58 Prince Beder and

— i.

assistance. Take care not to frighten her. when you come before
her and tell her from me what she ought to do.’

Lightning immediately disappeared, and got in an instant
to the palace of the magic queen. He instructed the woman, lifted
her up into the air, and transported her to the capital of Persia,
where he placed her on the terrace near the apartment where Queen
Gulnare was. She went downstairs to the apartment, and she
there found Queen Gulnare and Queen Farasche her mother
lamenting their misfortunes. She made them a profound obeisance
and they soon understood the great need that King Beder was in
of their assistance.

Queen Gulnare was so overjoyed at the news, that rising from
her seat, she went and embraced the good woman, telling her how
much she was obliged to her for the service she had done.

Then immediately going out, she commanded the trumpets to
_sound, and the drums to beat, to acquaint the city that the King
of Persia would. suddenly return safe to his kingdom. She then
went again, and found King Saleh her brother, whom Queen Farasche
had caused to come speedily thither by a certain. fumigation.
‘Brother, said she to him, ‘the king your nephew, my dear son,
is in the City of Enchantments, under the power of Queen Labe
Both you and I must go to deliver him, for there is.no time to’
be lost.’ 2

King Saleh forthwith assembled a powerful body of his marine
troops, who soon rose out of the sea. He also called to his assistance
the genies, his allies, who appeared with a much more numerous
army than his own. As soon as the two armies were joined, he put
himself at the head of them, with Queen Farasche, Queen Gulnare,
and the princesses. They then lifted themselves up into the air, and
soon poured down’on the palace and City of Enchantments, where
the magic queen, her mother, and all the adorers of fire, were
destroyed in an instant. .. —