the Princess Giauhara ae OI

jo

 

said, ‘It is no longer King Saleh that demands of your majesty
the honour of your alliance for the King of Persia; it is the King
of Persia himself that humbly begs that boon; and I am sure
your majesty will not persist in being the cause of the death of
a king who can no longer live if he does not share life with the
amiable Princess Giauhara.’

The King of Samandal did not long suffer the King of Persia
to remain at his feet. He embraced him and obliging him to rise,
said, ‘I should be very sorry to have contributed in the least to
the death of a monarch who is so worthy to live. If it be true
that so precious a life cannot be preserved without my daughter, live,
sir, said he, ‘she is yours. She has always been obedient to my
will, and I cannot think she will now oppose it” Speaking these
words, he ordered one of his officers, whom King Saleh had
permitted to be about him, to go and look for the Princess Giauhara,
and bring her to him immediately.

The princess had remained where the King of Persia had left her.
The officer soon perceived her, and brought her with her women.
The King of Samandal embraced her, and said, ‘ Daughter, I have
provided a husband for you; it is the King of Persia you see there,

‘the most accomplished monarch at present in the universe. The
preference he has given you over all other Princesses obliges us both
to express our gratitude.’

‘Sir, replied the Princess Giauhara, ‘your majesty well knows
I never have presumed to disobey your will in anything; I shall
always be ready to obey you; and I hope the King of Persia will
forget my ill-treatment of him, and consider it was duty, not
inclination, that forced me to it.’

The wedding was celebrated in the palace of the City of
Enchantments, with the greater solemnity in that all the lovers
of the magic queen, who resumed their original forms as soon as
ever that queen ceased to live, came to return their thanks to the