfulness that he would not approach\nfarther than the corner of the carpet. Coffee was brought in, and\na cup presented him; but not being used to such magnificence and\nform, and his eyes, also, being staringly fixed on the beauties\nof the lady, instead of carrying the cup to his mouth, he hit his\nnose and overthrew the liquid upon his vest. The lady smiled, and\nordered him another cup; but while he was endeavouring to drink\nit with a little more composure, a loud knock was heard at the\ndoor, and she starting up, cried out with great agitation, \"Good\nheavens! this is my husband's knock; if he finds us together he\nwill sacrifice us to his fury!\" The poor tailor, in terror, fell\nflat upon the carpet, when the lady and her slave threw some cold\nwater upon his face, and when a little recovered hurried him away\nto a chamber, into which they forced him, and desired him to\nremain quiet, as the only means of saving his life. Here he\nremained quivering and trembling, more alive than dead, but\nperfectly cured of his love, and vowing never again to look up at\na balcony.\n\nWhen the tailor was disposed of, the lady again sat down upon her\nstool, and ordered her slave to open the gate. Upon her husband's\nentering the room he was surprised at beholding things set out\nfor an entertainment, and inquired who had been with her; when\nshe replied tartly, \"A lover.\" \"And where is he now?\" angrily\nreplied the officer. \"In yonder chamber, and if you please you\nmay sacrifice him to your fury, and myself afterwards.\" The\nofficer demanded the key, which she gave him; but while this was\npassing, the agony of the unfortunate tailor was worse than\ndeath; he fully expecting every moment to have his head struck\noff: in short, he was in a most pitiable condition. The officer\nwent to the door, and had put the key into the lock, when his\nwife burst suddenly into a fit of laughter: upon which he\nexclaimed angrily, \"Who do you laugh at?\" \"Why, at yourself, to\nbe sure, my wise lord,\" replied the lady; \"for who but yourself\ncould suppose a woman serious when she told him where to find out\na concealed lover? I wanted to discover how far jealousy would\ncarry you, and invented this trick for the purpose,\" The officer,\nupon this, was struck with admiration of his wife's pleasantry\nand his own credulity, which so tickled his fancy that he laughed\nimmoderately, begged pardon for his foolish conduct, and they\nspent the evening cheerfully together; after which, the husband\ngoing to the bath, his wife charitably released the almost dead\ntailor, and reproving him for his impertinence, declared if he\never again looked up at her balcony she would contrive his death.\nThe tailor, perfectly cured of love for his superior in life,\nmade the most abject submission, thanked her for his deliverance,\nhurried home, prayed heartily for his escape, and the very next\nday took care to move from so dangerous a neighbourhood.\n\nThe husband and wife were highly diverted with the cauzee's story,\nand after another dance permitted him to depart, and get home as\nwell as he could in his ridiculous habit. How he got there, and\nwhat excuse he was able to make for so unmagisterial an\nappearance, we are not informed; but strange whispers went about\nthe city, and the cauzee's dance became the favourite one or the\nstrolling drolls, whom he had often the mortification of seeing\ntaking him off as he passed to and from the tribunal, and not\nunfrequently in causes of adultery the evidences and culprits\nwould laugh in his face. He, however, never again suffered Satan\nto tempt him, and was scarcely able to look at a strange woman,\nso great was his fear of being led astray.\n\nWhen the cauzee was gone, the lady, repairing to the apartment,\nbrought out the grave tax-collector, whom her husband addressed\nby name, saying, \"Venerable sir, how long have you turned droll?\ncan you favour me with a dance?\" The tax-collector made no reply,\nbut began capering, nor was he permitted to stop till quite\ntired. He was then allowed to sit, some refreshment was given\nhim, and when revived he was desired to tell a story: knowing\nresistance vain, he complied. After having finished he was\ndismissed, and the other gallants were brought in and treated in\na like manner.\n\n\n\n\n            STORY OF THE MERCHANT, HIS DAUGHTER, AND\n                     THE PRINCE OF EERAUK.\n\n\n\nA certain rich merchant was constantly repining, because\nProvidence had not added to his numerous blessings that of a\nchild to inherit his vast wealth. This want destroyed the power\nof affluence to make him happy, and he importuned heaven with\nunceasing prayers. At length one evening, just as he had\nconcluded his devotions, he heard a voice, saying, \"Thy request\nhas been heard, and thou wilt have a daughter, but she will give\nthee much uneasiness in her fourteenth year by an amour with the\nprince of Eerauk, and remember there is no avoiding the decrees\nof fate.