and the Fairy — 3 wis 83

to some steep, craggy rocks, which would have obliged him to
return, had he been ever so anxious to proceed. They were situated
in a barren country, about four leagues distant from whence he

set out. When Prince Ahmed came near these rocks, he

perceived an arrow, which he picked up, looked earnestly

at it, and was in the greatest astonishment to find it was
the same he shot. ‘Cer-
tainly,’ said he to himself,
‘neither I nor any man
living could shoot. an
arrow so far’; and find-
ing it laid flat, not
sticking into the ground,
he judged that it had
rebounded from the rock.
‘There must be some
mystery in this,’ said he
to himself again, ‘and it
may be to my advantage.
Perhaps fortune, to make
me amends for depriving
me of what I thought
the greatest happiness
of my life, may have
reserved a greater bless-
ing for my comfort.’
As these rocks were full
of sharp points and
crevices between them, ‘the prince, full of these thoughts, entered

 

a cavity, and looking about, cast his eyes on an iron door,

which seemed to have no lock.. He feared it was fastened ;

but pushing against it, it opened, and discovered an easy descent,
: : G2