and the Fairy a 93

leave to .go to the Sultan of the Indies’ court, never failed once a
month, and the magician knew the time, she went a day or two
before to the foot of the rock where she had lost sight of the prince
and his attendants, and waited there with a plan she had formed.

The next morning Prince Ahmed went out as usual at the iron
gate with the same attendants as before, and passed by the magician, .
whom he knew not to be such. Seeing her lie with her head on
the rock, complaining as if she were in great pain, he pitied her,
turned his horse about and went and asked her what was the matter,
and what he could do to relieve her.

The artful sorceress, without lifting up her head, looked at the
prince, and answered in broken words and sighs, as if she could
hardly fetch her breath, that she was going to the city, but on the
way thither was taken ‘with so violent a fever that her strength
failed her, and she, was forced to stop and lie down, far from any
habitation, and without any hope of assistance,

‘Good woman; replied Prince ‘Ahmed, ‘you are not so far from
help as you imagine. I am ready to assist you, and to convey you
where you shall not only have all possible care taken of you, but
where ‘you will find a speedy cure; only get up, and let one of
my people take you.’ 1

At these words, the magician, who pretended illness only to know
where the prince lived, did: not refuse the kind offer he made her so
freely, and to show her acceptance rather by action than by word, she
made many affected efforts to get up, pretending that her illness
prevented her. At the same time two of the prince’s attendants
-alighted off their horses, helped her up, and set her behind another.
They mounted their horses again, and ‘followed the prince, who
-turned back to the iron: gate, which was opened by one of his retinue
who rode before. When he came into the outer court of the fairy’s
palace, without dismounting, he sent to tell her he wanted to speak _
to her. ooo : 5