\"\n\nThe merchant's wife that same night conceived, and at the usual\ntime brought forth a daughter, who grew up an exquisite beauty.\nNo pains were spared in her education, so that at thirteen she\nbecame most accomplished, and the fame of her charms and\nperfections was spread throughout the city. The merchant enjoyed\nthe graces of his child, but at the same time his heart was heavy\nwith anxiety for her fate, whenever he called to mind the\nprediction concerning her; so that at length he determined to\nconsult a celebrated dervish, his friend, on the possible means\nof averting the fulfilment of the prophecy. The dervish gave him\nbut little hopes of being able to counteract the will of heaven,\nbut advised him to carry the beautiful maiden to a sequestered\nmansion, situated among unfrequented mountains surrounding it on\nall sides, and the only entrance to which was by a dark cavern\nhewn out of the solid rock, which might be safely guarded by a\nfew faithful domestics. \"Here,\" said the dervish, \"your daughter\nmay pass the predicted year, and if any human care can avail she\nmay be thus saved from the threatened dishonour; but it is in\nvain for man to fight against the arms of heaven, therefore\nprepare thy mind for resignation to its decrees.\"\n\nThe merchant followed the advice of his friend, and having made\nthe necessary preparations, accompanied by him, and attended by\nsome white and black slaves of both sexes, arrived, after a\nmonth's journey, with his daughter, at the desired mansion; in\nwhich having placed her, he, after a day's repose, took his\ndeparture homewards with the dervish. Ample stores of all\nnecessaries for her accommodation had been laid in, and slaves\nmale and female were left for her attendance and protection. Not\nmany days, had elapsed when an incident occurred, clearly proving\nthe emptiness of human caution against the predestination of\nfate. The prince of Eerauk being upon a hunting excursion outrode\nhis attendants, and missing his way, reached the gate of the\ncavern leading to the mansion, which was guarded by two black\nslaves, who seeing a stranger, cried out to him to withdraw. He\nstopped his horse, and in a supplicating tone requested\nprotection and refreshment for the night, as he had wandered from\nthe road, and was almost exhausted from weariness and want of\nfood. The slaves were moved by the representation of his\ndistress, as well as awed by his noble appearance, and\napprehending no danger from a single person, conducted him\nthrough the cavern, into the beautiful valley, in which stood the\nmansion. They then informed their mistress of his arrival, who\ncommanded him to be introduced into an apartment, in which an\nelegant entertainment was provided, where she gave him the most\nhospitable reception. To become known to each other was to love;\nnor was it long ere the prediction respecting the merchant's\ndaughter proved fully verified. Some months passed in mutual\nhappiness; when the prince, becoming anxious to return to his\nfriends, took leave of his mistress, promising when he had seen\nhis family to visit her again, and make her his wife.\n\nOn his way he met the merchant, who was coming to see his\ndaughter. Halting at the same spot they fell into conversation,\nin which each inquired after the other's situation, and the\nprince, little aware to whom he was speaking, related his late\nadventure. The merchant, convinced that all his caution had been\nvain, concealed his uneasiness, resolved to take his daughter\nhome, make the best of what had happened, and never again to\nstruggle against fate. On his arrival at the cavern he found his\ndaughter unwell; and before they reached their own abode she was\ndelivered of a male infant, who, to save her credit, was left\nexposed in a small tent with a sum of money laid under its\npillow, in hopes that the first passenger would take the child\nunder his care. It so happened, that a caravan passing by, the\nleader of it, on examining the tent and seeing the infant, took\nit up, and having no children adopted it as his own. The prince\nof Eerauk having seen his parents, again repaired to visit his\nbeautiful mistress, and on his journey to the cavern once more\nmet the merchant, who, at his daughter's request, was travelling\ntowards Eerauk to acquaint him with her situation. The prince,\noverjoyed, accompanied the merchant home, married the young lady,\nand with her parents returned to his dominions. Their exposed\nson, after long inquiry, was discovered, and liberal rewards\nbestowed on the leader of the caravan, who at his own request was\npermitted to reside in the palace of Eerauk, and superintend the\neducation of his adopted son.