92 & Prince Ahmed

custom. The magician, seeing him coming, followed him with. her
eyes, till all of a sudden she lost sight of him and his attendants.

The steepness of the rocks formed an insurmountable barrier
to men, whether on horseback or on foot, so that the magician
judged that there were but two ways; the prince had retired either

‘ into some cavern, or into some place underground, the abode of
genies or fairies. When she thought the prince and his attendants
were out of sight, she came out of the place where she had hidden
herself, and went direct to the hollow where she had seen them
go in. She entered it, and proceeded to the spot where it
terminated in many windings, looking carefully about on all sides.
But notwithstanding all her diligence she could perceive no opening,
nor the iron gate which Prince Ahmed discovered. For this door
was to be seen by and opened to none but men, and only to men
whose presence was agreeable to the fairy Pari Banou, and not
at all to women.

The magician, who saw it was in vain for her to search any
further, was obliged to be satisfied with the discovery she had
made, and returned to give the sultan an account. When she had.
told him what she had done, she added, ‘Your majesty may easily
understand, after what I have had the honour to tell you, that it
will be no difficult matter to give you the satisfaction you desire
concerning Prince Ahmed’s conduct. To do this, I only ask time,
and that you will have patience, and give me leave to do it without
inquiring what measures. I intend to take.’

The sultan was very well pleased with the magician’s conduct, —
and said to her, ‘Do as you think fit: I will wait patiently,
and to encourage her, he made her a present of a diamond of great
value, telling her it was only an earnest of the ample reward she
should, receive when ‘she ‘had done him that important service,
which he left to. her management.

As Prince Ahmed, after he had obtained the fig au Banou’s