and the Fairy ome 87

admired the infinite number of wax candles. perfumed with amber
which formed an agreeable and pleasant sight. A large sideboard
was set out with all sorts of gold plate, so finely wrought that.
the workmanship was much more valuable than the weight of
the gold. Several beautiful women -richly dressed, whose voices
were ravishing, began a concert, accompanied. with all kinds of
the most harmonious instruments he had ever heard. When they
had sat down to table, the fairy Pari Banou took care to help.
Prince Ahmed to most delicious meats, which .the prince had.
never heard of, but ‘found so nice that he commended them in
the highest terms, saying that they far surpassed those among
men. He found also.the same excellence in the wines, which
neither he nor the fairy tasted till the dessert was served up, which
consisted of the choicest: sweetmeats and fruits.

After the dessert, the fairy Pari Banou and Prince Ahmed rose
from the table; which was.: immediately carried away, and sat on
a sofa with cushions -of fine silk, curiously embroidered with all
sorts of large flowers, at their backs, and a great number of genie
and fairies danced before them.

The days following the wedding were a continual fess which
the’ fairy Pari Banou, who could do it with the utmost ease, knew.
how to diversify by new dishes, new concerts, new dances, new ©
shows, and new diversions; which were ali so extraordinary, that
Prince Ahmed, if he had lived a thousand years among men,
could not have imagined.

At the end of six months, Prince. Ahmed, who se loved.
and honoured the sultan his father, felt a great desire to know
how he. was; and as that desire could not be satisfied without.
his absenting himself to go and hear it in person, he mentioned it
to the fairy, and desired she would give him leave.

‘> This discourse alarmed the fairy, and made her fear it was
only : an excuse to leave her,