the Princess Giauhara oR 5 3

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‘Madam, replied King Beder, ‘I can assure your majesty I
was no less impatient to rejoin you; but I could not refuse to
stay a little longer with an uncle that loves me, and had not seen
me for so long a time. He would have kept. me still longer, but
I tore myself away from him, to come where love calls me. Of
all he prepared for me, I have only brought away this cake, which
I desire your majesty to accept.’ King Beder had wrapped up one
of the two cakes in a handkerchief very neatly, took it out, and
presented it to the queen, saying, ‘I beg your majesty to accept it.’

. ‘I do accept it with all my-heart,’ replied the queen, ‘and will
eat it with pleasure for your and your good uncle’s sake; but before
I taste it, I desire you for my sake to eat a piece of this, which
I have made for you during your absence.’

‘Fair queen, answered King Beder, receiving it with great respect,
“I cannot sufficiently acknowledge the favour you do me’ .

King Beder then artfully substituted in the place of the queen’s
cake the other which dld Abdallah had given him, and having broken
off a piece, he put it in his mouth, and cried, while he was eating,
‘Ah! queen, I never tasted anything so charming in my life.’

' Being near a cascade, as the sorceress saw him swallow one bit of
the cake, and ready to eat another, she took a little water.in the
palm of her hand, throwing it in the king’s face, said, ‘Wretch!
quit that form of a man, and - take that of a vile horse, blind
and lame.’

These words -not Having the desired effect, the sorceress’ was

: strangely surprised to find King Beder still: in. the same form, and
that he only started for fear. Her cheeks reddened; and as she
saw that she had missed her aim, ‘Dear Beder, cried she, ‘this is
nothing; recover yourself. I did not intend you any a I a
did it to see what you would say,’

: ‘Powerful queen,’ replied King Beder, ‘persuaded as I. am that
what your majesty did was only to divert yourself, yet I could not