\n\n\n\n\n            ADVENTURES OF THE CAUZEE, HIS WIFE, &c.\n\n\n\nIn the capital of Bagdad there was formerly a cauzee, who filled\nthe seat of justice with the purest integrity, and who by his\nexample in private life gave force to the strictness of his\npublic decrees. After some years spent in this honourable post,\nhe became anxious to make the pilgrimage to Mecca; and having\nobtained permission of the caliph, departed on his pious journey,\nleaving his wife, a beautiful woman, under the protection of his\nbrother, who promised to respect her as his daughter. The cauzee,\nhowever, had not long left home, when the brother, instigated by\npassion, made love to his sister-in-law, which she rejected with\nscorn; being, however, unwilling to expose so near a relative to\nher husband, she endeavoured to divert him from his purpose by\nargument on the heinousness of his intended crime, but in vain.\nThe abominable wretch, instead of repenting, a gain and again\noffered his love, and at last threatened, if she would not accept\nhis love, to accuse her of adultery, and bring upon her the\npunishment of the law. This threat having no effect, the\natrocious villain suborned evidences to swear that they had seen\nher in the act of infidelity, and she was sentenced to receive\none hundred strokes with a knotted whip, and be banished from the\ncity. Having endured this disgraceful punishment, the unhappy\nlady was led through Bagdad by the public executioner, amid the\ntaunts and scorns of the populace; after which she was thrust oat\nof the gates and left to shift for herself. Relying on\nProvidence, and without complaining of its decrees, she resolved\nto travel to Mecca, in hopes of meeting her husband, and clearing\nher defamed character to him, whose opinion alone she valued.\nWhen advanced some days on her journey she entered a city, and\nperceived a great crowd of people following the executioner, who\nled a young man by a rope tied about his neck. Inquiring the\ncrime of the culprit, she was informed that he owed a hundred\ndeenars, which being unable to pay, he was sentenced to be hung,\nsuch being the punishment of insolvent debtors in that city. The\ncauzee's wife, moved with compassion, immediately tendered the\nsum, being nearly all she had, when the young man was released,\nand falling upon his knees before her, vowed to dedicate his life\nto her service. She related to him her intention of making the\npilgrimage to Mecca, upon which the young man requested to\naccompany and protect her, to which she consented. They set out\non their journey; but had not proceeded many days, when the youth\nforgot his obligations, and giving way to impulse, insulted his\nbenefactress by offering her his love. The unfortunate lady\nreasoned with him on the ingratitude of his conduct, and the\nyouth seemed to be convinced and repentant, but revenge rankled\nin his heart. Some days after this they reached the sea-shore,\nwhere the young man perceiving a ship, made a signal to speak\nwith it, and the master letting down his boat sent it to land;\nupon which the young man going on board the vessel, informed the\nmaster that he had for sale a handsome female slave, for whom he\nasked a thousand deenars. The master, who had been used to\npurchase slaves upon that coast, went on shore, and looking at\nthe cauzee's wife, paid the money to the wicked young man, who\nwent his way, and the lady was carried on board the ship,\nsupposing that her companion had taken the opportunity of easing\nher fatigue, by procuring her a passage to some sea-port near\nMecca: but her persecution was not to end here. In the evening\nshe was insulted by attentions of the master of the vessel, who\nbeing surprised at her coolness, informed her that he had\npurchased her as his slave for a thousand deenars. The\nunfortunate lady told him that she was a free woman, but this had\nno effect on the brutish sailor, who finding tenderness\nineffectual proceeded to force and blows in order to reduce her\nto submit to his authority. Her strength was almost exhausted,\nwhen suddenly the ship struck upon a rock, the master was hurried\nupon deck, and in a few moments the vessel went to pieces.\nProvidentially the virtuous wife laying hold of a plank was\nwafted to the shore, after being for several hours buffeted by\nthe waves. Having recovered her senses she walked inland, and\nfound a pleasant country abounding in fruits and clear streams,\nwhich satisfied her hunger and thirst. On the second day she\narrived at a magnificent city, and on entering it was conducted\nto the sultan, who inquiring her story, she informed him that she\nwas a woman devoted to a religious life, and was proceeding on\nthe pilgrimage to Mecca, when her vessel was shipwrecked on his\ncoast, and whether any of the crew had escaped she knew not, as\nshe had seen none of them since her being cast ashore on a plank;\nbut as now the hopes of her reaching the sacred house were cut\noff, if the sultan would allot her a small hut, and a trifling\npittance for her support, she would spend the remainder of her\ndays in prayers for the prosperity of himself and his subjects.\n\nThe sultan, who was truly devout, and pitied the misfortune of\nthe lady, gladly acceded to her request, and allotted a pleasant\ngarden-house near his palace for her residence, at which he often\nvisited her, and conversed with her on religious topics, to his\ngreat edification and comfort, for she was sensibly pious. Not\nlong after her arrival, several refractory vassals who had for\nyears withheld their usual tribute, and against whom the good\nsultan, unwilling to shed blood, though his treasury much felt\nthe defalcation, had not sent a force to compel payment,\nunexpectedly sent in their arrears; submissively begged pardon\nfor their late disobedience, and promised in future to be loyal\nin their duty. The sultan, who attributed this fortunate event to\nthe successful prayers of his virtuous guest, mentioned his\nopinion to his courtiers in full divan, and they to their\ndependents. As, according to the proverb, the sheep always follow\ntheir leader, so it was in the present instance. All ranks of\npeople on every emergency flocked to beg the prayers and counsel\nof the sultan's favourite devotee; and such was their efficacy,\nthat her clients every day became more numerous, nor were they\nungrateful; so that in a short time the offerings made to her\namounted in value to an incalculable sum. Her reputation was not\nconfined to the kingdom of her protector, but spread gradually\nabroad through all the countries in the possession of true\nbelievers, who came from all parts of Asia to solicit her\nprayers. Her residence was enlarged to a vast extent, in which\nshe supported great numbers of destitute persons, as well as\nentertained the crowds of poor people who came in pilgrimage to\nso holy a personage as she was now esteemed. But we must now\nreturn to her pious husband.\n\nThe good cauzee having finished the ceremonies of his pilgrimage\nat Mecca, where he resided one year, and visited all the holy\nspots around, returned to Bagdad: but dreadful was his agony and\ngrief when informed that his wife had played the harlot, and that\nhis brother, unable to bear the disgrace of his family, had left\nthe city, and had not been heard of since. This sad intelligence\nhad such an effect upon his mind, that he resolved to give up\nworldly concerns, and adopt the life of a wandering religious, to\nmove from place to place, from country to country, and visit the\ndevotees celebrated for sanctity in each. For two years he\ntravelled through various kingdoms, and at length hearing of his\nwife's fame, though he little supposed the much-talked-of female\nsaint stood in that relation to himself, he resolved to pay his\nrespects to so holy a personage. With this view he journeyed\ntowards the capital of the sultan her protector, hoping to\nreceive benefit from her pious conversation and prayers.\n\nThe cauzee on his way overtook his treacherous brother, who,\nrepenting of his wicked life, had turned mendicant, and was going\nto confess his sins, and ask the prayers for absolution of the\nfar-famed religious woman. Time and alteration of dress, for they\nwere both habited as dervishes, caused the brothers not to know\neach other. As fellow travellers they entered into conversation;\nand finding they were both bound the same way, agreed to continue\ntheir journey together. They had not proceeded many days when\nthey came up with a driver of camels, who informed them that he\nwas upon the same errand as themselves, having been guilty of a\nhorrid crime, the reflection upon which tormented his conscience,\nand made life miserable; that he was going to confess his sins to\nthe pious devotee, and consult her on whatever penance could\natone for his villany, of which he had heartily repented, and\nhoped to obtain the mercy of heaven by a sincere reformation of\nlife. The crime of this wretch was no less than murder; the\ncircumstances of which we forgot to detail in its proper place.\nThe cauzee's wife immediately after her expulsion from Bagdad,\nand before she had met the young man who sold her for a slave,\nhad taken shelter in the hut of a camel breeder, whose wife owed\nher great obligations, and who received her with true hospitality\nand kindness; consoling her in her misfortunes, dressing her\nwounds, and insisting on her stay till she should be fully\nrecovered of the painful effects of her unjust and disgraceful\npunishment; and in this she was seconded by the honest husband.\nWith this humble couple, who had an infant son, she remained some\ntime, and was recovering her spirits and beauty when the wicked\ncamel breeder, first mentioned, arrived on a visit to her host;\nand being struck with her beauty made love to her, which she\nmildly but firmly rejected, informing him that she was a married\nwoman. Blinded by passion, the wretch pressed his addresses\nrepeatedly, but in vain; till at length, irritated by refusal, he\nchanged his love into furious anger, and resolved to revenge his\ndisappointed lust by her death. With this view he armed himself\nwith a poniard; and about midnight, when the family were asleep,\nstole into the chamber where she reposed, and close by her the\ninfant son of her generous host. The villain being in the dark\nmade a random stroke, not knowing of the infant, and instead of\nstabbing the object of his revenge, plunged his weapon into the\nbosom of the child, who uttered loud screams; upon which the\nassassin, fearful of detection, ran away, and escaped from the\nhouse. The cauzee's wife awaking in a fright, alarmed her unhappy\nhosts, who, striking a light, came to her assistance; but how can\nwe describe their agonizing affliction when they beheld their\nbeloved child expiring, and their unfortunate guest, who had\nswooned away, bathed in the infant's blood. From such a scene we\nturn away, as the pen is incapable of description. The unhappy\nlady at length revived, but their darling boy was gone for ever.\nSome days after this tragical event she began her pilgrimage,\nand, as above stated, reached the city where she released the\nyoung man from his cruel creditors, and was shortly afterwards\nungratefully sold by him as a slave. But to return to the good\ncauzee and his wicked companions.\n\nThey had not travelled far when they overtook a young man, who\nsaluted them, and inquired their course; of which being informed,\nhe begged to join in company, saying, that he also was going to\npay his respects to the celebrated religious, in hopes that by\nher prayers he might obtain pardon of God for a most flagitious\ningratitude; the remorse for which had rendered him a burthen to\nhimself ever since the commission of the crime. The four pilgrims\npursued their journey, and a few days afterwards overtook the\nmaster of a vessel, who told them he had some time back suffered\nshipwreck; since which he had undergone the severest distress,\nand was now going to request the aid of the far-famed woman,\nwhose charities and miraculous prayers had been noised abroad\nthrough all countries. The companions then invited him to join\nthem, and they proceeded on the pilgrimage together, till at\nlength they reached the capital of the good sultan who protected\nthe cauzee's wife.\n\nThe five pilgrims having entered the city, repaired immediately\nto the abode of the respected devotee; the courts of which were\ncrowded with petitioners from all parts, so that they could with\ndifficulty gain admission. Some of her domestics seeing they were\nstrangers newly arrived, and seemingly fatigued, kindly invited\nthem, into an apartment, and to repose themselves while they\ninformed their mistress of their arrival; which having done, they\nbrought word that she would see them when the crowd was\ndispersed, and hear their petitions at her leisure. Refreshments\nwere then brought in, of which they were desired to partake, and\nthe pilgrims having make their ablutions, sat down to eat, all\nthe while admiring and praising the hospitality of their pious\nhostess; who, unperceived by them, was examining their persons\nand features through the lattice of a balcony, at one end of the\nhall. Her heart beat with joyful rapture when she beheld her long\nlost husband, whose absence she had never ceased to deplore, but\nscarcely expected ever to meet him again; and great was her\nsurprise to find him in company with his treacherous brother, her\ninfamous intending assassin, her ungrateful betrayer the young\nman, and the master of the vessel to whom he had sold her as a\nslave. It was with difficulty she restrained her feelings; but\nnot choosing to discover herself till she should hear their\nadventures, she withdrew into her chamber, and being relieved by\ntears prostrated herself on the earth, and offered up\nthanksgivings to the protector of the just, who had rewarded her\npatience under affliction by succeeding blessings, and at length\nrestored to her the partner of her heart. Having finished her\ndevotions, she sent to the sultan requesting him to send her a\nconfidential officer, who might witness the relations of five\nvisitors whom she was going to examine. On his arrival she placed\nhim where he could listen unseen; and covering herself with a\nveil, sat down on her stool to receive the pilgrims, who being\nadmitted, bowed their foreheads to the ground; when requesting\nthem to arise, she addressed them as follows: \"You are welcome,\nbrethren, to my humble abode, to my counsel and my prayers,\nwhich, by God's mercy, have sometimes relieved the repentant\nsinner; but as it is impossible I can give advice without hearing\na case, or pray without knowing the wants of him who entreats me,\nyou must relate your histories with the strictest truth, for\nequivocation, evasion, or concealment, will prevent my being of\nany service; and this you may depend upon, that the prayers of a\nliar tend only to his own destruction.\" Having said this, she\nordered the cauzee to remain, but the other four to withdraw; as\nshe should, to spare their shame before each other, hear their\ncases separately. The good cauzee having no sins to confess\nrelated his pilgrimage to Mecca; the supposed infidelity of his\nwife; and his consequent resolve to spend his days in visiting\nsacred places and holy personages, among whom she stood so\nfamous, that to hear her edifying conversation, and entreat the\nbenefit of her prayers for his unhappy wife, was the object of\nhis having travelled to her sacred abode. When he had finished\nhis narrative the lady dismissed him to another chamber, and\nheard one by one the confessions of his companions; who not\ndaring to conceal any thing, related their cruel conduct towards\nherself, as above-mentioned; but little suspecting that they were\nacknowledging their guilt to the intended victim of their evil\npassions. After this the cauzee's wife commanded the officer to\nconduct all five to the sultan, and inform him of what he had\nheard them confess. The sultan, enraged at the wicked behaviour\nof the cauzee's brother, the camel-driver, the young man, and the\nmaster of the vessel, condemned them to death; and the\nexecutioner was preparing to put the sentence in force, when the\nlady arriving at the presence demanded their pardon; and to his\nunspeakable joy discovered herself to her delighted husband. The\nsultan complying with her request, dismissed the criminals; but\nprevailed on the cauzee to remain at his court, where for the\nremainder of his life this upright judge filled the high office\nof chief magistrate with honour to himself, and satisfaction to\nall who had causes tried before him; while he and his faithful\npartner continued striking examples of virtue and conjugal\nfelicity. The sultan was unbounded in his favour towards them,\nand would often pass whole evenings in their company in friendly\nconversation, which generally turned upon the vicissitudes of\nlife, and the goodness of Providence in relieving the sufferings\nof the faithful, by divine interposition, at the very instant\nwhen ready to sink under them and overwhelmed with calamity. \"I\nmyself,\" said the sultan, \"am an example of the protection of\nheaven, as you, my friends, will learn from my adventures.\" He\nthen began as follows.\n\n\n\n\n                  The Sultan's Story of Himself.\n\n\n\nThough now seated on a throne, I was not born to such exalted\nrank, but am the son of a rich merchant in a country far distant\nfrom this which I now govern. My father brought me up to his own\nprofession; and by instruction and example encouraged me to be\nvirtuous, diligent, and honest. Soon after I had attained to the\nage of manhood death snatched away this valuable parent, who in\nhis last moments gave me instructions for my future conduct; but\nparticularly requested that nothing might ever prevail upon me to\ntake an oath, though ever so just or necessary to my concerns. I\nassured him it would not: soon after which he breathed his last,\nleaving me, my mother, and sister in sincere grief for his loss.\nAfter the funeral I examined his property, and found myself in\npossession of a vast sum of money, besides an ample stock in\ntrade, two-thirds of which I immediately paid to my mother and\nsister, who retired to a house which they purchased for\nthemselves. Many weeks had not elapsed when a merchant set up a\nclaim on my father's estate for a sum of money equal to nearly\nthe whole that I possessed: I asked him for his bond, but he had\nnone, yet swore solemnly to the justice of his demand. I had no\ndoubt of the falsity of his oath, but as I had promised never to\nswear, I could not disprove it by mine, and therefore was obliged\nto pay the money, which I did entirely from my own share, not\nchoosing to distress my mother and sister by lessening theirs.\nAfter this, other unjust demands were preferred, and I paid them,\nrather than falsify my promise to my father, though by so doing I\nbecame reduced to the most abject poverty, as still I would not\ntrouble my mother. At length I resolved to quit my native city,\nand seek for subsistence in a distant country as clerk to a\nmerchant, or in any other way that might offer. I accordingly set\nout alone, and had travelled some days, when in passing over a\nsandy desert I met a venerable looking personage dressed in\nwhite, who kindly accosting me, inquired the object of my\njourney: upon which I related my story. The old man blessed me,\nhighly praised the steadfastness of my adherence to the promise I\nhad made to a dying father; and said, \"My son, be not dismayed,\nthy virtuous conduct has been approved by our holy prophet, who\nhas interceded for thee at the throne of bounty: follow me, and\nreap the reward of thy sufferings.\" I did as he desired; and we,\nafter some time, reached this city, which was then wholly\ndepopulated, and even this palace in a state of decay. On our\nentrance my venerable guide bade me welcome, saying, \"Here heaven\nhas decreed thee to reign, and thou wilt soon become a powerful\nsultan.\" He then conducted me to the palace, and we descended\nfrom one of the apartments into a vault, where to my astonishment\nI beheld vast heaps of gold and silver ingots, large bags of\ncoins of the same metals, and several rich chests filled with\njewels of inestimable value, of all which he saluted me master. I\nwas overcome with astonishment; but said, \"Of what use is all\nthis wealth in a depopulated city? and how can I be a sultan\nwithout subjects?\" The old man smiled, and said, \"Have patience,\nmy son; this evening a numerous caravan will arrive here composed\nof emigrants, who are in search of a settlement, and they will\nelect thee their sovereign.\" His words proved true; the caravan\narrived, when the old man invited them to inhabit the city; his\noffer was gladly accepted, and by his direction they declared me\ntheir sultan. My protector remained with me a whole year, during\nwhich he gave me instructions how to govern, and I became what I\nam. Heaven has prospered my endeavours to do good: the fame of my\nliberality, justice, and clemency soon spread abroad; the city\nwas soon filled by industrious inhabitants, who repaired the\ndecayed buildings, and erected new ones. The country round became\nwell cultivated, and our port was filled with vessels from every\nquarter. I shortly after sent for my family, for I had left\nbehind me a wife and two sons; and you may guess from your own\njoy at meeting after long separation what must have been mine on\nsuch an occasion. My venerable patron, at the expiration of the\nyear, one day thus addressed me: \"My son, as my mission is\ncompleted I must now leave you; but be not alarmed, for provided\nthou continuest to act as thou hast begun, we shall meet again.\nKnow that I am the prophet Khizzer, and was sent by heaven to\nprotect thee. Mayest thou deserve its blessings!\" Having said\nthis he embraced me in his arms, and then vanished, how I know\nnot, from my sight. For some time I continued rapt in\nastonishment and wonder, which at length gave place to\nreverential awe and gratitude to heaven; by degrees I recovered\nmyself, and bowed down with fervent devotion. I have endeavoured\nto follow the admonitions of my holy adviser. It is unnecessary\nto say more; you see my state and the happiness I enjoy.\n\n\n\n\n                          CONCLUSION.\n\n\n\nThe sultan of the Indies could not but admire the prodigious and\ninexhaustible memory of the sultaness his wife, who had\nentertained him so many nights with such a variety of interesting\nstories.\n\nA thousand and one nights had passed away in these innocent\namusements, which contributed so much towards removing the\nsultan's unhappy prejudice against the fidelity of women. His\ntemper was softened. He was convinced of the merit and great\nwisdom of the sultaness Scheherazade. He remembered with what\ncourage she had offered to be his wife, without fearing the death\nto which she knew she exposed herself, as so many sultanesses had\nsuffered within her knowledge.\n\nThese considerations, and the many other good qualities he knew\nher to possess, induced him at last to forgive her. \"I see,\nlovely Scheherazade,\" said he, \"that you can never be at a loss\nfor these little stories, which have so long diverted me. You\nhave appeased my anger. I freely renounce the law I had imposed\non myself. I restore your sex to my favourable opinion, and will\nhave you to be regarded as the deliverer of the many damsels I\nhad resolved to sacrifice to my unjust resentment.\"\n\nThe sultaness cast herself at his feet, and embraced them\ntenderly with all the marks of the most lively and perfect\ngratitude.\n\nThe grand vizier was the first who learned this agreeable\nintelligence from the sultan's own mouth. It was instantly\ncarried to the city, towns, and provinces; and gained the sultan,\nand the lovely Scheherazade his consort, universal applause, and\nthe blessings of all the people of the extensive empire of the\nIndies.\n\n\n\n\nEnd of Volume 4.","title":"The Arabian Nights Entertainments \u2014 Volume 04","tradition":"myth-cosmogony","translated_text":null,"word_count":138345}